Self-Service Portal

A Self-Service Portal is a web-based platform that enables users to obtain IT services independently and without complication, without having to contact support directly. In the ITSM context, such a portal offers various functions: users can find information and assistance (e.g. FAQs, knowledge articles, instructions), view the status of their open tickets and often also submit their own requests or incident reports.

Examples: an employee uses the self-service portal to request a new software tool, reset a password (possibly automated) or track the status of a reported incident. Through self-service, routine questions and simple problems are often solved by users themselves – for example by reading a knowledge base article on a known issue. This noticeably relieves the support desk and saves time on both sides.

A good self-service portal is user-friendly, contains a powerful search and presents relevant solutions as soon as a user enters a question. Forms for Service Request Management (such as “Create new employee” including workflow) are also often part of the portal. For overall service quality, self-service brings two things: faster help for users (accessible 24/7, without queues) and efficiency gains for IT, because service staff can focus on more complex tasks. From the user's perspective, User Experience and Self-Service are particularly important. The quality of such content depends heavily on structured Knowledge Management.

See also: Knowledge Base and Chatbot.