How to Tell Users Their Issue Is Their Lack of Knowledge, Not a Technical Problem?

Try sharing a simple guide or quick reference document that outlines the steps. You can say something like, "I created this guide to help navigate the system, it can be tricky at times." This way, it’s not directly saying they did something wrong, but it helps steer them in the right direction.

I usually take the opportunity to educate. I tell them, "When I first dealt with this, I had some hiccups too," and walk them through the process step-by-step while encouraging questions. If they persist in saying it doesn’t work, I suggest they try it again and let me know where it fails.

I try to avoid outright blaming the user. Instead, I might say, "There are some quirks with the software that can be misleading. Let's troubleshoot it together." This way, it feels less like a confrontation and more like teamwork.

I've found that it helps to empathize with the user by saying, "You're not alone in this. Many people find this part confusing, and I’ve made the same mistakes before!" This way, you build rapport and take the heat off them, guiding them gently to the solution without making them feel like they're at fault.

Absolutely agree with empathizing! A good approach could be saying something like, "I've had similar challenges myself and many users do at first. Let's look at the permissions together." This makes it a collaborative effort and shifts the focus from blame to problem-solving.