Why Users Email the Service Desk Instead of Using the Portal (And How to Fix It)

Matthew_13 · 2 hours ago

Problem:
Many organizations invest time building a Service Portal, yet users continue to email the Service Desk or bypass the portal entirely. Even with automation and workflows in place, adoption remains low.

Common Reasons This Happens:

The portal has too many categories and catalog items
Users don’t know where to go or what to select
Requests aren’t routed correctly, so the experience feels slow
The portal doesn’t clearly show value compared to sending an email
Past portal experiences were frustrating, so users stopped trying

What Actually Works (In My Experience):

Reduce and simplify catalog categories (less is more)
Use clear, non-technical language for catalog items
Auto-assign and auto-route requests so users see faster results
Make the portal the fastest path to resolution
Promote visible wins (faster fulfillment, status transparency)

Key Takeaway:
Users don’t avoid the portal because they dislike self-service — they avoid it because emailing feels easier and more reliable. When the portal becomes simpler and consistently faster, adoption follows naturally.

Curious what’s worked for others — what changes actually moved the needle for portal adoption in your environment?

SOLUTION/UPDATE:

What we found is users don’t avoid the portal because they dislike self-service — they avoid it because email feels easier and more reliable. The fix is to make the portal the fastest and simplest option.

What works:

Reduce categories and catalog items (5–7 max at the top level)
Use clear, non-technical language
Auto-route requests so they land in the right group immediately
Show visible value: status updates, faster fulfillment
Make portal requests resolve faster than email
Gently redirect common email requests back to the portal

At the End of the Day:
When the portal is easier and faster than email, adoption follows naturally.

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