Explore How Case Deflection Works in Session Analytics Overview
Session Analytics Overview measures case deflection on the main search page and support page. On both pages, case deflection can occur in two ways.
On the main search page, a Stage One Case Deflection occurs when a user visits a platform where SearchUnify has been set up, searches at least once, clicks a result, and never visits the support page during the session. The second scenario in which a deflection takes place is when a user visits a platform where SearchUnify has been set up, lands on a page described in Direct PageViews, but never searches or visits the support page during the session.
When self-service experience doesn't match user expectations and the user lands on Support Page to log a ticket, SearchUnify automatically displays helpful articles related to their issue. If the user clicks on a suggestion and doesn't log the ticket, that counts as Stage Two Case Deflection. The user can land on a Support Page either after searching (first way) or straight from a Direct PageView page (second way).
Stage One Case Deflection
This is the default view in the Session Analytics Overview report. On checking Successful, the successful user journeys are highlighted in blue.
When you click Case Deflection, a dialog opens. On clicking Stage 1 in the dialog, you can view Stage One Case Deflection.
Calculate Stage One Case Deflection
For most instance users, finding the Stage One Case Deflection is adequate for most everyday purposes. If deflection on search client A is 30.8% in January, 2020 and 57.4% in January, 2021, then you can be pretty sure that the self-service experience has gone up. This section is for you if you are curious beyond just applications and interested in the formula used in calculating Stage One Case Deflection.
The formula is rather straightforward:
Now let's see how we can find the numerator and denominator for the fraction. But before that, a quick overview of the summary.
| Term | Definition |
| Total Sessions | The number of sessions started. It is always equal to Exit. |
| Search Sessions | The sessions in which at least one search is performed. |
| Click Sessions | Search sessions in which at least one result is clicked. |
| No Click Sessions | Search sessions in which the number of clicked results is zero. |
| Support Sessions | Sessions in which the user visits Support Page at least once. |
| No Search Session | Sessions in which the user runs zero searches. |
| Exit | The number of sessions ended. It is always equal to Total Sessions. |
With the terminology clear, here is an explanation. Total Sessions in the image is 12, Session Sessions is 10, and Click Sessions is 5. And there are 3 sessions in which the user didn't visit Support Page after a Click Session.
So, according to the formula Case Deflection should be:
And the calculation agrees with the number SearchUnify Analytics shows us.
Stage Two Case Deflection
User journeys during the second stage case deflection can be viewed by clicking the Stage 2 tile in Sessions Analytics Overview.
If you click Successful, the user journeys leading to Stage Two Case Deflections light up in blue.
To view the Stage Two Case Deflection rate, click Case Deflection and then Stage 2.
Calculate Stage Two Case Deflection
This section is for those instance users who are interested in how Stage Two Case Deflection is counted. You can skip if you are short on time. Not knowing the formula will not affect most instance users if all they need is to compare self-service performance on two search clients is the Stage Two Case Deflection rate which is readily available in the report. However, you will want to skim through this section if the support page on your platform is linked with SU and allows end-users to log a case. Looking at the Stage Two Case Deflection rate, you can tell the number of cases deflected and the money saved. Enough of digression. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
The formula for State Two Case Deflection is:
If you see the report, you will find that there is one new term, Case Creation Sessions. The tile refers to the sessions in which at least one ticket is logged. Total Support Sessions in the image is 5, Search Sessions is 3, and Click Sessions is 3. And there is only one session in which the user didn't visit log a case after a Click Session.
So, according to the formula Case Deflection should be:
The calculation agrees with the number SearchUnify Analytics shows us.
Related
Cumulative Case Deflection
Cumulative Case Deflection gives a comprehensive status of self-service on your platform, including both the main search page and support page. To view Cumulative Case Deflection, click Case Deflection first and then Cumulative.
The formula for Cumulative Case Deflection is:
To figure it out yourself, notice two tiles in Stage One and one in Stage Two.
In the image above, Search Sessions = 10. The number of Click Sessions after which a user didn't visit Support Page in Stage One is 3 and the number of Click Sessions after which a user didn't log a ticket in Stage Two is 1. So our formula becomes:
Direct PageViews
Direct Page Views captures the views by users who visit a page by means other than search. A user can land on an article in several ways; by searching, by clicking on a bookmarked link, by opening an article shared over email, or by simply finding their way to an article from the trending list on home. Articles accessed through bookmarks and other means, but not through search, are known as Directly Viewed Articles.
NOTE.
If a user directly visits a page and then begins searching using the search bar, this visit will be considered part of a session and will not be counted as a Direct Page View.
SearchUnify offers a way to measure Stage One and Cumulative Case Deflection for these articles.
To start, go to Search Clients > Edit > Analytics Settings > Analytics Properties and activate Capture Direct Pageviews in Session Journey.
Next turn on Show Stage 2 (Case Form Page) Deflection and enter the Support Page URL in the field above.
Check Cumulative and Stage 1 in Add Direct Pageview counts to Case Deflection Formula.
Finally, define the URL of your articles. The definition includes <SF_community_address/article/{{URL Field}}. A quicker way to fill the field is to simply use ./article.
Direct Article views influence only Stage 1 Case Deflection. There is no impact on Stage Two Case Deflection and the report behaves identically, irrespective of whether Direct Article views are turned on or not.
Another change, when Direct PageView is turned on, is in the Stage One and Cumulative Deflection tabs.
All sessions in which a user searched and clicked on a result or accessed a Direct View article and didn't visit support are considered Stage 1 Case Deflection with Direct PageViews. Only two scenarios are possible.
Another difference between Stage One Case Deflection and Stage One Case Deflection with Direct PageViews is the denominator used in the equation used to calculate deflection. In the first, the denominator is Search Sessions but in the second the denominator is Total Sessions. Although the symbol used to represent them is the same, 
.
In this diagram, Total Sessions is 31, Click Sessions with No Support Visit is 5, and Direct Article Views with No Support Visit is 1. Therefore,
Direct PageViews impact Cumulative Case Deflection as well where all the deflections in Stage 1 with Direct Article Views and Stage 2 are summed and divided by the Total Sessions.
