Helpdesk Software
How To Choose The Right Helpdesk Software
Customer Support Ebook
Customer Support Ebook
Table of Contents
About this guide
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Main criteria
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1 Support Channel Coverage
5
2 Integration methods (plugin availability)
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3 Feature set
5
4 Pricing
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5 Customer service
6
The Solutions
6
Hosted7
Perpetual license
8
Shopping list
10
Communication channels
10
Ticket management
10
Live Chat
12
Reporting13
Offline support portal
14
Gamification
14
Integrations14
Multilingual15
Customer Support Ebook
About this guide
Overview
The purpose of this guide is to help businesses and individuals research, compare and select the right helpdesk software to manage their customer support more effectively.
This guide will help you select software, which is the best fit for your business objectives and marketing goals. It includes a comprehensive overview of the most popular features offered by helpdesk software providers and the differences between Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions and self-hosted (in-house/perpetual) solutions. Some software companies offer only SaaS, some only self-hosted and some offer a mixture.
With word of mouth reviews carrying even more weight thanks to the power of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, it has never been more important to invest in customer service. According to research, 79% of customers share their negative customer support experience with others.
" Investing in customer service can help create predictable customer experiences, which creates confidence, which is essential to creating customer loyalty ? which means more business from existing employees. Investing in the customer experience can help make price less relevant, de-commoditize the products and services you sell, create word of mouth and more. The bottom line is that investing in customer service is exactly that: an investment ? and one that can pay big dividends. Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert
Helpdesk software (also known as Ticketing sytem, Customer Support or Customer Service software) to manage customer queries (and a lot more) is essential for the success of any customer-focused company.
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Customer Support Ebook
Customers nowadays want fast and accurate answers. 8 out of 10 seek for self-service before contacting a support representative. Do you ask why? Because they want answers, and they want them now. Helpdesk software now combines both self-service and personal support methods, including support portal for frequent questions, email ticketing, call center, online chat, feedback and contact formulars and even the most popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter. When selecting helpdesk software, don't forget to focus on your support representatives. A carpenter with the wrong tools won't be of any good. Support rep who can't or find it hard to operate with a helpdesk software will be ineffective. In other words, the main criteria when picking the right helpdesk software is mutual benefit for your customers and your customer service representatives.
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Customer Support Ebook
Main criteria
what to focus on Here's a selection of the most popular criteria, by which consumers compare helpdesk software.
1 Support Channel Coverage
When choosing the right helpdesk software, you should consider whether the solution includes basic support channels: email, offline support portal/knowledge base, formulars, live chat, call center, social media coverage. Based on your type of business, put more focus on the channels that you use the most.
2 Integration methods (plugin availability)
Based on the kind of shopping cart or Content Management System that you use, see if the software has an available integration method or plugin ready. If not, check if the software can be customizable to your needs. See if the software can be connected with other third party applications like email marketing tools, CRM software or payment processors.
3 Feature set
Depending on the size and needs of your business you will require different feature sets. If you only provide support via emails, real-time tools like live chat or call center won't be necessary. Offline support portal might come handy, but if you don't have the resources to manage it, it will fail. Before buying, you should consider your strategy for future and look for the feature sets of available solutions that will be the right fit for your business in the future.
4 Pricing
Price is one of the most common objections a business can have. See if the solution's pricing is a good fit for you. Most of helpdesk software vendors offer a "per agent seat" pricing model.
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