How to Build a Better Support Site Based on Customer Behavior – Part 2
by Citrix Online

In last week’s e-support tip, we explained how to gauge whether or not your customers are using your support site effectively. We stressed the importance of log-file analysis to better understand your customers’ usage patterns. Your ultimate goal should be to improve the structure and content of your customer-support site based on your findings.

Surveys are another useful tool for analyzing your customers’ usage patterns. Make sure you effectively embed surveys throughout your support site.

• Content Page Surveys: The simplest way to survey your Web-site users is by means of radio buttons at the bottom of each content page with a 1-to-5 scale to rate usefulness. Although this method of conducting what is essentially a mini-survey won’t give you insight into your customers’ site-usage patterns, the results will indicate the content areas of your site that need improvement.
  
  
• Exit Surveys: For more in-depth analysis, implement an exit survey that pops up whenever a customer leaves your support site. Use the exit survey to better understand your customers’ Web behavior, their skill level and the specific support case they were experiencing.
  
  
• Open-Ended Questions: Make sure your exit survey includes a few open-ended questions, which enables your customers to report on their personal experiences rather than just choosing canned responses. These personal answers typically prove to be the most useful.

The insights you’ll gain from log-file analysis and survey results will help you plan a re-design of your support site that’s solely based on current user behavior and customer opinion. Make sure you conduct this customer analysis on a regular basis to lay the groundwork for future improvements.

About Citrix Online
Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTXS), offers the leading Web-based access, support, and collaboration software and services. The division offers Citrix GoToMyPC®, the easiest-to-use solution for remote, secure, and managed desktop PC access over the Web; and Citrix GoToAssist™, the most secure, reliable and powerful solution for Web-based technical support and customer collaboration. Citrix Online products are used by more than 4,000 companies worldwide, including Cisco Systems, Siemens, Verizon, Intuit, Cablevision and Microsoft Business Solutions. The division is based in Santa Barbara, California, and is on the web at www.gotomypc.com, www.gotoassist.com and www.citrix.com.