5 Questions to Ask When Considering an Online Help Desk Software
When you are in business, you want to be competitive and productive. Having the best software tools helps you accomplish the goals you set forth. An online help desk software is a fantastic way to streamline your business and boost productivity. With a help desk, you gain more time to focus on the other aspects of your business. The question is how do you know what help desk is best for your business? Here are 5 questions to ask when considering an online help desk software.
1) Does the help desk software support multiple channels?
Multi-channel marketing is the way in which businesses keep in contact and communicate with their customers. Many years ago, the main channel of digital communication was email and hand written letters. However, with the acceleration and popularity of the internet, multiple channels have taken the front stage. Businesses, then, must meet the demand of consumers to communicate on their preferred channel. Some of these channels include:
- Live Chat
- Social Media
- App
- Post
- Phone
- SMS
Which channels do people use and how often do they use them? It all depends on what their purpose for communicating is. However, one study revealed that 1 in 4 customers have tried live chat at some point or another and of those who tried it, 73% were satisfied or very satisfied. Social media ranked third in overall performance.
Another factor in channel preference is demographics. Millennials preference will vary compared to baby boomers. For this reason, the ability to customize your mode of communication is important.
Read: What is a Multi-Channel Help Desk and why is it important?
2) Is the system easy and convenient to use for the employees?
Getting employees used to new office changes can be challenging, especially if the changes involve technology. Robert F. Kennedy once said, “About twenty percent of the people are against any change.” That is a reality to take into consideration when bringing in new help desk software. You want the system to be simple to use for the employees. Some keys to look for in your help desk software to ensure optimum user-friendliness are as follows:
- Simple to install
- Easy to navigate
- Great GUI (graphical user interface)
- Speedy navigation
- Attractive design without being distracting
- Troubleshooting options or in-depth help search function
Additionally, help desk software that is accessible via employees’ mobile phones will boost productivity. Employees have increased flexibility when able to use their smart phone to access work issues while away.
3) Does the software provide motivation for employees?
Help desk software that provides added built-in incentive will bring benefit the employer. Gamification is one such bonus to look for in help desk software. The benefits of gamification are plenteous. Many people think of gamification in terms of its impact on external motivation, but research indicates it goes deeper than that. The end result of gamification is to motivate employees intrinsically. The eLearning Industry had an article that stated that the use of game mechanics “instill a sense of meaning, provide a feeling of mastery, promote autonomy, and create super-engagement. In addition, gamification can also be used to influence an organization’s culture, communication, and performance management.” When help desk software builds gamification into the system, then employee engagement gets a boost.
4) What level of automation does the help desk provide?
One of the main goals of the help desk software is to make business simpler for you. When customers contact your business with a problem, question, or complaint, you need to have a system in place that facilitates a fast solution. Consumers can be fickle and if not extremely loyal may give their business elsewhere when problems are not solved efficiently. There are 3 things you need automation to accomplish for it to be effective:
Ticket creation: As people contact your business, you want a smart system that automates the incoming communication and creates a ticket for each one.
Ticket management: Ticket creation is just the beginning of help desk software that enhances your business. The next step is competent ticket management. Just what does that mean? You manage tickets more easily when they are put together in appropriate categories. Think of ticket management like you would a filing system. You would not want all of your files under one category.
Ticket prioritization: Each ticket involves some problem or conflict in need of resolution; however, not every ticket has the same priority level. Some problems require almost immediate feedback, while others need follow up in a few hours. Still, others do not need a follow-up for 24–48 hours. This is just an example of the time-frame variation tickets can have. The other question is who needs to respond to each ticket. Some tickets require high-level management, while others tickets can be distributed to administrative employees.
5) Can I track and bill time for customer support?
Often times, company owners offer a customer support service that comes with a fee. In these situations, it is critical to have a software solution that provides you options. When it comes to offering paid customer support, consider looking for these 3 things:
Ability to bill the ticket different ways: Every business is different and every customer is different. So, you may want a different approach for your customer support billables. Bill based on the ticket or bill based on the hour or minute amount. You decide which billing method works best for you.
Ability to track the time you spent on the support
Ability to accept payment through PayPal
At Vision Helpdesk, we offer a help desk solution that fits the needs of businesses big and small. Contact us for more detailed information about our services.
