This document outlines the business case for implementing personalized technical documentation solutions to improve customer support and retention. It discusses how the proliferation of content channels has complicated customer journeys and support. Personalized solutions that deliver the right content to the right user across channels can improve self-service rates and satisfaction while reducing support costs. The key is utilizing structured content, multimedia, and analytics to understand users and personalize search results.

1. SDL Proprietary and ConfidentialSDL Proprietary and Confidential
Solving Problems Before
They Happen
Andrew Thomas, Dir. Product Marketing
Content Management Technologies
05/07/2013
Putting Personalized Tech Docs on
the Front Line of Customer Support

2. • Introductions
• The Content Problem
• Why Retention and Support Matters
• Making the Case for Personalized Tech Docs
• Solution Requirements
Agenda

3. Introductions
3

4. • Father of two teenage boys
• Recently adopted a rescue dog
• Consume all forms of media
• Write bad poetry in my spare time
• Implemented DITA at Adobe for
all product documentation
• Product Manager for
SDL WorldServer TMS
• Product Marketer for
SDL LiveContent
• HUGE NERD
Who Am I?
Email: athomas@sdl.com | Twitter: @work_ajt | LinkedIn: andrewjthomas

5. • Delivering printed materials?
• Single sourcing?
• Translating into multiple languages?
• Index and/or glossary?
• Creating content in XML? DITA?
• Using a CCMS / XML CMS?
• Using personas?
• Cross-departmental?
• Mobile delivery?
• Voice of the customer / feedback model / social presence?
• Customer experience and/or customer satisfaction initiative?
Who Are You?

6. The Content Problem
6

7. Channel Explosion
Tech
docs
FAQ
Sales
Engineering
Support
Marketing
Specs
Price
7

8. Now Add Language and Locale
Your
Message

9. The Customer Journey

10. The Customer Journey
Keeping Customers Satisfied
Initial
Problem
Searching
Resources
Resolution
Determining
Solution
Initial
Endorsement
Consistent
Praise
Recognized
Fan
Brand
Advocate

11. Battle for Content Creators
Sales &
Marketing
Customer
Support
Research &
Development
Training &
Learning
PRODUCT CONTENT

12. Why Retention and Support
Matters
12

13. Customer Retention drives revenue, lowers cost
Source: Frederick Reichheld – “Business marketing strategies”
VALUE OF AN
EXISTING CUSTOMER
IMPORTANCE OF
CUSTOMER RETENTION
“Retention is a lot more cost
effective than acquisition”
Carrie Johnson – Forrester
Research

14. Self-Service is Cheap
Source: “From the November 2011 issue of Inc. magazine.”
Call center technical
support
Web self-service
Customer service channel
(Approximate cost per contact)
Customer Satisfaction
“It is not the strongest of
the species that survive,
nor the most intelligent,
but the one most
responsive to change.”
Charles Darwin

15. Bad Experiences are Expensive
Source: “From the November 2011 issue of Inc. magazine.”
Number of
positive
customer
interactions
required to
overcome a
bad one
“After a poor customer
experience, more than
one-quarter of
consumers (26 percent)
posted negative
complaints on a social
networking site such as
Facebook or Twitter”
Harris Interactive, 2011
Customer Experience
Impact Report

16. Bad News Travels Fast
Source: “From the November 2011 issue of Inc. magazine.”
Average number of
people a customer
will tell about a
bad experience
“If you do build a great
experience, customers
tell each other about
that. Word of mouth is
very powerful.”
Jeff Bezos, CEO
Amazon.com
Customer Satisfaction

17. Satisfaction is the key
Source: “From the November 2011 issue of Inc. magazine.”
Customer Satisfaction
70%
Share of customers who
say they are willing to
spend more at
companies that provide
superior customer
service

18. Making the Case for
Personalized Tech Docs
18

19. Preferred channel to Access Product Information
19
Reasons for Using
Product Information
Speak to a customer
service agent
Chat online with a customer
service agent
Look at product
manual
Search engines
Search on company
website
Source: “SDL Survey 2012.”

20. Preferred channel to Access Product Information
20
4
Reasons for Using
Product Information
Human Interaction
Online Interaction
Source: “SDL Survey 2012.”

21. 4
Reasons for Using Product Information
21
Learning about a
product before use
Troubleshooting
Discovering new functions
and features
Reasons for Using
Product Information
Source: “SDL Survey 2012.”

22. 22
My Son, Age 14
A Quick Overview
• Has never known a world without the internet
• Got his first cellphone when he was 11
• Texts more than he talks
• Uses a Samsung Galaxy 3, an iPod Touch, a Mac laptop,
and has access to several other screens
How does he find product information?
• Searches YouTube first
• Goes directly to the manufacturer’s website
• Searches Google
• Asks me

23. 23
My Mom, Age 62
A Quick Overview
• Prefers paper and real world objects to digital
• Still uses a dumb phone
• Only texts occasionally (since it’s often the only way to
reach her grandkids)
• Got an iPad for her 60th birthday, owns an old PC
How does she find product information?
• Asks someone at the store
• Reads the printed manual
• Goes directly to the manufacturer’s website
• Asks friends and family

24. Good Content = Better Support
“Media rich targeted
information”
“makes it easier to solve a
problem on my own.”
Source: Golan Harris -SDL Structured Content Product Information Survey
87.3%

25. Companies that use Good Content
Business Benefits
• 6x the number of positive mentions in
social media
• Significantly increased profit margins
• Customer satisfaction almost doubles
• Support escalations fractions of
others
Common Solution
Features Implemented
Component-based content
Linked across languages
Dynamic, “live” filtering
Unique product configurations
Localized for language and culture
Varied user role and function offerings
“..in a perfect world
it’s both and
everything in
between..” Carrie
Johnson – Forrester
Research

26. Solution Requirements
26

27. Multichannel

28. Multilingual

29. Multimedia
Combine text and video for a better experience

30. Reuse Content for Efficiency, Consistency, & Quality
Sales and Marketing
Product Development
Customer Support
Training and Learning

31. Separate Content from Format
AUTHOR
CONTENT
CHANNEL

32. Separate Content from Format
CONTENT
CHANNEL
AUTHOR

33. Create Findability not Searchability
“My camera won’t work”
<quote>My
<b> camera </b>
won’t work </quote>
My
camera
won’t work

34. Document Personas, not Products
Mac User
PC User
Advanced
User
Beginning
User
Dynamic Content

35. Personalize Results
PC User Advanced User
RESULTS
SEARCH
RESULTS
SEARCH

36. Empower Content Owners
Easy Editing and Incremental Publishing
enables rapid response

37. How can you know your customer if you don’t
know how they use your content?
Gather Publication Analytics

38. Upcoming Events
38
SDL Innovate 2013
June 13-14
The Fairmont San Jose
www.sdl.com/innovate
May 8 – San Diego
May 9 – San Francisco
May 21 – Washington DC
May 22 - Atlanta
Bridging the Gap Between DITA and CXM
A series of complimentary half-day events featuring
industry experts and market leading organizations
www.sdl.com/bridgingthegap
Learn more about SDL LiveContent
Videos, solution papers and more at www.sdl.com/stc

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