RE: Encouraging users to read online help

Subject: RE: Encouraging users to read online help
From: "Hannah Bissell" <to -dot- hannah -at- usa -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 12:37:05 -0500

One place I wrote for had online help. When customers called with questions
the CSR had to basically run through the online help with the customer. Of
course, the CSR version had slightly more details specific to their
manufacturer and all. We couldn't include some of it in the online help b/c
there were so many manufacturers, they changed often, and some of it we
didn't want customers trying to do b/c of safety risks.

Feedback was heavy on this. Most CSRs loved it and got positive results.
Customers who weren't aware of the online help or didn't have faith in it
were given this introduction to it that seemed to help increase traffic to
the help site. Those who were still not willing to use it weren't bashed
over the head with pressure to use it - they knew they could call, wait
their turn on hold for a CSR, and still get personal service. But their wait
was reduced because of all the people using the online help. That and it's
hard to get mad at having to wait on hold when you know you have other
options.

An interesting side effect was an increase on our intranet traffic to our
other help manuals. I guess once the CSRs were forced to use our help
systems they were convinced that they were actually of some use.

hannah Bissell
to -dot- hannah -at- usa -dot- net


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References:
RE: Encouraging users to read online help: From: Deeprose, Michelle - HDS

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