SupportLayer Advisory
Customer Friction Review
Illustrative example, not a client case study.
A missing purchase. More information than the ticket needs.
A customer reports a missing in-game purchase, provides purchase and account context and completes necessary verification. A broad, one-size-fits-all form also requires device, network and troubleshooting material that this initial investigation does not need. All submitted information reaches the agent, who sorts the excess before investigating and resolving the ticket.
Active step
Omitted step, bypassed
Current workflow
The customer gathers extra material upfront; the agent sorts it before investigating.
Recommended workflow
Two steps are omitted. The customer does less work upfront, and the agent goes straight to investigating.
Why it matters
Customers spend time gathering information that isn’t needed to resolve their issue. Agents then have to sort through it. That extra work can slow resolution and increase the organization’s support costs.
That extra effort can frustrate customers or cause them to give up before getting help.
Illustrative example. These are potential impacts, not measured results.
- What to fix first
- Use contextual intake forms: questions tailored to the customer's specific issue, with additional information requested only when needed for investigation. Keep the necessary verification.
- Who should lead:
- The support operations owner, with Product and Engineering.
What needs a closer look
Compare what the form requires with what an agent actually uses to resolve the issue. Wherever those two lists differ, you have found work the customer should not be doing. Then measure what it costs in customer effort, agent handle time and satisfaction.