When new systems are introduced, the focus is often on the positive business results that they promise: greater customer satisfaction, more efficient support processes, savings in operating costs of X amount. However, in order to achieve these results, one prerequisite is essential, which is often not the focus of decision-makers: The acceptance of the users - in this case the support team - to use the new system correctly and happily. In this article, we highlight the most important functions that a modern customer support portal should offer in order to improve user adoption and provide concrete suggestions on how to make it easier for users to get started.

Why user adoption is a challenge

The typical hurdles when introducing a new system are:

  • Complexity of operation:When a new system seems complicated, users tend to fall back on familiar, inefficient support channels (e.g. emails).
  • Lack of integration:A support portal that does not work seamlessly with existing tools (e.g. CRM or collaboration platforms) makes the workflow more difficult.
  • Poor communication: A well thought-out communication strategy for a system change is crucial for successful user adoption. Simply presenting users with a fait accompli and not involving them in the implementation process has a negative impact on acceptance.
  • Insufficient training:Without a good introduction to the system, users feel overwhelmed and refuse to use it.
  • Lack of personalization:A static, inflexible system does not cover the individual requirements of users.

How to make it easier for users to get started

In the following, central change management principles are compared with the functions of Jira Service Management: in order to optimize user acceptance.

1. Show personal benefits for support agents

The introduction of a new customer support portal can only be successful if users recognize the individual benefits. Many employees are initially skeptical about change, especially if they do not see any direct benefits for themselves.

What needs to be done?

  • Identify the main user groups and their specific challenges, both professional and personal.
    Example: The number of tickets for 1st level support staff is increasing all the time. At the end of the working day, numerous requests are still unanswered and some SLAs cannot be met. Support performance is measured by this metric, which increases stress levels and reduces employee satisfaction.
  • Explain how the new system makes their work easier.
    Example: The new customer support portal can be set up so that an AI chatbot independently answers standard queries and provides customers with articles on frequently occurring queries via a self-service. This significantly reduces the number of tickets for the support team.
  • Create customized communication strategies and materials that are tailored to users and their individual pain points.
    Example: The support team prefers short videos so that they can watch the information when they have the time.

Create persona profiles of your main user groups to tailor your communication to them as well as possible.

2. Repeat your communication

People need repetition to internalize information. A one-off email to introduce a new system is not enough - the more complex the change, the more often the message needs to be communicated. Ideally, the main users should be involved in the planned system change at a very early stage in order to gradually introduce them to the new portal.

What needs to be done?

  • Disseminate the information via various channels (intranet, e-mail, presentations, meetings, newsletters).
  • Repeat key messages at least 7 times in different formats.
  • Vary the content to avoid boredom (e.g. a video interview with a satisfied user, a blog post or an interactive Q&A session).

Example: Monthly intranet articles or short videos show success stories from different user groups on how quickly and efficiently various problems are now being solved.

3. Plan for a longer-term change management strategy

Change management is not a one-off event, but an ongoing process. Users must be continuously supported and motivated to use the new system.

What needs to be done?

  • Turn the ADKAR model to provide the best possible support for the various phases that users go through when changing systems. The phases include Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement.
    Example:
    • In the Awareness-phase is essential to explain to the user why a system change is necessary and makes sense. The aim is for the user to feel that they have been met and informed and not presented with a fait accompli.
    • In the Desire-phase users are convinced to support the change, e.g., by highlighting the new system's benefits, such as the reduction in ticket volumes through the use of an AI chatbot.
    • In the Knowledge-phase users' knowledge is built up step-by-step to make it easier for them to become productive.
    • In the Ability-phase, it must be ensured that users have a clear contact person for queries.
    • The Reinforcement-phase is for sharing success stories and celebrating milestones, e.g. improved TTR (Time-to-Resolution) or positive CSATs (Customer Satisfaction Scores).
  • Create opportunities for users to actively engage with the new system, e.g. repeated training sessions, open Q&A sessions, internal competitions.
  • Collect feedback regularly and respond to it. Users need to see that their opinion counts.

4. Provide high-quality content

Informative and relevant content published within the communication and change management strategy is crucial for the acceptance of new technologies.

What needs to be done?

  • Good communication takes care to answer W questions such as:
    Why is something being changed? What exactly is changing? Who is changing something? When does the change take place? How does it work? Where can I find new tools/information? The "why" question in particular plays a decisive role in the target group's willingness to accept the changes.
  • The communication of technical features should always go hand in hand with highlighting the benefits for the user group, e.g. time savings, less effort or reduced costs and risks.
  • To ensure that your communication has the greatest possible impact, there are various guiding questions that you can use as a checklist to create high-quality content.
Content is King Framework for use in change management and promoting user adoption.

5. Use different communication channels

Not everyone reads emails or blog posts. Depending on the target group, different channels need to be used.

What needs to be done?

  • Create a communication plan to ensure that all relevant target groups are reached with the right measure in the right channel at the appropriate stages.
  • Use the Intranet, Slack, MS Teams, e-mails, meetings, posters and events to distribute information.
  • Create a structured knowledge database with frequently asked questions and instructions.
  • Use different formats: short how-to videos, interactive tutorials, screenshots with step-by-step explanations.

6. Promote the practical use of the new customer portal

A common problem in change projects: Users do not know how to use the new platform effectively.

What needs to be done?

  • Focus on peer-to-peer communication - when colleagues learn from each other, acceptance is higher.
  • Set up support channels so that user questions can be solved quickly and easily.
  • Organize regular live demos and workshops.
  • Appoint employee coaches to serve as contact persons for questions.
  • Provide a test system in which users can practise safely.

How a customer support portal with Jira Service Management supports user adoption

Jira Service Management offers an intuitive user interface that is specifically designed to efficiently support both IT and non-technical teams. It has a number of functionalities that make it easier for users to switch to the tool and quickly realize the benefits for themselves and their productivity.

1. Clear, uncluttered interface with intuitive navigation

Jira Service Management has been designed so that all essential functions are easily accessible without users having to navigate through complex menus.

  • Dashboard-centric approach: All relevant requests, SLAs and workflows are visible at a glance.
  • Quick access: Frequently used actions such as ticket creation, search queries or service categories are prominently placed.

Advantage: New users quickly find their way around without long training periods.

All relevant metrics visible at a glance.

2. Simple self-service portal experience

End users - whether IT, HR or finance teams - benefit from a user-friendly self-service portal:

  • Built-in knowledge database: Relevant articles are automatically suggested before a ticket is created.
  • Drag-and-drop form design: Requests can be customized without IT knowledge.
  • Mobile optimization: Users can also conveniently create support requests on the go via the mobile view.

Advantage: Reduced number of tickets, as users can solve many problems themselves.

Simple self-service portal experience to increase user adoption

3. Visual ticket management with intuitive workflows

Jira Service Management makes working with tickets easier:

  • Card-based view (Kanban & queue view): Tickets are visually structured so that support teams can quickly track progress.
  • Automatic categorization: Thanks to AI-supported analysis, requests are intelligently sorted, prioritized and forwarded to the right teams.
  • Color coding for priorities & SLA status: Important and urgent requests are immediately recognizable.

Advantage: Support staff can process tickets faster and more efficiently.

Visual ticket management with intuitive workflows

4. Seamless integration with other Atlassian tools & third-party apps

Jira Service Management integrates perfectly into existing tool environments and thus ensures a seamless user experience:

  • Integration with Jira Software: Developers and support teams work together without media discontinuity.
  • MS Teams & Slack connection: Users can create support requests directly from their collaboration tools.
  • Automation with Confluence:Important instructions or solutions can be provided with one click.

Advantage: Teams work in a more networked way, queries are resolved more quickly.

5. AI-supported user guidance & intelligent automation

The integration of Atlassian Intelligence (AI) makes Jira Service Management even smarter:

  • Automatic summary of requests: The AI summarizes long tickets and updates in just a few sentences.
  • Recommended solutions & knowledge articles: Users receive proactive assistance based on previous requests.
  • No-code automation: Workflows can be created without programming knowledge.

Advantage: Less time spent on manual processes & greater efficiency.

Conclusion

A modern customer support portal must be more than just a ticketing system - it must be a user-friendly, integrated and intelligent solution that offers users real added value. Intuitive operation, AI-powered processes, self-service options and step-by-step, well-planned communication and implementation are key to driving user adoption and making support processes more efficient.

As we have already assisted countless companies with technology launches, we can support you with workshops and services. You can find more information here: