Ticket deflection

What is a ticket deflection?

Ticket deflection is a term used when a company utilizes the Customer Portal or Knowledge Base to provide customers with answers, even when their agents are offline. Knowledge Base is the perfect way to reduce load of tickets – the most common questions can be answered in a FAQ section or in any other category that the company creates.

This can be very useful because customers can also find the history of these issues and find solutions on their own. It’s especially useful in simple issues handled via it ticket systems, where the user can see the exact steps for solving a specific problem in the knowledge base. Knowledge Base is completely customisable and adaptable to the company needs.

Learn more about how your company can benefit from using Customer Portals and Knowledge Base.

Ticket deflection refers to the strategic process of reducing the number of support tickets submitted by customers to customer support agents. This is primarily achieved by providing customers with self-service options that enable them to find answers to their queries independently. These self-service options include knowledge bases, frequently asked questions (FAQs), chatbots, and community forums. By deflecting tickets, businesses can reduce the workload on customer support teams, allowing them to focus on more complex or critical issues that require human intervention.

Key Components of Ticket Deflection

1. Knowledge Bases: A knowledge base is a centralized repository of information that includes articles, guides, and documentation aimed at helping customers solve their problems. It is integral to ticket deflection as it empowers customers to find solutions without contacting support agents.
2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FAQs provide quick answers to common questions, enabling customers to resolve their issues swiftly. They are an essential part of any self-service strategy.
3. Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can handle simple and repetitive queries, providing instant responses and guiding customers to relevant resources. For example, they can provide automated answers from the company’s knowledge base, effectively deflecting tickets by offering immediate assistance.
4. Community Forums: These platforms allow customers to interact with each other, share solutions, and provide peer support. Community forums can effectively deflect tickets by leveraging collective knowledge.

How Ticket Deflection Works

Ticket deflection operates on the principle of empowering customers to find solutions independently. When a customer encounters an issue, they are encouraged to utilize self-service resources before reaching out to customer support. This can be facilitated through:

• Automated Suggestions: When a customer begins to submit a ticket, the system can automatically suggest relevant articles or FAQs based on the keywords in their query.
• Proactive Chatbots: Chatbots can engage with customers in real-time, resolving straightforward issues and pointing them to helpful resources for more complex problems.

Measuring Ticket Deflection

The effectiveness of ticket deflection is measured using the ticket deflection ratio, which is calculated by dividing the total number of customer self-service interactions by the total number of support tickets submitted. A higher ticket deflection ratio indicates a successful self-service strategy, as more customers are resolving their issues without needing direct assistance from support agents.

Benefits of Ticket Deflection

Implementing ticket deflection offers numerous advantages for both businesses and customers:

1. Reduced Support Costs: By deflecting tickets, companies can lower the demand for customer support agents, reducing staffing costs and the need for additional resources.
2. Enhanced Customer Experience: Customers appreciate the ability to find immediate answers to their questions, leading to higher satisfaction and a better overall experience.
3. Increased Agent Productivity: With fewer repetitive queries to handle, support agents can focus on more complex issues, improving their productivity and job satisfaction.
4. Scalability: As businesses grow, ticket deflection allows customer support operations to scale without a proportional increase in ticket volume.
5. Shorter Wait Times: By reducing the number of tickets, customers experience shorter wait times for agent assistance, improving service levels.

Implementing Ticket Deflection

To effectively implement ticket deflection, businesses should consider the following strategies:

1. Develop a Comprehensive Knowledge Base

Create a robust knowledge base that includes detailed articles, guides, and tutorials covering common customer issues. Regularly update the knowledge base to address new questions and evolving customer needs.

2. Utilize AI-Powered Chatbots

Deploy chatbots to handle routine inquiries and provide instant assistance. Ensure that chatbots are integrated with the knowledge base to offer relevant suggestions and solutions.

3. Monitor and Analyze Self-Service Interactions

Track customer interactions with self-service resources to identify areas for improvement. Use analytics to understand which resources are most effective and where additional content may be needed.

4. Engage the Community

Encourage customer participation in community forums, where they can share experiences and solutions. Monitor these forums to gather insights and identify common issues that may require additional documentation.

5. Continuously Optimize Self-Service Resources

Regularly assess the effectiveness of self-service resources and make necessary adjustments. Conduct A/B testing to refine the content and improve ticket deflection rates.

Challenges and Considerations

While ticket deflection offers numerous benefits, there are challenges to consider:

• Content Quality: The effectiveness of ticket deflection relies on the quality and accuracy of self-service content. Ensuring that resources are comprehensive and easy to understand is crucial.
• User Adoption: Encouraging customers to use self-service options requires effective communication and user-friendly interfaces.
• Complex Queries: Not all issues can be resolved through self-service. Businesses must ensure that complex or urgent queries are still directed to human agents for resolution.