Have you ever felt frustrated when your customer support team appears to be going in circles, struggling to resolve issues efficiently? You’re not alone. Most businesses find it difficult to streamline their support processes, leading to longer resolution times and unhappy customers. That’s where customer support flowchart templates come in. These simple diagrams break down complex procedures into clear, easy-to-follow steps, such as for troubleshooting complex technical issues, helping your team solve problems faster.
In this article, we’ll cover the best practices for designing effective customer support flowcharts. We’ll start by examining the different types of flowchart templates and their specific uses. Then, we’ll explore how to make the most out of these flowcharts to improve your customer support processes. Let’s dive in!
Types of Flowcharts Templates and Their Uses
There are several types of flowcharts, each serving a specific purpose. Let’s explore three common types and their sample flowchart templates:
1. High-Level Flowchart Template
Source: ResearchGate
A high-level flowchart is a basic outline of a procedure that does not entail explicit details. It has the following advantages:
- It gives stakeholders a quick grasp of processes.
- It identifies key steps in a workflow.
- It helps plan the initial stages of projects.
2. Detailed Flowchart
Source: ResearchGate
On the other hand, a detailed flowchart provides an extensive look at the process including:
- Specific actions and decisions
- Alternative routes and outcomes
- The exact sequence of tasks
This type is particularly useful for:
- Inducting new employees to an organization
- Getting around with intricate systems
3. Deployment Flowchart
Source: Visual Paradigm
In addition, a swimlane diagram, also known as functional deployment flowchart convey the interaction between different departments or individuals involved in the process. It’s good for:
- Making clear roles and responsibilities
- Identifying points of communication between teams
- Optimizing interdepartmental workflows
Flowchart Templates Comparison
| Template Type | Best For | Complexity Level | Customization Options |
| Basic Process | Simple, linear workflows | Low | Limited |
| Decision Tree | Multiple outcome scenarios | Medium | Moderate |
| Swimlane | Cross-functional processes | High | Extensive |
| Data Flow | Information system design | Medium to High | Moderate to Extensive |
10 Best Practices for Designing Flowchart Templates in 2024
Creating an effective customer support flowchart template is necessary for enhancing service quality and eliminating unnecessary steps in the support process. Let’s go through each of these best practices in detail to help you make flowcharts that will be a true help to your customer support activities.
1. Define the Purpose
Before you even start drawing boxes and arrows, take some time off and clearly define the intended purpose of your flowchart. What particular customer support process are you representing? Is it about handling product returns, addressing technical issues, or managing escalations?
Equally important is establishing where your process starts and ends. For example, “Customer contacts support” could be at the beginning while “Issue resolved and the ticket closed” could be the endpoint of your flowchart.
Your flowchart template should have a clear objective and specific limitations to ensure it remains concise and manageable.
2. Use Standard Symbols
To have good flowchart templates, the symbols must be uniform. Ensure that you utilize well-known shapes so that anybody glancing at your flowchart can quickly make sense of what each fragment represents.
For instance, employ ovals to denote start and end points, rectangles to represent actions or procedures, diamonds to indicate decision points, and arrows to indicate the direction of flow.
Using these generic symbols will enable them to communicate using a more universal “flowchart language,” which is easily understood by both their team members and any other external stakeholders involved in their project.
3. Keep It Simple
In a flowchart template, less is often better. While it may be tempting to include every detail about a process in one diagram, this can lead to an overly busy and confusing chart. Instead, focus on the key steps and decisions within your customer support process.
If you find it becoming too intricate, consider breaking it down into smaller sub-processes that are easier to handle. For instance, there might be one large general customer support flowchart with sub-charts for specifics like billing inquiries or technical problems.
4. Follow a Logical Flow
Your flowchart templates should utilize the natural reading patterns of the human eye by arranging steps in a left-to-right or top-to-bottom sequence. This logical progression makes it easier for support agents to follow the process, reducing the likelihood of missing steps or performing them out of order.
Make sure each step naturally leads into the next. If you draw lines crisscrossing the entire diagram, it is an indication that your process needs reorganizing both in the flowchart and possibly in real-life implementation.
5. Minimize Cross-overs
While we are on the topic of intersecting lines, try to keep these at a minimum in your chart. Intersections can make a flowchart hard to read and understand. If you realize that you have so many overlapping lines, change around the elements of the chart to form neater layouts.
Sometimes changing around things can dramatically improve how legible your chart might be. Experiment with different arrangements until you find one that has minimal crossovers and flows smoothly.
6. Include Decision Points
Customer support processes have many decision points. At these critical moments, the flow can break off into different directions depending on specific conditions or choices made. It is important to indicate where these decisions have to be made in your chart and make sure that all possible consequences are included.
For instance, one of the decision points could be “Is it a software or hardware issue?” Subsequent steps would vary based on this answer. By drawing up those decision points clearly you will help support agents with complex scenarios.
7. Use Swimlanes for Complex Processes
For more involved support processes that span multiple departments or roles, you may want to use a swimlane diagram. Such a flowchart segments the process into parallel lanes, each representing another department or role.
Swimlanes clarify how responsibilities transfer between teams, making it easier to identify handoff points and potential bottlenecks. For example, there might be lanes for the initial customer service rep, technical support, and billing department.
8. Optimize for Readability
A well-constructed flowchart template is easy to read and understand, otherwise it serves no purpose whatsoever. Exclude jargon as much as possible or unless in cases where its application becomes necessary from each step using clear and concise language. Maintain the same font style and size throughout the entire chart so that it looks professional and well done.
To make the flowchart easier to read, consider color-coding, but remember that it should be accessible even to those with color blindness. You can differentiate colors for different types of actions or indicate critical decision points.
9. Validate the Flowchart
When you have your flowchart, it is necessary to compare its performance against real-life situations. Walk through the flow chart with real customer support cases to ensure that it adequately represents the process and encompasses all probable scenarios.
Seek feedback from colleagues who use it in their daily work. There could be inefficiencies or missing steps that may not have appeared at the early stage of design. This cooperative approach will ensure that your flow chart is pragmatic and successful.
10. Review and Update Regularly
A flowchart is not a “set it and forget it” document. As your business grows, new technologies are introduced, customer requirements change, and customer support processes also change. Regularly review the flowcharts to keep them up-to-date.
During such reviews ask members of your support team about any pain points or inefficiencies they may have identified. Use this information received for streamlining and enhancing your diagrams as well as improving the overall performance of customer support services.
Start Designing Your Flowchart Template!
Designing flowchart templates is a continuous journey of improvement and refinement. As you develop your skills, remember these key principles:
- Prioritize simplicity and clarity in your diagrams.
- Regularly update your flowcharts to reflect current processes.
- Use flowcharts as dynamic tools to identify areas for efficiency gains.
To further enhance your abilities, you may consider taking an online course or exploring additional resources. Focus on applying your newfound skills to weak-performing areas within your organization. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your diagrams but also contribute to meaningful process improvements that can drive your business forward.
Remember, each flowchart template you create is an opportunity to gain deeper insights into your operations and pave the way for enhanced productivity and success.
FAQs on Flowchart Templates
1. How can I ensure my flowchart templates are easy to read and understand?
Stick to a simple format for your flowchart templates. This means using standard symbols, maintaining a logical flow, and keeping it simple. The language used should be clear, concise, and consistent formatting too. Avoid line crossovers as much as possible or consider color coding if need be. A legend may be needed as well as testing the flowchart with others to ensure that it can be interpreted easily.
2. What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating flowcharts?
Some of the common errors to shun while making flowchart templates are complexity, unclear decision points, and inconsistent symbol usage. Break down complex processes into sub-flowcharts instead of trying to fit too much information in one chart. Ensure you don’t forget about the end/start point and always make sure that each path is leading somewhere. Further, do not use jargon terms that may confuse users.
3. How do swimlanes improve the clarity of complex processes?
Swimlanes also help in understanding the overall process flow while clearly defining who does what, reducing confusion and improving accountability. Swimlanes improve clarity in complex processes by visually separating the responsibilities of different departments or roles. They show how tasks are passed between teams or individuals, making it easy to identify handoff points and potential bottlenecks.
4. What tools are best for creating professional-looking flowcharts?
For creating professional-looking flowcharts, popular tools include Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, and Draw.io. These offer extensive symbol libraries, templates, and collaboration features. For simpler needs, Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Drawings can work well. Choose a tool that balances functionality with ease of use, and consider factors like team collaboration needs and integration with other software you use.
5. How often should I update my flowchart to reflect changes in processes?
Update your flowchart templates whenever significant changes occur in your processes. As a general rule, review your flowcharts at least quarterly to ensure they remain accurate. For rapidly evolving processes, monthly reviews may be necessary. Create a system for team members to flag when processes change, and schedule regular review sessions to keep your flowcharts up-to-date and relevant.
