Helping Users Get Help
Sometimes users come to complete a task or find information, but the website isn’t meeting their expectations.
When people reach help or support content it’s either a surprise to them (error page) or it’s their last attempt to get what they need (FAQ, support pages, etc.).
I'm stuck. How do I get to the next step?
We often need to provide instructions and reminders to help orient visitors to the plethora of applications in our large, complex web system.
Most of the time, these users are not visiting our site to read these instructions—it’s just a step that’s getting in the way of the real task they’ve come to do.
User:
"What? I need to log in to see this page? I don’t think I have an account."
What I'm feeling:
- Frustration
- Anger
- Uncertainty
Bethel:
"If you haven't already created your account, now is the perfect time."
Tips:
- Never blame the user. Assume they’re competent and have already done basic troubleshooting to resolve the issue. See your instructions as a reminder of something they might have already tried.
- Be conversational,not condescending.
- Test to make sure any solutions you’re providing actually resolve the issue.
- Always give them an escape route by making it easy to contact someone. Users might be confused by your instruction or they might have tried everything you’ve suggested to no avail. At this point, they’ll need to hear from you or someone who can help.
- Be brief, clear, and organized. Users will have less patience when they’re frustrated.
Something went wrong...
Sometimes users will come across error pages. We all know this is a frustrating experience.
The key to error pages is to describe in plain language what's happening and give the user a way to report the issue or a tangible suggestion for resolving the issue.
User:
"Ugh! This link goes nowhere."
What I’m feeling:
- Skepticism
- Frustration
- Annoyance
Bethel:
"We can’t find the page you’re looking for. We've been upgrading our site so it's likely that we moved or renamed this page."
Tips:
- Always use language that places the blame on Bethel instead of the user (e.g. "Our systems are overloaded" "We're having difficulties" etc.).
- Explain why the error is happening using language that the user understands. If you make it crystal clear what's going on, you have more opportunity to regain trust.
- Make it easy to report the issue. We want to know when users are having a tough time using our site so we can make improvements.
- Be brief, clear, and organized. Users will have less patience when they’re frustrated.