How to Create a Robust Help Center to Deflect Case Volume
Creating a robust help center is one of the most effective ways to deflect case volume and empower customers with self-service options. A well-structured knowledge base not only reduces the burden on your support team but also enhances the customer experience by providing instant, accessible answers. Here’s how to build a help center that actually works.
A well-structured help center is the backbone of any customer support strategy. There are two types of help centers: external, customer-facing ones that allow your product users to self-serve and find answers independently, and internal, agent-only ones designed to support customer support teams with internal processes, policies, and troubleshooting guides. Both types play a crucial role in improving efficiency, reducing ticket volume, and enhancing satisfaction. However, a help center is only as good as its content—poorly written or difficult-to-navigate articles can frustrate users rather than assist them.
Here’s how to create a help center that truly supports your customers:
1. Write with Clarity and Precision
Avoid jargon and overly technical language. Customers should be able to understand an article without needing additional clarification. Use concise, step-by-step instructions, and break down complex topics into digestible sections.
2. Optimize for Searchability
Most customers will turn to search before browsing through categories. Use clear, relevant keywords in article titles and content to make finding answers effortless. Structure content with headers, bullet points, and FAQs to improve readability and discoverability.
3. Keep It Up to Date
An outdated help center is worse than no help center at all. Regularly audit articles to ensure accuracy, especially when products, policies, or procedures change. Make updating your help center part of your internal workflows.
4. Use a Customer-Centric Approach
Think about how customers phrase their questions and structure articles accordingly. Instead of company-focused titles like "How Our Refund Process Works," use customer-centric phrasing like "How to Request a Refund."
5. Leverage Multimedia for Better Understanding
Not everyone processes information the same way. Supplement articles with screenshots, GIFs, and short videos to enhance comprehension and guide users more effectively.
6. Gather Feedback and Iterate
Allow customers to rate articles and provide feedback on their usefulness. Use this data to identify gaps, clarify confusing content, and improve your help center over time.
7. Maintain a Logical Structure
A cluttered or disorganized help center leads to frustration. Group related articles into intuitive categories and limit the number of nested subcategories. Ensure navigation is seamless, whether customers are browsing or searching.
8. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness
Many customers will access your help center from a mobile device. Make sure content is responsive, loads quickly, and remains easy to read and navigate on smaller screens.
A strong help center doesn’t just deflect tickets—it enhances the entire customer experience. Investing in well-crafted, well-organized content ensures customers feel supported and confident in finding the answers they need.
*This article was written with a bit of help from AI to ensure clarity. Every takeaway was personally reviewed by yours truly — because when it comes to customer support, I know the difference between a winning strategy and a dropped ball.