Everything You Need to Know About Level Zero Support

What if your customers never had to call you in the first place?

We’re not saying they shouldn’t – good customer support will always be needed – but what if you could eliminate the need for many of those calls entirely? That’s exactly what a Level Zero support strategy is all about.

So we’ve compiled this handy guide to help you better understand what it actually is, how it works, and how your contact centre could implement it to reduce call volumes, save costs, and improve customer satisfaction – all at once.

What Is Level Zero Support?

Think of Level Zero support as everything your customers experience before they even think to pick up the phone or open a chat.

It’s the holy grail of CX efficiency – the place where your self-service options, FAQs, how-to guides, in-product prompts, automation tools, and proactive comms do all the heavy lifting.

In short? Level Zero is customer support that doesn’t require any human intervention.

That means customers get what they need instantly – and your agents get to focus their energy where it matters most: solving the high-stakes, emotionally complex, or revenue-impacting queries that genuinely require a human touch.

It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about clearing them!

In practice, this could mean:

• Smarter self-service tools
• Clearer communication at point-of-purchase
• Better onboarding and how-to guides
• Proactive status updates (e.g. “your refund has been processed”)
• Product or process design that prevents confusion or failure in the first place

At Costa Coffee’s contact centre, for example, one of the key takeaways from our visit was their emphasis on improving self-service guides to reduce repeat calls – exactly the kind of Level Zero thinking that leads to real impact.

Why Should Contact Centre Leaders Invest Time in Offering Level Zero Support?

There are some seriously strong business cases for implementing Level Zero thinking into your customer experience (CX) strategy. This isn’t just about customer convenience!

Lower Costs

Every minute your agents spend handling a routine query is money out the door.

Level Zero supports slashed call volumes, which means you can manage more customers with fewer resources.

Happier Customers

Customers don’t want to call you. They just want their problem solved – fast.

Level Zero support delivers instant gratification, and that builds loyalty.

Happier Agents

Removing the repetitive “have you tried turning it off and on again?” calls means your agents get to tackle more meaningful work – and avoid burnout.

For creative strategies for capturing and calculating advisor satisfaction, read our article: Want to Find Out How Happy Your Agents Really Are? Here’s How!

Stronger Brand Reputation

A smoother self-service experience tells customers you’re modern, thoughtful, and trustworthy.

It shows you value their time – and they’ll remember that.

How to Build Your Level Zero Support Strategy

If you’re new to the idea of Level Zero support, don’t panic – this isn’t about flipping a switch overnight. It’s a mindset shift, and a process.

Below are some quick wins and strategic steps to help you start laying the groundwork:

1. Start With the Root Causes

Want fewer calls? First understand why people are calling in the first place.

Use call data to identify your most common queries – and then dig deeper. What’s really driving those contacts?

Are customers confused because your product instructions aren’t clear? Are delivery updates missing? Is your return process buried three menus deep?

The goal here is to identify friction points that are creating avoidable contacts.

Here are two articles on the 7 steps to improved root cause analysis, and how to identify your three most common issues, that may be useful.

2. Fix What’s Broken

Before building anything new, optimize what already exists.

Got an FAQ page? Make sure it’s actually answering the right questions. Got a chatbot? Audit the flows for dead-ends and missed opportunities. Got a knowledge base? Ask five people outside your team to find an answer – if they can’t, it needs simplifying.

You don’t need to fix everything overnight. Prioritize. Identify your three most common pain points, fix them, track the results, then repeat.

This method is simple, effective, and often uncovers process improvements you’d never noticed before.

For the classic broken processes, signs to spot them, and advice on how to fix them, read our article: Key Signs of Broken Processes (and How to Fix Them)

3. Design Self-Service That’s a Pleasure to Use

From chatbots and help centres, to intelligent IVRs… When used properly, these can guide customers to what they need without having to talk to a human.

But be warned: they’ve got to be good. If your chatbot can’t answer basic queries, customers will just get frustrated and call anyway.

Prominence, clarity, and confidence-building are key. Make sure your support tools are unmissable – and check that they work first time!

4. Make Self-Service Content (That’s Actually Usable)

Update your help guides, FAQs and troubleshooting tools regularly.

Make sure they’re searchable, mobile-friendly, and written in plain English.

It’s not always about new tech – sometimes it’s just better copy!

If you want to stay ahead and are wondering “what’s next with self-service?”, read our article: 10 Changes Set to Redefine the Future of Self-Service

5. Think Like a Customer!

When designing any new product, service, or policy, ask: “What might confuse or frustrate someone here? What questions will they have?”

Then fix those gaps before they reach the phone.

This mindset shift is gold!

Mistakes to Avoid When Rolling Out Your Level Zero Strategy

Even the best Level Zero strategies can stumble if you fall into these common traps:

Thinking It’s a “One-and-Done” Exercise

Level Zero isn’t a campaign – it’s a continuous practice.

Keep tracking, tweaking and improving as your services evolve.

Not Putting Customer Feedback Loops in Place

If customers are still calling about an issue you thought was solved, something’s broken.

Make feedback loops a core part of your Level Zero strategy.

Not Bringing Your Team Along on the Journey

Your frontline agents know exactly what customers are asking and why. Involve them.

Make them part of the solution. They’ll have ideas you haven’t even thought of.

It’s About Solving a Customer’s Problem Before They Even Realize They Have One

Level Zero Support might sound like something futuristic, but it’s actually about getting back to basics: anticipate your customer’s needs, solve their problems before they even know they have one, and make every touchpoint as seamless as possible.

The result? Fewer contacts, lower costs, happier customers – and a contact centre that runs smoother than ever.

And remember, this isn’t about making your team redundant. It’s about making their time – and your customers’ time – count.

So starting asking yourself… What would it take for us to never get that type of call again?

For more information to help you improve your customer service, read these articles next:

• How to Handle Customer Privacy on Social Media
• 10 Essential Building Blocks for Earning Customer Trust
• Are You Falling Into These Customer Service Traps?

Author: Stephanie Lennox
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson