I sometimes feel like our world is becoming more fast-paced by the day and in an increasingly digital world, businesses need agility, not only for how they operate, but in how they communicate. The ability to quickly modify, update, and tailor customer communications isn’t just a luxury, it’s now a necessity.
That’s why I’m a strong advocate for self-service capabilities in Customer Communications Management (CCM). When organizations have the power to control their messaging, make real-time updates, and send ad hoc communications on demand, they can significantly improve their time to market, provide customers with relevant information, drive efficiency, and reduce operational costs.
Why Self-Service in CCM Matters
For years, companies have struggled with the rigidity of traditional customer communication workflows. Making even a simple change like updating an image or modifying a key message, often requires going through IT, or engaging a service provider.
We need to remove these barriers so business users take control of their own communications with intuitive tools that allow them to:
- Make On-Demand Changes: Update placeholder content such as images, simple text, and key messages, without disrupting the overall workflow.
- Manage Digital Assets: Swap out digital assets in real time to ensure branding, promotional content, and other visual elements remain current and relevant.
- Send Ad Hoc Communications: Go beyond batch processing and send 1:1 or 1:Many messages as needed, ensuring timely and effective outreach.
The Benefits of Self-Service
When I talk to our customers, the same themes come up again and again. They want speed, control, and cost efficiency. Self-service delivers on these themes.
- Faster Time to Market
- Cost Reduction
- Improved Control
- Enhanced Flexibility
One of the most frustrating pain points for businesses is the lag time in updating customer communications. Whether it’s a compliance update, or a simple text revision, waiting on approvals or IT resources can slow things down.
With self-service, those roadblocks disappear. Customers can make quick updates, allowing them to adapt to changing business needs instantly. When you can act in the moment—rather than waiting days or weeks—you can better meet the needs of the business, be compliant and engage your customers at the point of need.
Traditional CCM processes often involve additional costs for modification requests, IT support, and professional services. Every change request adds up, and over time, these expenses can become a significant drain on resources.
With self-service, those costs are virtually eliminated. Users can update content, modify messages, and send ad hoc communications without needing external assistance. This not only streamlines operations but also frees up budget for other strategic initiatives.
One of the most common frustrations I hear from businesses is the lack of control over their customer communications. Waiting on someone else to implement changes, whether it’s IT, a third-party provider, or a service team, creates unnecessary dependency.
With the option self-serve, business users can take charge of their own messaging. Whether it’s a branding update or a regulatory compliance change, they can make the changes on their terms. This level of control is critical for businesses that need to move quickly in response to market shifts.
Every business has unique communication needs. Some operate on batch processing, while others require more dynamic, on-the-fly messaging. Self-service enables both.
Whether it’s a scheduled statement update or an urgent one-off message, being able to self-serve allows businesses to communicate the right message at the right time. This flexibility is invaluable, especially in industries where timely, personalized engagement makes all the difference.
A Future Where Businesses Control Their Communications
At OSG, we’re committed to providing our customers with the tools they need to succeed in a digital-first world. It is for this reason we’re providing our customers with self service capabilities, with a stringent approvals process – giving them the power to own their customer communications strategy.
Imagine a world where your team can make changes instantly, send communications when they’re most relevant, and eliminate costly inefficiencies. That’s the reality we’re enabling with our Self-Service module, part of OSG’s JourneyConnect™ suite of solutions.
If you’re ready to take control of your customer communications, let’s talk. At OSG, we’re here to help you build a smarter, more agile communication strategy that puts you in the driver’s seat.
