Why does service, of all things, determine brand trust today?
Because this is where expectations meet reality.
Marketing can make a promise.
Service has to keep it.
Every service interaction is brand communication: the ticket, the callback, the portal login, the processing time. When these moments run smoothly, trust grows. When they don’t, relationships deteriorate faster than any campaign can repair.
As it was aptly phrased during the talk:
Service is brand leadership in real time.
Especially in B2B, expectations are now shaped by B2C experiences. Users no longer compare their service portal with competitors — but with Amazon, DHL, or their online banking.
Speed, transparency, and simplicity are no longer optional. They are minimum requirements.
Why are traditional service organizations reaching their limits?
Many service processes have grown historically — and were optimized internally.
Departments, handovers, separate systems, duplicated data.
What seems logical internally often feels unnecessarily complicated to customers. The result is long processing times, repeated inquiries, and missing context.
This requires a shift in perspective:
Stop thinking in processes. Start thinking in experiences.
The key question is no longer:
“Who is responsible internally?”
But:
“How does the customer reach a solution without detours?”
What does this mean concretely for processes and systems?
Service only becomes fast and personal when data works together.
Without integration, employees see only fragments — and customers must repeat information.
This requires:
- a unified view across CRM/service, ERP, and contracts
- transparent status information
- context-based communication
- personalized next steps
Only when systems communicate does real Customer Experience emerge.
How do you find the right balance between self-service and personal support?
One of the clearest statements of the talk was also the simplest:
Self-service whenever possible. Human support whenever necessary.
Routine tasks belong in the portal:
Check status, download documents, place orders, update master data.
Complex or consultative topics remain personal.
This creates two effects simultaneously:
- Customers reach their goals faster
- Service teams gain time for value-adding consulting
What matters: no forced channels.
Self-service only works if it is truly more convenient.
What role does the customer portal really play?
During the talk, the portal was not seen as a surface, but as a central service platform.
An isolated portal helps little.
An integrated portal changes everything.
Only when service/CRM systems, ERP data, and identities come together does a place emerge where customers can truly act independently.
The result:
- fewer inquiries
- shorter processing times
- higher satisfaction
- additional after-sales opportunities
The portal thus evolves from an information page into business-critical infrastructure.
What specific insights did MEWA provide?
MEWA demonstrated very practically how service and marketing can work together.
As a textile service provider, MEWA has many recurring customer touchpoints — through field service, service drivers, digital platforms, and personal consulting. Service is not an add-on here, but the core of the business model.
Three key learnings emerged:
First: Service is the most frequent touchpoint — and therefore the strongest brand channel.
Marketing does not end after the lead. It accompanies the entire lifecycle.
Second: Digital platforms strengthen personal relationships.
Portals and self-service do not replace people; they free them from routine work so they can focus on real consulting.
Third: Service delivers valuable marketing insights.
Understanding which issues, products, or questions dominate reveals needs earlier — enabling targeted communication or new offers.
Service thus becomes both an efficiency driver and a marketing instrument.
Where does AI deliver real value in service today?
AI was viewed pragmatically in the talk.
Not as a large transformation project.
But as a tool.
Particularly effective are:
- intelligent routing of inquiries
- agent assist for service staff
- conversational interactions instead of forms
The goal is always the same:
Save time, increase quality.
AI handles routine — people handle relationships.
How do you get started in practice? Seven tangible steps
The most important advice from the talk: start small, but do it right.
Do not build the big platform immediately.
Solve concrete problems first.
Typical first steps:
- Define the target vision and critical service moments
- Integrate data from CRM, service, and ERP
- Launch a portal with a few relevant use cases
- Prioritize self-service while maintaining channel freedom
- Ensure consumer-level UX
- Use AI specifically for routing and assistance
- Actively involve teams and continuously evolve
The key lies not in a big bang, but in step-by-step expansion.
Three quick wins that almost always work
Experience shows these measures deliver immediate impact:
Status transparency in the portal
Fewer inquiries, more trust
Digital documents and contract overview
Immediate added value for customers
Automatic request routing
Faster handling, higher first-contact resolution
Such quick wins create acceptance — internally and externally.
Conclusion: Service is the new stage for the brand
Brands are no longer built only through marketing.
They are built in the everyday lives of customers.
Where problems are solved.
Or not.
Companies that think strategically about service, integrate data, use portals wisely, and apply AI pragmatically achieve more than efficiency.
They create trust.
And it is precisely this trust that allows brands to truly shine after the purchase.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about modern customer service
Why is service considered part of brand management today?
Because customers primarily experience the brand in real usage situations — for example during complaints, inquiries, or orders. Service interactions shape trust more strongly than marketing messages. Every interaction becomes brand communication.
When is a customer portal economically worthwhile?
When many recurring routine inquiries occur, such as status, documents, contracts, or orders. Self-service reduces contact volume, lowers costs, and frees capacity for consulting-intensive cases. Additional revenue potential arises through after-sales.
How much self-service makes sense?
As much as possible for standard processes — but always with the option of personal support. Acceptance comes from faster and simpler solutions, not forced usage.
Which AI use cases deliver the fastest ROI in service?
Experience shows intelligent request routing and agent-assist systems deliver the quickest effects. They shorten processing times, increase first-contact resolution, and immediately relieve service teams.
How do you start without a large transformation project?
With a few clearly prioritized quick wins — for example ticket status in the portal, digital documents, or automatic routing. Small steps create measurable value faster and build internal acceptance.
