A recent article from the Association of Software Publishers echoes something that we at Hudson have been telling our clients for years: that tiered software support, the way most call centers do it, works very poorly. Here is what they said: “For a while now, forward – thinking customer support and call center managers have…
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If you view technical support vendors mostly based on price, do you think that technical support is a commodity? Wikipedia: “The exact definition of the term commodity is specifically used to describe a class of goods for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. …The market treats [commodity]…
DetailsIncreasing numbers of businesses are recognizing the potential of the online community in providing support. Within a community, expert customers and representatives work together to assist others and share ideas about your products. Depending on your company’s identity and existing online presence, you may want to establish or re-brand a community space owned by you,…
DetailsWhen looking for guidance on how to set up your chat channel, it is vital to remember your goals. Many of the best practices and common recommendations for sales and customer service related chat lines will need some tweaking before they can be applied to your technical support operations. In this segment of our series…
DetailsYour customers- even those who prefer to seek live help from a support agent- want to know whether you offer self-help resources online. An online knowledgebase demonstrates your commitment to giving them whatever they need in order to have a positive experience with your product. It shows that you stand behind your software, but are…
DetailsIn this segment of our series on success with multi-channel support, we will look at best practices for success with email support as part of a multi-channel strategy. Minimize free form email inquiries While it may not be desirable– or possible– to entirely hide your support email address, consider offering an online form submission as…
DetailsOver the phone support remains the top preference of most customers even as use of other channels increases- and with good reason. A 2013 Forrester Research report notes that customers of all generations use the phone more than any other support channel, and they experience the highest rates of satisfaction on the phone. Interactions over…
DetailsWith new technologies becoming ever more accessible to customers of all demographics, there is increasing demand for variety in the support channels offered. Customers may have accepted being driven to a single channel in the past; today, the lack of a preferred channel may have a significant impact on customer retention. But there is more…
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