Does redirecting a user to the intranet for answers always work? Let’s debunk this myth!
When a user encounters an issue with a business tool (CRM, HRIS, ERP), it’s common for support teams to direct them to the company’s intranet to find a solution. The intranet, designed to centralise information, user manuals, and procedures, seems like the ideal solution to empower users to solve their own problems. However, this practice is based on a series of assumptions that, in reality, are often ineffective, even counterproductive.
In this article, we’ll debunk this approach and explore why redirecting users to the intranet can have negative consequences for both businesses and their employees.
Misconception n°1: The intranet is always up to date 🆕
One of the main arguments for using the intranet is that it contains all the necessary information. In theory, the intranet is designed to centralise documentation and ensure everyone can access relevant and up-to-date information. In practice, however, intranet content often becomes outdated quickly.
Businesses are constantly evolving: new software versions, changes in business processes due to legislation, updates to internal policies… The intranet doesn’t always keep up with these changes. Due to limited time or resources, updating documents isn’t always prioritised. As a result, users seeking solutions may encounter outdated or incorrect information, which worsens their confusion instead of solving their problem.
Additionally, many organisations underestimate the time and effort required to keep an intranet updated. It demands coordination among multiple teams (support, IT, business managers) to ensure every new tool version or procedure is properly documented. The intranet often becomes a dumping ground for inaccurate information, harming productivity and user satisfaction.
Even if the intranet contains the correct information, users must still be able to navigate it easily. Over time, intranets have been enriched with new features and vast amounts of content, making them increasingly difficult to use. For an inexperienced user, finding a precise answer quickly can be a daunting task.
The issue lies in the organisation of information. Many intranets have complex hierarchical structures, with multiple navigation levels, redundant sections, and search engines that don’t always return relevant results. This lack of accessibility discourages users, especially those pressed for time or unfamiliar with searching internal databases.
User experience on an intranet is a critical but often overlooked factor. When users spend more time searching for information than solving their problems, frustration increases. Time wasted navigating poorly organised or overly technical documents, instead of finding a quick and clear answer, raises stress levels and makes users less likely to return to the intranet in the future.
Misconception n°3: All users have the same digital maturity 🌐
This misconception assumes that once users are redirected to the intranet, they will become autonomous and capable of resolving their issues. In theory, this approach reduces the workload on support teams by encouraging users to find their own solutions. In reality, this isn’t always the case.
Not all users have the same digital skills or ease of navigating complex systems like an intranet. Some users, due to lack of time or interest, prefer avoiding technical documents and instead seek direct, immediate assistance. Moreover, when faced with complex issues or specific business processes, users often lack the knowledge needed to correctly interpret the information they find, even if it’s up to date.
By redirecting users to the intranet, companies underestimate the need for personalised support that some employees require. Many users don’t have the time or inclination to self-train using documents that are often too generic or poorly suited to their specific needs. Ultimately, these users return to support after wasting valuable time trying to decipher unclear or irrelevant instructions. This leads to duplicated efforts for both the user and the support team, worsening the situation instead of improving it.
Misconception n°4: Users are satisfied with this solution 🤩
Constantly redirecting users to the intranet to find solutions risks to damaging the relationship between users and the support team. When users contact support, it’s often because they face a significant obstacle and expect quick, direct assistance. Redirecting them to the intranet can be perceived as dismissive of their problem.
This “figure it out yourself” approach creates frustration, as users feel burdened with additional tasks when they were seeking immediate help. In a work environment where productivity often depends on the responsiveness and efficiency of tools, the lack of human assistance can erode users’ trust in the systems provided, reducing their engagement.
This dissatisfaction directly impacts users’ overall perception of the company. If employees feel that the tools or services provided lack effective support, they may develop mistrust towards new technologies or digital processes introduced by the organisation. This can also affect how employees perceive the company’s change management efforts, leading to lower engagement and motivation, and even encouraging workarounds.
Conclusion
The idea that redirecting users to the intranet is an effective solution is a myth with significant limitations. In reality, this approach fails to address challenges such as keeping information updated, simplifying navigation, and accounting for differences in users’ digital skills. Rather than empowering users, this method risks increasing frustration, decreasing satisfaction, and adding to the support team’s workload in the long term.
To improve user experience, organisations must rethink how they provide solutions to their employees by incorporating more responsive and personalised mechanisms to address users’ specific needs.
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