We often hear that customer support is what happens when customer experience fails. While there’s truth to that, I believe we can no longer afford to wait for failure before stepping in. This is something I experienced recently after a flight cancellation. Rather than simply being a momentary inconvenience, this experience revealed the shortcomings of reactive support and the urgent need for a proactive approach.
A flight cancellation that didn’t have to be frustrating.
I was initially scheduled to fly from Lyon to Doha, but I received an email stating that my departure had been moved from Lyon to Paris. What frustrated me most wasn’t the cancellation—it was the lack of any self-service options in that initial communication I received. Had the airline provided a quick link to view available flights departing from Lyon, or at least informed me upfront if no such flights were available, I wouldn’t have had to spend time searching for alternatives and eventually calling customer support.
The limitations of current self-service solutions.
Companies tout self-service as a way to reduce support requests and improve efficiency. Yet, this experience illustrates a common gap between intent and reality. In my case, the email offered options to modify my seat selection and view my new flight schedule. These options were clearly meant to help me self-serve. However, they did nothing to address my actual need: finding flights departing from Lyon.
A Gartner study of 6,000 customers found that self-service fully resolves only 14% of customer issues. Furthermore, simple inquiries have a resolution rate of just 36%. As a result, many customers—73% in fact—end up abandoning self-service and escalating their issues to live agents.
For me, this meant a forced call to customer support. I had to endure minutes of proving my identity before I could receive any assistance. This not only increased my frustration but also highlighted the inefficiency of a poorly executed self-service system.
The takeaway? Self-service isn’t inherently flawed—the problem lies in its execution. To be effective, self-service must be intuitive, dynamic, and capable of addressing customer needs rather than merely deflecting them.
Moving beyond a reactive approach.
This example underscores a broader point. Waiting for a problem to force customers into contact with support is a costly mistake. Relying solely on reactive customer support means lost revenue, higher customer churn, and a damaged brand reputation. Instead, support must be seamless across the customer journey—from product research and checkout to tracking, troubleshooting, and post-purchase engagement.
The same Gartner study revealed that among customers who hadn’t received any proactive support, 21% expressed a preference for this approach over initiating contact themselves. However, this preference doubled to 42% among customers who had previously received proactive service. This indicates that firsthand experience with proactive support significantly enhances customer appreciation for it.
It is worth noting that, even among recipients of proactive support, many still favor reactive approaches, even though proactive strategies are associated with higher customer satisfaction. This is a key challenge for customer service leaders. Proactive initiatives should provide clear benefits for the customer. Beyond that, the benefits need to be communicated effectively. The goal should be to shift customer preferences toward proactive engagement.
The bottom line
Customer support should not just be a safety net. Rather, it should be an integral part of the entire customer journey. This means that every employee, not just the Customer Care Centre population, must prioritize it. Whether you’re a service engineer, sales representative, or quotation specialist, delivering the best customer experience should be a key focus. By embedding proactive, intelligent support, businesses can prevent issues before they arise and create a seamless experience. Don’t wait for customers to reach out—meet them where they are and offer help before they even need to ask.
At Schneider Electric, we prioritize our customers in everything we do, and we are using the latest technologies including AI to provide the best possible experience. The Support Help Center on se.com provides a streamlined self-service experience, guiding customers through their first online support journey with ease. The front-end FAQ is one of the most visited pages on our website. The Virtual Agent chatbot has been highly successful in helping resolve customer queries without human intervention. For complex requests, it seamlessly transfers to a live agent.
We are also focusing on transforming customer experience from the inside out. We empower our teams with the best tools built for efficiency. For instance, with the Knowledge Bot, a GenAI-powered assistant, that serves as a knowledge companion, significantly improving case resolution times.
Beyond technology, our Workforce Engagement Management strategy prioritizes quality, optimized staffing, and resource planning. Continuous upskilling and training programs also keep our workforce highly skilled, adaptable, and responsive. By transforming customer service from the inside out, we are setting new standards for excellence and innovation and building a service that is future ready.
Conversation
What an exceptionally well written article.