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FAQ Access

1. Problem Statement

User Role Identified:

  • Consumer/Customer - Individual water utility customers who need information about their service, billing, and account management

Pain Points:

  1. No centralized information access - Customers cannot easily find answers to common questions about their water service
  2. Increased call center dependency - Customers must call customer service for basic information that could be self-served
  3. Limited self-service capabilities - Current portal lacks educational resources and help documentation
  4. Frustrating user experience - Customers waste time searching for basic information across multiple channels
  5. Repetitive inquiries - Same questions asked repeatedly due to lack of accessible information

Core Problem: Water utility customers lack easy access to frequently asked questions and help resources within their self-service portal, forcing them to rely on customer service representatives for basic information that could be self-served, leading to inefficient service delivery and customer frustration.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Primary User Role:

  • Consumer/Customer - Water utility account holders who use the self-service portal to manage their accounts, view bills, make payments, and seek information about services. They should have full access to the FAQ feature as part of their standard portal experience.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Consumer/Customer: When I need to find answers to questions about my water service, billing, or account management, But I have no easy way to access help information within my self-service portal and must call customer service for basic questions, Help me quickly find relevant answers through a comprehensive FAQ section organized by topic, So that I can resolve my questions immediately without waiting for customer service assistance and feel confident managing my account independently.

4. Solution

The solution provides a comprehensive FAQ system integrated into the consumer self-service portal, allowing customers to quickly find answers to common questions about their water utility services.

Key Capability Areas:

  1. Centralized FAQ Access
    • Prominent FAQ section accessible from main portal navigation
    • Search functionality to find specific topics quickly
    • Mobile-responsive design for access across devices
  2. Topic-Based Organization
    • Categorized sections (Billing, Services, Account, Usage, Emergency)
    • Visual icons for each category to improve navigation
    • Intuitive grouping of related questions
  3. Smart Search Functionality
    • Keyword search across all FAQ content
    • Auto-suggestions as users type
    • Search result highlighting of relevant terms
  4. Expandable Content Structure
    • Collapsible FAQ items to reduce visual clutter
    • Quick preview of answers with expand option
    • Clean, scannable format for easy reading
  5. Interactive Help Features
    • "Was this helpful?" feedback mechanism
    • Related questions suggestions
    • Contact options for unresolved issues
  6. Content Management
    • Regular updates based on customer inquiries
    • Seasonal or topical FAQ highlights
    • Integration with customer service ticket themes
  7. Usage Analytics
    • Track most accessed questions
    • Monitor search patterns
    • Identify content gaps based on user behavior

5. Major Steps Involved

Consumer/Customer Process:

  1. Access FAQ Section
    • Log into self-service portal
    • Navigate to "Frequently Asked Questions" or "Help" section
    • View main FAQ landing page with category options
  2. Browse by Category
    • Select relevant category (Billing, Services, Account, Usage, Emergency)
    • View category-specific questions and topics
    • Scan through available questions in selected category
  3. Use Search Function
    • Enter keywords in search box
    • Review auto-suggestions if available
    • Execute search and review results
  4. Access Answer Content
    • Click on relevant question to expand answer
    • Read detailed explanation or guidance
    • View any related links or additional resources
  5. Provide Feedback
    • Use "Was this helpful?" voting mechanism
    • Submit feedback if answer was insufficient
    • Access alternative contact methods if needed
  6. Explore Related Content
    • View suggested related questions
    • Navigate to different FAQ categories
    • Return to main portal functions as needed

6. Flow Diagram

image.png

7. Business Rules

General Rules:

  • FAQ content must be accessible to all authenticated portal users
  • Search functionality must return results within 3 seconds
  • view full answer button will redirect the user to the question in the appropriate tab abd the answer visible.
  • FAQ sections must be organized by logical topic categories

User Interface Rules:

  • FAQ categories must be visually distinct with appropriate icons
  • Search box must be prominently placed and easily accessible
  • Question/answer format must use expandable/collapsible design
  • Related questions must be suggested at the end of each FAQ item

Feedback Rules:

  • Users must be able to rate FAQ helpfulness without requiring additional authentication
  • Feedback data must be collected and analyzed for content improvement

Error Handling:

  • System must display helpful message when no search results found

8. Sample Data

Sample FAQ Categories and Questions:

Billing Category:

  • "Why is my water usage higher than normal?"
  • "How can I set up automatic bill payments?"
  • "What are the different billing rate tiers?"
  • "How do I dispute a charge on my bill?"

Services Category:

  • "How do I start new water service?"
  • "What should I do if I'm moving?"
  • "How do I report a water quality issue?"
  • "What are your service hours?"

Account Category:

  • "How do I update my contact information?"
  • "How do I add someone to my account?"
  • "How do I view my payment history?"
  • "What forms of payment do you accept?"

Usage Category:

  • "How do I read my water meter?"
  • "What causes high water usage?"
  • "How can I reduce my water consumption?"
  • "What should I do about a suspected leak?"

Emergency Category:

  • "Who do I call for water emergencies?"
  • "What should I do if my water is shut off?"
  • "How do I report a water main break?"
  • "What should I do if my water pressure is low?"

9. Acceptance Criteria

  1. The system must display a prominently placed FAQ section accessible from the main portal navigation
  2. The system must provide a search functionality that returns relevant results within 3 seconds
  3. The system must display FAQ questions in a collapsible format to minimize visual clutter
  4. The system must show detailed answers when users click to expand FAQ items
  5. The system must provide "Was this helpful?" voting mechanism for each FAQ item
  6. The system must track and store user feedback on FAQ helpfulness
  7. The system must display auto-suggestions as users type in the search box
  8. The system must highlight search terms in the results for easy identification
  9. The system must load FAQ content within 2 seconds of user request
  10. The system must maintain user session throughout FAQ browsing
  11. The system must provide breadcrumb navigation within FAQ sections
  12. The system should redirect to the question wis is clicked for viewing full answer.

10. Process Changes

Current Process

New Process

Impact

Customer calls service center for basic questions

Customer accesses FAQ section in portal for immediate answers

50% reduction

in routine customer service calls

Customer service representatives spend time answering repetitive questions

Representatives focus on complex issues while FAQ handles routine inquiries

30% improvement

in customer service efficiency

Customers wait on hold for basic information

Customers get instant access to answers 24/7

Elimination

of wait times for basic information

Information scattered across multiple channels

Centralized FAQ repository in self-service portal

100% availability

of information in single location

No tracking of common customer questions

Analytics on FAQ usage identify trending issues

Real-time insights

into customer pain points

Static information delivery

Interactive, searchable, and personalized help experience

Enhanced user experience

with modern self-service capabilities

Impact percentages based on industry benchmarks for self-service portal implementations in utility sector

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Metric Category

Improvement

Customer Service Call Volume

40-50% reduction in basic inquiry calls, allowing representatives to focus on complex issues

Customer Satisfaction

Improved satisfaction through immediate access to information and reduced wait times

Operational Efficiency

Reduced customer service costs and improved agent productivity on high-value interactions

Customer Self-Service Adoption

Increased portal usage and customer engagement with self-service features

Response Time

Instant access to information vs. traditional wait times for phone support

Content Management

Data-driven content updates based on actual user behavior and feedback

24/7 Availability

Round-the-clock access to help resources without staffing requirements

User Experience

Enhanced portal value proposition and improved customer digital experience

12. User Behavior Tracking

For Consumer/Customer:

Metric

Events to Track

Properties

Insights Provided

FAQ Usage

FAQ_section_accessed, FAQ_category_selected, FAQ_question_viewed

category_name, question_id, time_spent, user_segment

Which topics are most important to customers?

Search Behavior

FAQ_search_performed, search_results_clicked, search_no_results

search_terms, results_count, click_position

What information gaps exist in current FAQ content?

Content Effectiveness

FAQ_helpful_vote, FAQ_unhelpful_vote, contact_after_FAQ

question_id, feedback_type, next_action

Which FAQ items need improvement or expansion?

Navigation Patterns

FAQ_entry_point, FAQ_exit_point, related_questions_clicked

source_page, destination_page, session_duration

How do users navigate through help content?

Engagement Depth

FAQ_answers_expanded, FAQ_categories_browsed, FAQ_return_visits

depth_level, categories_visited, visit_frequency

How engaged are users with self-service help?

Questions Answered by Tracking:

  • Are customers finding the information they need in FAQs?
  • Which FAQ topics generate the most interest and engagement?
  • Where are the gaps in our current FAQ content?
  • How effectively does the FAQ reduce customer service call volume?
  • What search terms do customers use that don't return good results?
  • Which FAQ answers are most/least helpful to customers?
  • How does FAQ usage correlate with overall portal engagement?

13. Wireframe

https://preview--consumer-self-service.lovable.app/support/faq

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