The role of user support in DAPs

User support lies at the heart of successful digital adoption. Organizations increasingly rely on digital tools, so ensuring users can effectively utilize these technologies is a primary concern. Digital adoption platforms (DAPs) are invaluable tools not only for driving software adoption, but also for providing autonomous user support throughout the adoption journey. In this article, we will explore the significance of user support within DAPs and delve into strategies to enhance the user experience.

1. User-centric design

DAPs allow editors to create user-friendly interfaces using straightforward instructional designs and interactive features that prioritize the user experience. They enable users with varying levels of digital skills to follow workflows and navigate their tools independently. This approach significantly reduces friction in the user journey, making it easier for individuals to embrace new technologies. When users encounter tools designed to address their needs, they are less likely to encounter obstacles, minimizing the need for extensive external user support. In essence, user-centric design not only enhances the overall user experience but also serves as a proactive strategy to address challenges preemptively. As a result it fosters autonomy and confidence among users.

2. Onboarding and training

Digital adoption platforms streamline the user onboarding process by integrating a library of interactive tutorials and step-by-step guides into enterprise tools. The following DAP features help to empower users:

• Interactive tutorials: DAPs often include interactive tutorials that walk users through the features and functionalities of the platform. These tutorials are designed to be engaging and informative, allowing users to learn by doing. Users can follow along with the tutorials in a hands-on manner, which is highly effective for understanding how to use the platform’s tools.
• Step-by-step guides: DAPs provide step-by-step guides that break down complex processes into manageable bite sized tasks. These guides offer detailed instructions, accompanied by screenshots, images or videos, making it easy for users to follow the steps required to complete specific actions or tasks within the tool.
• Role of user support: While DAPs are designed to be user-friendly, its user support plays a defining role in successful user onboarding and adoption.

User support within digital adoption platforms

User support is non-negotiable when it comes to addressing specific user needs, providing assistance, and ensuring that users can quickly become proficient in their tools. This combination of user-friendly design and user support contributes to a more effective onboarding experience and greater user satisfaction.

3. In-app assistance

Digital adoption platforms deploy various in-app assistance features to guide users through a feature, task, or application. Here’s how some of these features work and their role in reducing the need for external support:

• Tooltips: Tooltips are small, contextual hints or information boxes that appear when users hover over an element or icon within an application. These tooltips provide brief explanations, descriptions, or instructions about the specific function of that element. For example, if a user hovers over a tool icon, a tooltip might appear explaining what and how to use a tool.
• Push notification: A push is a notification that automatically triggers, making it an ideal way to communicate with users. You can be creative with the insertion of images, GIFs, videos, or questionnaires and program a period over which the push should be sent. You can also link a push to a guide, prompting users to visit a specific guide once they click ‘Launch the guide’.
• Smart launcher: Is this the first time a user has come to a page? With the Smart Launcher feature, guides begin automatically to welcome users and provide immediate assistance.

In-app assistance features like tooltips and push notifications minimize the need for external support by offering immediate assistance right when they need it. Real time guidance increases productivity and improves the way users interact with elements within the software. It also engages users to remain within the platform.

In a study involving 137 users across 20 teams from three Fortune 500 companies, researchers examined how long it took for users to refocus on their tasks after switching between apps or websites. On average, users needed a little over two seconds to re-engage after toggling, and they did this around 1,200 times per day. This frequent toggling added up to nearly four hours per week spent on reorienting themselves. Over a year, this amounted to five weeks, or 9% of their annual work time.

(Source: How Much Time and Energy Do We Waste Toggling Between Applications? HBR, Rohan Narayana Murty, Sandeep Dadlani, and Rajath B. Das)

4. Real-time feedback 

DAPs offer real-time feedback and analytics as essential features to enhance user experiences and organizational performance. Here’s how some real-time feedback elements work:

• Error correction: DAPs provide immediate feedback to users when they make errors. Features like Tooltips and data validators provide user feedback for error correction, including error messages, warnings, advice or visual cues.
• Interactive assistance: Some DAPs integrate chatbots or virtual assistants that offer real-time help and answers to user queries. These virtual assistants can provide step-by-step instructions, answer questions, and troubleshoot issues on the spot.

5. Data driven decision-making

Digital adoption platforms generate valuable data on user behavior and interactions, empowering organizations to make informed decisions and continuously improve user support strategies. Various data points can be collected from user behavior and interactions within a DAP, including:

• User activity tracking: DAPs collect data on how users interact with the platform. This includes information on which features they use, frequency of use, and the paths they follow while navigating the application.
• Errors: DAPs record errors and user-generated issues. These logs provide insights into where users encounter problems or confusion within the platform.
• Usage patterns: Data is collected on when users access the platform, how long they stay, and their levels of engagement. This helps identify peak usage times and user preferences.
• Feedback and queries: Some DAPs capture user feedback, questions, and queries submitted through the platform. This feedback offers direct insight into user needs and concerns.
• Identifying pain points: Organizations analyze the data to identify pain points and bottlenecks in the user journey. For instance, if data shows that users frequently abandon a specific process, it indicates a problem that needs attention. 
• Adapting user training: Data-driven insights help organizations improve user training and onboarding strategies. By identifying areas where users struggle, organizations can concisely improve and develop targeted training materials, code free.
• Customizing user experiences: Organizations can use data to customize the user experience. For example, if data reveals that a group of users consistently relies on a particular feature, the platform can prioritize or personalize that feature.
• Feature development: Organizations can use data for feature development. Identifying popular and underutilized features empowers organizations to engage their SaaS vendor or product teams in prioritizing enhancements or developing new features.
• Measuring the impact of support: Data allows organizations to measure the impact of their user support strategies. They can assess whether changes made in response to user feedback and behavior data have resulted in improved user experiences and reduced support requests.

DAPs generate valuable data on user behavior and their interactions, providing organizations with the insights needed for data-driven decision-making. By leveraging this data, organizations can enhance user support strategies, identify and address user pain points, and create a more tailored user experience. Above all, perhaps, DAPs allow companies to continuously and sustainably improve their user support for better digital adoption. 

6. User satisfaction

Effective user support in DAPs plays a huge role in empowering users to become more confident and productive. Alongside data analytics, user satisfaction is a critical indicator of the success of your support efforts. With a DAP, user satisfaction can be used as a key performance indicator by measuring the following:

• User feedback: User satisfaction is commonly gauged through channels of feedback within DAPs, such as surveys. Positive feedback indicates that users are content with the support they receive and the overall user experience.
• Reduction in support requests: A decrease in the number of support requests over time can be indicative of improved user satisfaction. When users are confident in their tools, they are less likely to seek external support.
• User retention: Higher levels of user satisfaction contribute to user retention. Satisfied users are more likely to continue using their tools long-term, providing organizations with increased long-term engagement and ROI.

Effective user support in DAPs not only empowers users to be more productive and confident in their digital interactions, but also serves as a key driver of user satisfaction. 

The future of user support in DAPs

User support within digital adoption platforms plays a pivotal role in facilitating the adoption of technology in organizations. Today, support contnues to evolve and become more central to achieving digital transformation objectives. User support in DAPs will become more personalized, proactive, and data-driven.

Are you interested in learning more about Lemon Learning user support? Sign up for a demo or get in touch with our team.