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In complex digital environments like HRIS and ERP systems, it’s often assumed that users can accurately describe the problems they encounter. However, this misconception doesn’t align with reality.

Most users lack both the technical skills and the methodology to clearly and precisely report incidents.

This can lead to delays in problem resolution, misunderstandings of the issues, and ultimately a decline in user satisfaction.

This article explores this problem and offers practical solutions 👇

  1. Users’ inability to accurately describe problems
  2. The gap between user vocabulary and technical terminology

Users’ inability to accurately describe problems

It’s often assumed that when a user encounters an issue with an HRIS or ERP system, they will automatically be able to describe it clearly and in detail. However, in many cases, users do not understand the underlying cause of the issue. This lack of understanding leads them to provide vague explanations, often focusing on visible symptoms rather than potential causes.

For example, users may omit key information or fail to provide enough detail about the circumstances leading to the incident: the screen they were on, their roles in the system, fields displaying error messages, etc.

This inability to accurately describe the problem complicates the job of IT or support teams. These teams must then contact the user to gather additional information, significantly extending resolution times. This back-and-forth process also causes frustration: users feel their issues are not being handled effectively, while support teams lose time clarifying requests instead of resolving incidents.

Tip 💡 Educate users about the importance of clearly describing their problems. Provide concrete examples of what they should include in their tickets to facilitate resolution. Simplify contact forms with predefined fields to make reporting easier.

The gap between user vocabulary and technical terminology

Another aspect of this issue is the gap between the language used by users and the technical terms expected by support teams. In an ERP or HRIS environment, users often lack the knowledge needed to explain the issue in appropriate terms. Instead, they use expressions reflecting their emotions or frustration, which do not help in understanding the technical nature of the problem.

This disconnect between the two worlds is a major obstacle to the quick resolution of issues, often resulting in misunderstandings. IT teams frequently have to rephrase the user’s request in technical terms, which not only extends resolution times but can also lead to errors in interpretation. For communication to be effective, it’s crucial to bridge this gap by equipping users with the tools and language needed to articulate their problems correctly.

Tip 💡 Provide users with glossaries to help them express their problems correctly, along with tools to simplify how they articulate their needs, such as allowing screenshots to contextualise issues in a single image.

Conclusion

The idea that users know how to describe their problems is often mistaken. To improve ticket management, it’s essential to guide users in describing incidents and provide them with suitable resources. Clear communication between users and support teams reduces misunderstandings, speeds up problem resolution, and enhances overall satisfaction.

👉 To explore this topic further, read our article on 3 tips to reduce the back-and-forth in request qualification.

Recognise these practices? Don’t worry! We’ve developed a solution to address these issues 👇

How Smart Ticketing improves incident reporting

To tackle this issue, tools like Smart Ticketing provide a practical solution. This tool guides users through the entire process of reporting a problem. Instead of leaving users to formulate their incident descriptions on their own, which often results in incomplete or inaccurate details, Smart Ticketing offers a dynamic form that requires users to answer specific questions about the nature of the problem, its context, and the actions leading to the incident.

By structuring incident reporting in this way, Smart Ticketing enables users to provide more complete and relevant information. This helps support teams to better understand the issue from the moment the ticket is submitted, speeding up resolution times and improving user satisfaction.

Additionally, by reducing the back-and-forth needed for clarification, the tool optimises IT service resources, allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

👉 If you’d like to discover how Smart Ticketing can help improve ticket qualification in your organisation, contact us for a demonstration.