In practice, self-service is a major source of frustration. The traditional IVR has long been the epitome of inefficiency, and satisfaction rates for modern chatbots markedly trail those for most agent-led interactions. What is causing the disconnect? The answer is simple: self-service initiatives have long been rooted in call deflection rather than customer empowerment. This reality can only materialize, however, if the self-service experience is effective. If customers cannot easily navigate the self-service platform, let alone solve their problem, they will still need to escalate to a live agent. Worse, the time they waste in self-service will manifest as frustration, if not outright hostility, when they finally reach someone who can help.