Hiding Contact Information
Type: warning
Stage: Stage 7: Support Proof
Difficulty: beginner
Self-service is good. Trapping customers in self-service is not. If users cannot find a way to contact a human after docs or AI fail, trust erodes — and the support system actually increases churn. The help center should answer common questions and always provide a clear escalation path.
Overview
Self-service is good. Trapping customers in self-service is not.
Avoid when
Users cannot find a way to contact a human after docs or AI fail. A support system that prevents escalation damages trust faster than slow response times.
Better signal
The help center answers common questions but always provides a clear escalation path — a contact form, email address, or live chat option that a human will actually respond to.