Implementing software to manage the workflow is very important because it simplifies the process, controls the cost, improves efficiency and decreases errors. However, not all software is the same. You need to understand your business process and choose the best software that’s suitable for your business.

Let’s discuss the main features you may want to check in a software that you are planning to invest.

Everything is just a ‘tap’ away – Is your Asset management mobile friendly?

You may come across a lot of software – one might be economical and the other might be efficient but finding the best one suitable for your business needs a little bit of research. Out of all the other main factors, you need to know if the asset management software is compatible with smartphones.

Today, almost every employee has a smartphone and 70% of them use it for official purposes. A software/ app that’s accessible via mobile is the best feature that you must be looking for. With the help of the mobile app, you can access data at any time, check-in and check-out of assets become easy, and tracking and recording become simple.

Barcodes help you to identify the assets easily – Don’t you agree?

Assigning barcodes and asset tags is the best way to manage numerous assets installed in different departments. You need to look for software that can assign a unique barcode and asset tag to each asset. The software you order must have the capacity to generate barcodes, tags, and labels. The barcode must have the asset information such as serial number, date of purchase, version, department and more.

Easy tracking of inventory

Tired of using the manual systems for looking after the inventory and related communications? The ITAM software is the best solution to ease your problems. The software would keep a watch on the check-in and check-out of the inventory, the assignees, transaction details, and much more that would provide you with a quick response during emergencies. It will also be a great help to the clients like schools, emergency units, tool cribs, etc. as it can track the assets closely.

Own server or cloud? Know the hosting server

When you host the software, you can either do it on your server or on the cloud. Most companies prefer hosting the software on their own server; however, the cloud is the latest technology and has many unique benefits such as time-saving and cost-saving. When you host in your own server, you need to be worried about downtime and maintenance.

When you choose cloud servers, you don’t have to worry about maintenance, hosting issues or any other server issues. Security patch updates, upgrades, installation and other processes will be taken care of promptly and without any issues. The cloud server also initiates upgrades and updates without any issues.

Well, before Cloud migration, you also need to seriously think about hardware asset disposition and ITAD services through a company that offers a buyback of all the logistics and hardware. One such name is “Dataknox” that offers server disposition and data destruction services, stored in physical devices. Also offer data center decom & reverse logistics.

So, if you are looking for software ensure it has the necessary capability to be able to host on the cloud.

Ability to analyze the age of assets and initiate repair, disposal and more

When an IT asset is not in use for a long time, you must be able to identify it, fix the repairs and start using them again. If they are worn out, you must be ready to dispose of the assets.

Look for software that records the age of the assets, it should also include the number of times it has gone through repair, the last upgrade, the number of users depending on the asset, the criticality and other important information about the asset must be recorded and it should also be easy to generate reports based on the requirement.

The IT help desk software must be able to track the life of the asset and suggest to the IT members regarding damages and repairs.

Is your software customizable?

As discussed earlier, the IT management software must be easy to customize and be readily available for your business. Do not waste your investment on software that doesn’t allow you to customize it. You must be looking at software that is scalable and customized for your business requirements.

You must be able to customize the name, and field, and add specific calculations and other requirements that are suitable for your business. You must also be able to customize the alerts that you send.

Multiple quantities and maintenance scheduling

Tracking too many quantities at a time can be a little difficult for companies. Going through each asset, checking out its history, its consumption and other similar data can be a hectic task especially when the products come in bulk quantity. So, to deal with this confusion, look for the software that serves with tracking of multiple quantities with the asset ID.

Again, think if the equipment or machines stop working, the assets would be the best way to handle the maintenance part. The software provides the company with a complete maintenance schedule that helps in avoiding or preventing emergency repairs.

Simple and easy-to-understand configurations

What if you invest in software which is difficult for the operators in operating? The learning time would be time-consuming and the difficulties in the configuration can lead to a serious impact both on the software and the business. So, rather than going for any software, choose the one that is simple and easy to understand with configurations.

Look for an Asset management tool that benefits the company through fields that can be modified. If you can’t run the software as you want, the investment is totally vain. So, while purchasing one, go through the possible availabilities and select the best-suited one for the company.

Is the software secure? Can you trust the automated software?

Not every member of the company is allowed access to all the reports the company. And when access to the software is given to every employee, there are certain limitations that need to be looked after. So, selecting an IT service desk software that would allow security options limiting the access to all the reports, is the best way to have control over the security levels.

The software that allows limiting the asset locations, editing the reports, setting up data, administration tools, modules, and reports is an ideal one to invest in.

Buying software to manage the assets does not have overnight. You need to discuss it with the top-level management, the employees and others who will be using and enjoying the benefits of the piece of software. Realise the importance of asset management automation which is a crucial part of investments.

So, why not go for software after thinking about all the priorities to make a fruitful investment? Have you selected your choice yet?

The post What to look for in an IT Asset Management Software appeared first on Tech Web Space.

Your company can benefit from the enhanced efficacy of employees, reduced snags, better coordination, and better customer satisfaction by using such solutions. These software solutions also sync with existing IT services and software used by the company.

Resolving various customer service related issues with IT Helpdesk solution

The customers may have varying requirements and they can approach your company with queries and problems. Deploying suitable IT help desk solution can help the company address such requirements better and faster.  When the customer satisfaction level is high it leads to high retention level. However, the support agents have to utilize the features of these tools in the apt ways to extract maximum benefits.

Listed below are the ways an IT help desk application can be used to resolve numerous customer service issues better:

#1 Automation of repetitive, simple tasks-

In every company, the customer care representatives have to deal with some commonplace issues on a daily basis. This can include answering some basic queries on popular products/services and resolving commonplace problems. Instead of going through the same procedures everyday to resolve such issues, the agents can automate the task to address customer needs.

Some of the automation can be done through email templates and chatbots can also be engaged with live chat setup for the same purpose. Most helpdesk tools will let you set such automation related to support operations.

#2 Tweaking ticket management settings-

A majority of businesses use helpdesk tools that come with ticket generation and handling features. However, the agents need to tweak the default ticket management settings in the software to get the best results. Typically, these software come with ticket creation with conditions and filters. Provisions are there to convert social media posts into tickets and emails can also be turned into tickets.

This helps reduce tasks of the agents and time can be saved too. Additionally, filters can be set to prioritize and tag the tickets as per priority. By changing the ticket management settings in the IT Helpdesk tool, productivity can be increased and risks of conflicts or delay can be reduced. Filters can also be set to assign tickets to specific agents- based on type of issue.

#3 Guiding the customers to self-service portal-

Not all customer queries need intervention by the support agents, as it is. A lot of customer queries and grievances can be tackled by directing the concerned customers to the company’s self service portal. This section typically contains the FAQ, video resources, and knowledge base.

While a section of customers try to find the self service section without being prodded, that is not the case with the others! The support agents can resort to numerous measures to motivate those customers to use the portal to resolve less serious issues.

This can be done by including link to the portal in emails and at the end of chat sessions. In fact, the link can also be provided in the company’s social media profiles. This will eventually help in reducing load on the support staffs and they will be able to engage in complex and important tasks.

#4 Managing SLAs-

The majority of help desk tools have features to create and manage Service Level Agreements. The SLAs define scope, quality and responsibilities of a service offered by the company. SLAs can be created for dealing between two companies but it is used by the companies more often to deal with the customers.

An SLA outlines exactly what can be expected from both parties and the consequences for service provider if agreements cannot be met.

Creating and managing the SLAs can be complicated and time consuming for the companies, as it is. This can be eased by deploying the helpdesk tool. SLAs in the help desk solutions are deployed mostly for ticket management.

#5 Linking with the CRM database and other software-

To utilize the potential of a helpdesk tool it should be linked with the existing software of the company. It should be linked with the CRM database, to start with. This makes work easier for the support agents. The helpdesk should also have integration with other cloud services used in the company and its social media profiles too.  The sync makes sharing resources and collaborating with other teams of the company easier.

#6 Utilizing the analytics and reporting features-

Most of the present generation IT helpdesk tools are laden with robust analytics and reporting feature set. The reporting tools can be utilized by the company to evaluate many aspects of the support operations properly. This includes performance of agents, customer satisfaction rating (time wise), software and service performance etc.

These software solutions can extract information from phone call logs, saved chat sessions, emails and even social media feeds. The reports will give the company management clear ideas on areas that need improvement and they will be able to address important issues. It is also possible to define schedules for the system to auto generate reports.

#7 Using customer opinions to improve IT helpdesk services-

The helpdesk tool is primarily used to resolve several queries and grievances of the customers. However, the tool can also be deployed to get feedbacks of the customers on various IT services used by the company. The live chat session can be used to take a small survey on this.

A small questionnaire can be made to take opinion of the customers on website, mobile app, self service section and overall support offered by the company. The feedback can be analyzed to figure out which part of IT based helpdesk service can be enhanced to address the customer needs better.

#8 Setting options for generating alerts-

The IT service desk software is used extensively to monitor various aspects of support operations and enhance the efficacy of various processes. So, the users (agents) need to tweak settings to let the software issue alerts when some conflict takes place. For example, the software can issue an alert if it detects two agents are working on one ticket- by mistake.

The application can also issue alerts if attempts of unauthorized access are made to the CRM database.  It can also be set to issue alerts if a ticket is kept pending over the expected period. This way major hassles and conflicts in support operation can be evaded.

Selecting the right IT help desk solution

It is imperative that you choose the apt IT help desk software for your venture. You have to analyze if the software you have chosen has the required features, to start with. Next, you need to check the extent of customization possible with the software. You may try few such help desk applications in trial mode- which the vendors allow, mostly. Thereafter, you can make up your mind about the most apt tool and invest in it.

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However, choosing the most suitable help desk application for a company is hardly easy. There are plenty of third-party IT service desk apps and you may be confused while comparing and selecting those. Ideally, you should be investing in multichannel helpdesk software for your company.

Benefits of choosing a multi-channel helpdesk solution

Using a multichannel IT help desk solution can benefit your company in several ways. These are:

The customers get more options and flexibility-

when your company deploys a multi-channel service desk tool, it makes the options wider for the customers. There are different types of customers and by using such apps, you can cater to all types easily. There are people who prefer traditional phone-based support while tech-savvy lot prefers live chat over other modes. There are independently minded customers who like to resolve most issues by using support portals.

A multi-channel helpdesk can be used to satisfy all of these types:

#1 The agents can be more productive-

Deploying multichannel helpdesk helps the support staffs or agents to be more productive. Using the application, they can tackle customers using various modes of support more efficiently. Even in the peak hours, they can make use of advanced software features to cope with rising phone and chat traffic. So, they are able to deal with more customer cases in stipulated time.

#2 Reduced workload on the agents-

Using a multichannel help desk solution in a company effectively brings down workload on the agents. The automation features in such helpdesk tools can be utilized to reduce workload faced by the support agents. Automated email response templates and AI enabled chatbots can be deployed to handle commonplace queries made by the customers. This frees up the agents and they face less risk of coping with burnouts. They can focus on serious customer issues thereafter.

#3 Superior ticket handling owing to automation-

No matter how expert and dedicated your support agents are, they are after all human. They can be subjected to stress, fatigue and inadvertently they can make errors. When they make errors in ticket handling- the consequences can be negative. Delay or hiccups in ticket resolution can make the customers irate.

A multi-channel helpdesk is what you need to make the process of ticket handling largely automated and nearly error-free. Filters can be used to automate the process of ticket generation and assign tickets to specific agents. Besides, the software can be set to issue an alert when the tickets get delayed or both agents mistakenly pick up the same ticket.

#4 Better security implementation-

The customer support staffs need to access CRM database of the company for operational needs. They may also need to access and share resources with other teams in the organization. So, you may have reason to worry about the security of company data. When a helpdesk tool is deployed this risk is minimized. The customers accessing the software through any channel need to log in with password and encryption are used to maintain safety. Even the agents need to use security measures to access resources when they use the helpdesk tool.

#5 Improved speed at work-

By using multi-channel helpdesk, the agents can multitask better and operational speed gets a boost. Such helpdesk tools unify all support channels under one umbrella and the agents can use the UI to accomplish many tasks quickly. They can also switch from one mode of support to another fast. For example, if there is any glitch in the VoIP tool, the agents can transfer the customers to live chat in a jiffy-without breaking interaction continuity. This eventually helps in faster issue resolution.

#6 Better handling of social media savvy customers-

Modern multi channel help desk tools have robust integration with the top social media platforms. This helps the agents in dealing with social media savvy customers and resolving their cases easily. They can reply to social media post of such customers directly using the help desk app. Besides, the helpdesk app can be tweaked to convert social media posts of the customer into tickets automatically. This makes things simpler both for such customers and your support agents.

#7 Better monitoring of all support related activities-

Modern-help desk applications with support for various modes/channels have dashboards to let administrators monitor support activities. Using such a dashboard, you can get real-time updates on all nuances of support operations. For example, at a time, you can see the number of ongoing calls, calls on IVR loop, number of open chat sessions, pending emails and so on. If anything looks amiss, preventive and remedial actions can be taken without delay

#8 Robust reporting and analytics-

Multichannel helpdesk tools come with extensive analytics and report creation features. Using the inbuilt feature of this software, you can generate reports on the efficiency of agents and specific support channels. These reports offer insights into performance related aspects and issues that need attention.

#9 Operational cost reduction-

For any company, keeping support related costs down will be beneficial. When a multi-channel helpdesk is deployed, this becomes easier. The helpdesk can be used to automate many of the tasks carried out by agents and this helps the company achieve expected results with fewer agents. Using such helpdesk also require less investment in hardware setup. Telephonic support can be offered by advanced VoIP software instead of buying many hardware devices, for example.

Things to analyze when buying a multi-channel helpdesk tool:

You should be careful when buying a multi-channel support desk tool. It is important that you assess certain key parameters for assessing the available software solutions. These are:

Ease of use, learning curve-

The multi-channel helpdesk software should be easy to learn and use. Otherwise, it can hamper productivity instead of boosting it! The agents will have a tough time using it and integrating it with other services. A smooth and fluid UI with good navigation features are necessary.

Good app/service integration-

The helpdesk solution must have great integration with numerous third-party apps and cloud services. Your company uses various software and cloud services and the helpdesk should natively support them all. Sometimes, using plug-ins may be required for embedding certain online services or software.

Mobile device compatibility-

A lot of customers of your company may not use laptop or desktops to access websites and helpdesk app. They may use a smartphone and so the helpdesk tool needs to be mobile friendly. This is also applicable for cloud-based helpdesk software.

Feature suitability-

The multi-channel helpdesk tool may be equipped with lots of features. However, you need to check whether all those features may be required for your business needs or not. It makes sense to pick a helpdesk tool that actually has the features your business will benefit from.  

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This is only logical given the fact technology giants like Google have become stringent about deploying security in web services and IT technology related things. The controversies and buzz regarding websites being made GDPR compliant corroborate the trend.

Need to choose and use secure help desk solutions

With time, the helpdesk solutions used by various businesses have become more advanced and feature packed.  Present generation help desk software solutions are equipped with cutting-edge features and technologies. These include integration with numerous apps and web services, social media integration, automation features, reporting and analytics and real-time monitoring of operations. However, it is also necessary that you buy a helpdesk tool that comes with embedded robust security features.

Listed below are the reasons for investing in a secure helpdesk solution:

1. The helpdesk tool will be used to link with the CRM database, containing important customer information. You can risk this data to be misused.
2. The internal knowledge base of the company will be accessed and used by different types of employees. This section contains vital company data that has to be safeguarded at all costs.
3. The helpdesk if compromised by hacking attacks and online exploits, can lead to data theft and other damages which can cost the company dearly.

Security features to check for in a helpdesk application

#1 Security technology/protocol compliance-

When investing in any helpdesk solution, you need to check if it is compliant with industry standard security protocols. This will not be the same with every application that you come across. Typically, you can look for software that is compliant with protocols like HIPAA, ISO 9001:2015 etc. This also depends on your company niche, for sure.

#2 Secure encryption technology-

The data that is stored on the servers of the helpdesk service provider (typically cloud service) should be secured by encryption technology. The same is applicable for the data that is transmitted between the server and network of companies using the service. While some helpdesk providers use 128 bit SSL/TLS encryption, some others offer more advanced 256-bit encryption tech. This is what most govt entities also fowl nowadays.

#3 Password protection-

A majority of helpdesk solutions rely on password-based protection for user access. While it offers a level of security, you should opt for software that has features to specify password strength. Some tools have passwords for accessing core features too.

#4 Additional authentication-

In a corporate setup, the helpdesk tools are accessed and used by hundreds of employees and plenty of customers every day. So, relying only on passwords may not be enough for safety. Some of the latest helpdesk tools, therefore, are equipped with two-step authentication. A mobile number or unique code is required for logging in, apart from the password. This helps keep the data safe even if a password is stolen.

#5 Data centre safety and network security-

The Companies offering helpdesk software services ensure the data centres remain under 24×7 digital surveillance. All backup provisions are kept in place to ensure that it keeps running, regardless of hardware or software snags. The companies also pay attention to maintaining network security. They have dedicated teams to monitor network health and glitches. Besides, the companies store data in geographically separate data centers. A number of companies use Amazon web services which is a versatile and scalable cloud service platform.

#6 Session duration settings-

Modern helpdesk tools have inbuilt provision for users to set a default duration for session expiry. This can be handy in setups where the software is used by hundreds of people and maintaining data security is really important. When the session duration is set, the users have to re-enter passwords and authenticate after the duration is over. This can be handy when the user leaves his workstation for a while and wants the data to be secure.

#7 IP restriction-

In companies dealing with sensitive information, the management should opt for helpdesk solutions that come with IP Restriction features embedded. This will ensure only the specified computers and web access devices can be used to access the web-based helpdesk SAAS platform. This is like another layer of safety and your data remains safe even if the passwords are stolen by any means. Every computer or web access device has a unique IP address. The software can be set to allow connections only from a set of IP addresses.

#8 Options to set multiple access levels-

The helpdesk solution is linked with a self-service portal and internal knowledge base of a company. This basically serves as the gateway to access important company data and customer database. While the employees and customers need to be given access to the software, the management needs to set access limits for different types of users. Latest helpdesk solutions let you set access levels for various types of users accessing the system. This can be set by either the management or network administrators in a business setup. So, the users given ’read only’ access to vital data will not be able to modify or delete, even by mistake.

Future of IT Service desk security

As a matter of fact, a present generation help desk software solution comes with oodles of safety features and most of these are suited for the businesses, including the large sized entities. However, the reality is technological evolutions brings its share of problems and it also gives rise to new malware, web exploits and hacking loopholes.

So, the next generation help desk solutions should be equipped with more robust and cutting-edge security features. Some of the upcoming and anticipated security features are:

Automated alerts (conditional)-

A lot is being said about a deployment of automation and AI in helpdesk solutions. Some entities are experimenting with these emerging technologies and the results are quite encouraging. Automation will have a greater role to play in help desk segment in near future, say the experts. The solution can have automated alert mechanism to caution users about potential unsafe activities. This way security breach and data theft can be evaded.

Biometric authentication-

With time, mobile web access devices are getting equipped with advanced biometrics authentication features for secure yet faster access. These features will seep into help desk segment too. As it is, plenty of customers use mobile devices to use online services. So, deployment of biometric authentication in such tool will only make things easier for the users.

Summing it all up

The existing help desk solutions already come with adequate security measures embedded. However, cybercrime incidents are on rise and online security risks keep evolving with technological growth. So, the ticketing software  needs to be laden with next generation security features. Automated safety features and biometrics are among those features.

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Thus, it need not requires any explanation why it is so vital to put you’re A-game up in dealing with your customers. While there are so many resources available for knowing the various ways on how to provide good customer service, one of them is certainly got to be books.

Here’s look at some of the top customer service books to read in 2018 that would surely help you in providing top-notch services to your customers anytime and all the time-

#1 What’s the Secret? To Providing a World-Class Customer Experience (2008) by John R. DiJulius III

This book written by John R. DiJulius, a customer support consultant himself would certainly be providing you with a great competitive edge in the market. The book explores various strategies and upholds values of some of the best companies in the world who have excelled in providing immaculate customer service. The book is filled with specialized insights, best practices and effective strategies that would simply be compelling you in a way to uplift your customer support of your company right away.

#2 Igniting Customer Connections: Fire Up Your Company’s Growth By Multiplying Customer Experience and Engagement (2014) by Andrew Frawley

This book exclusively and elaborately focuses on how to provide the best of customer service, something that the lion’s share of businesses are found struggling badly with. In today’s age of digitization where things are diversified all over the place, building long-lasting connections with customers is what is needed and only mere talking to them would not suffice. Frawley has gone on to coin a new term altogether in this book called “Return on Experience and Engagement” or simply abbreviated as ROE₂ educating readers with the techniques that strengthens customer relations.

#3 The Customer Manifesto: How Business Has Failed Customers and What It Takes To Earn Lasting Loyalty (2014) by Pamela Herrmann

This book speaks highly of analyzing things from the perspective of customers i.e. putting their shoes on and taking the services of businesses on the personal front. Although the experiences and anecdotes are predominantly drawn from that of the retail industry, however, having said that; the lessons learnt from the book is overall generic and can be utilized for any and every kind of business.

#4 Outside In: The Power of Putting Customers at the Center of Your Business (2012) by Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine

This book is all about putting customers priority at the top over anything else i.e. giving the same the most important which should be followed by all the employees of the business right from the top executives to that of the front liners. The book is the outcome of close to one and a half decade of extensive research work on the part of the author and readers would be learning some great values customer care, customer trust, authentic connection and the likes that would be ensuring the smooth running and continuation of a successful business.

#5 Rework: Change the Way You Work Forever (2010) by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried

This is a truly unique book indeed. It is unconventional, witty, cunning, quick and absolute funs with a totally unorthodox take when it comes to strategy and approach on how to conduct a successful business. Nonetheless, the book does truly makes a lot of sense and shows ways how one can be so very effective and successful in business even by not going by or following the traditional methods.

#6 Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t (2001) by Jim Collins

This is a perfect book for company CEO’s and high executives who are willing and determined in transforming a good company into a very good or even a great one and more importantly how can that be done or achieved. The book is a meticulous study of history, journey and the underlying secrets of various companies over a long period of time thriving in the competitive market for years. Also, the reasons have been upholding in the book as to why successful companies are so successful in their own rights and others fail to reach the same or make the cut.  

#7 The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty (2013) by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi

This book focuses on the aspect that customers prefer seamless and smooth resolution of their issues at a fast pace rather than being overwhelmed by “wow” experiences all the time that would simply blow their mind. In a word the book reflects on how customers just strive for an effortless experience.

#8 The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences (Financial Times Series, 2013) by Matt Watkinson

This is truly a fantastic book and indeed a force to be reckoning with. The ten principles as referred to in the book title are put together and jotted down in a fabulous way. This book is mostly devoid of technical jargons and is very easy to comprehend and apply as per context. The book also closely analyzes how comprehending those factors that influence consumer behaviour and purchasing decision is so very critical in providing high-quality customer experience.

#9 The Thank You Economy (2011) by Gary Vaynerchuck

This book by Gary Vaynerchuck discusses how the rise and inclusion of social media in modern times is shaping customer service. Strategies and compelling evidence have been cited in the book as to how social media is impacting customer service in contemporary times along with personalized and authentic services.

#10 The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers (2014) by Ben Horowitz

This book primarily deals with what challenges leaders would be encountering on a daily business as they go through their business. Given the fact that ideas are drawn from real-life instance i.e. author’s own life-story, it is very easy to relate for the readers. Moreover, the inclusion of humour in the book has made it all that more interesting and even better to read.

As mentioned before as well, in order to improve customer service and heighten the quality of rendering the same consistently over a good period of time would require dedicated effort from the entire company or business which includes staffs from the grassroots levels to the top hierarchy. The huge importance and massive significance of good customer service can never be undermined.

The better and enhanced customer service a business can provide, the higher would be the chances of retaining customers and attracting more of the same which would be directly proportional to the further growth and development of the business. And it is in this context or connection that going carefully through the aforementioned books can prove to be so handy and fruit-bearing for the cause.  

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Thanks to the proliferation of the World Wide Web, they are better informed on most things and as a result, they have become quite selective. That explains why companies are focusing on offering better service to the customers, including the enterprise level entities. To ensure customers are serviced in the best way, enterprises need suitable helpdesk software solutions.

Need for choosing Enterprise ready helpdesk software

Large companies and MNCs cannot just go for any run of the mill support software to serve the customer needs, as it is. They have all types of customers including high profile ones. Fulfilling the needs of diverse types of customers requires usage of a suitable software solution. A feature-laden enterprise helpdesk software makes it easy to collaborate between various departments and the company can offer seamless customer service through multiple channels.

Such software solutions help the companies overcome obstacles like geographic location, language and time zones to offer customers round the clock service. Such software solutions are also compliant with data protection standards like HIPAA and ISO 27001:2013 etc.

Features of ideal enterprise ready customer support software

Listed below are the must-have features of enterprise-level customer support software:

#1 Multi-level support and sync between channels-

A large sized company is likely to have a huge number of customers. These customers have varying mindsets and penchants, as it is. These customers may want to access support in multiple ways. While some of them may prefer traditional phone-based support, for the tech-savvy and aware customers live chat is the way to go. So, the customer support software for the enterprise should have multiple channel support provisions.

Besides, the software should have provisions to sync between various channels. This will ensure the customers using one channel can switch to another channel and continue without any problem. This will help the enterprises meet customer needs and expectations better.

#2 Compatibility with in-house software-

In almost any company, various third party software including office productivity site, database apps, accounting software solutions are used for operations. However, enterprises usually prefer using specialized in house software.

So, the helpdesk solution should be compatible with such in house software including database application. The latter is especially important since the integration between helpdesk software and DBMS helps the support agents identify existing customers when they contact and they can fetch saved records at such times.

#3 Quality support and training-

Enterprise level helpdesk software is sold with extensive training documentation and resources. Both printed and online resources are provided for training needs. Excellent, round the clock support, is also offered by the sellers of such solutions. MNCs and large companies cannot afford to wait after their support systems suffer any snag. The sellers usually offer support through email, phone and live chat.

#4 Robust self-support system-

A section of customers of enterprise companies do not prefer calling up the helpline or writing email for troubleshooting or product issues. They are more technology savvy and want a certain amount of control even while resolving problems related to services and products.

For catering to these people, the help desk software should have embedded self-service section. This contains FAQ and links to useful online resources including videos. It will help such customers feel good and they will contribute to developing positive word of mouth.

#5 Extensive automation-

Top notch customer support software for enterprise has extensive automation capabilities. From raising tickets online to tracking these and transferring priority customer enquiries and issues to higher levels, everything is automated. Basic operations hardly need human intervention.

This helps the agents and employees focus on other areas of operation. The automation can be extended to the software’s live chat setup too. Chat bots can be integrated with live chat to cater to customer enquiries when support agents are unavailable.

#6 Extensive reporting and analytics capabilities-

Enterprise helpdesk software has extensive analytics and reporting capabilities. From keeping log of agent performance to record of loyal customers and their feedbacks, everything is stored and can be fetched as reports based on various parameters.

#7 Robust safety features-

A Helpdesk software used by a large company is integrated with the CRM database and it is used to deal with vast amount of data. This also contains vital information of the company and customer data-which keeps growing with time.

So, the software should have robust safety and encryption technologies embedded to ensure the data remains protected. This is more applicable for cloud based software solutions. Given the fact hackers and malicious lot often target the MNCs and enterprise level companies, safety provisions in such applications should be very strong.

#8 Multiplatform compatibility-

In a large company, various types of device and operating system enabled devices are likely to be used. This is true about computers and mobile web access devices used in the setup. The Helpdesk software should be cross-platform compatible. If it is browser based, support for major web browsers should be there. This helps in seamless workflow among departments. This also makes things easier for the users who are likely to use different devices and platforms to access support.

#9 Social media integration-

Nowadays, any company operating online has the presence in top social media platforms. The enterprise helpdesk solution should have tight integration with social media services including Instagram and Facebook. This will enable the social media savvy users to interact with support staffs without logging out of their social media profiles.

Besides, the agents can become aware of any negative feed posted in the social media profiles of the company and take remedial actions. This helps in damage control and helps build a positive brand image too.

#10 Multilevel access and control-

One must have feature in any customer support software for enterprise is multi-level access and control. While agents have access to most features and they can make modifications, enhanced control will have in the hands of system administrators and the management. Based on designation and type of work, the employees may be given read-only, partial or other types of access. This is also important from data security and brand image perspective.

Customization possibilities-

The Helpdesk software aimed at enterprise level users should have a lot of customization options. From the change in UI to feature availability- lots of availability may be needed in such organizations. It helps in bringing consistency in user experience eventually.

Summing it all up

Enterprise level helpdesk software does not come for cheap but such software come with an extensive feature set and bring multiple benefits. The workflow is streamlined, productivity gets a boost and the brand image gets enhanced-when such software is used. However, the companies need to focus on aspects like support, security and compatibility with various systems while buying and comparing such software. Compliance with industry standard data security protocols is something you should look for.

The post What is Enterprise Ready Helpdesk Software? appeared first on Tech Web Space.

Selecting the most apt help desk solution- what you need to analyze

While picking the apt IT support desk software for your company is a prerequisite- the task of selection is seldom easy. There are plenty of such software applications and each company is trying to woo the buyers with tall claims and feature list. Apart from the price and feature list, you also need to analyze the exact needs of your organization before zeroing in on a help desk solution.

To find the best help desk software among the available options, you need to take a strategic approach and analyze some vital factors. These are:

#1 The features and their relevance for your organization

The help desk software solutions are offered with plenty of features. The feature list grows with the price tag, in general. While a feature rich support desk solution may seem enticing- you need to do a reality check before making a final selection. Analyze how many of the software’s features your company will actually need. If such a solution has truckloads of features but your workforce will only end up using a handful of those- maybe you need to look somewhere else.

If you have a small sized company with the limited budget, extensive support for automation may not be a priority for you. Ideally, you should make a list of required help desk software features before starting a search and compare options. Segregate the required features into two sections- the must have features and features that are optional in nature.

#2 What security features are there

With instances of security breaches affecting top MNCs and celebrity social media profiles getting hacked, the need to choose security in web services and software solutions has become even more important. You have to check the available security features in the ticketing software that will be used by your company. Solutions with strong encryption based security are desirable. After all, the software will be used to deal with important company data and it will also be linked with client database.

#3 How simple and user-friendly it is

The help desk software to be used by your company should have a simple UI and users should have no problem in getting accustomed to it. A help desk software with the clumsy interface and difficult navigation can make things tough for both the agents and the end users, beyond doubt. You have to realize the fact that a section of customers will not be tech-friendly. When they seek support, software with confusing UI can make things worse for them.

#4 Is the software easy to deploy and tweak

Chances are there your company already has a Support desk solution in place. So, replacing it with another software solution should not be too tedious or time-consuming. If setting up the solution takes a lot of time, and massive changes in hardware and networking setup are required- that will lead to disruption in workflow and productivity will be hit. Ideally, you should look for help desk solutions that are sold with extensive documentation or web tutorials to ensure the setup process is simpler.

#5 What communication channels are supported by the solution

Whether you run a fast food joint or your company sells vehicle insurance policies, it has different types of customers!  These customers will prefer to interact and seek support using different ways. Some customers will always prefer speaking over the phone to resolve service or product related issues. However, younger generation customers prefer real time measures like live chat. More tech savvy customers prefer self-service portal. So, the help desk software you buy for the company should support all the communication channels.

What else you need to check

You may also have to check the help desk application for some additional useful features. These are:

Dashboard for activity tracking and monitoring- As your company grows, so does its customer base and complexity of support operations. So, the customer support software for business you buy should have a dashboard with extensive monitoring capability. That way you can keep a tab on all ongoing operations in the support team.

For instance, you can check how many calls are on hold, the number of the chat session in progress, the number of emails that are pending etc. This makes it easy for evaluating the quality of customer support and assessing the performance of each agent as well.

Data analytics and report generation features- To figure out the needs of the customers and realize the hurdles faced by them, you need to gather huge amounts of data. The feedbacks collected by surveys, chat and emails can be useful for this. However, analysis of such huge amount of data is possible when your helpdesk software has inbuilt analytics and report generation features.

Automation capabilities- With time, more businesses are resorting to deploying automation in customer service operations. Deploying automation is useful for handling repetitive, simple tasks. This frees up the human agents and they can engage in more demanding tasks which require use of their skills. Live chat can be enriched with chatbots and these can be used to answer basic client queries if the human agents are not present for some reasons. These also help in cost reduction eventually.

Social media integration- Businesses have realized the potential and power of social media channels and they have the presence in top social media circles nowadays. A section of your customers is likely to be addicted to social media platforms. So, the Helpdesk solution should have good social media integration. This way such customers can contact the support team directly from their social media profiles and get issues addressed.

Software support and compatibility- Your company is likely to use different types of software and web services. You surely do not want to change all these solutions including security software, database and accounting app for the new Helpdesk application! So, ensure the support desk application is compatible with existing software and cloud services used by the organization.

Mobile optimized service- If the helpdesk solution is a cloud-based service, ensure it is well optimized for mobile devices. The reality is a majority of web users now use mobile devices to browse the internet. Your customers are no exceptions! So, unless the helpdesk service is optimized for mobile devices, customers using such services will not be able to seek support easily.

Summing it up

Choosing the best help desk software is not that tedious when you know the priorities. Checking the vital parameters will help you pick the apt solution but you have to ensure it is within the budget.

The post 5 Questions to Ask When Looking for the Best Help Desk Software appeared first on Tech Web Space.

Customers today just don’t want a good product. They want a greater service. While earlier businesses focused mainly on making the sale, today they know sale is merely one step in the process and they need to be visible and available to customers at all times and all days. Social media has taken things to another level.

Communications channels have improved and so is risk. Emails, Phone calls, SMS, apps almost everything one can think of has a potential to generate business and increase customer base.

Take for example Social Media reach. According to statistics available almost 65% of the total world population is on internet in some form or the other and are using one or the other social media platform. While the older generations are still playing catch up, the younger generation is almost glued to it. These customer needs specific and personalized attention. The young generation of today is very finicky and it will take not more than a blip of an eye to lose a customer.

Ten useful tips from experts in CRM has this to say:

You cannot choose social media platforms for your customers. Hence you have to be active on all of them. Your customer may well be using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other platform. Instead of asking them to choose one over the other what you have to do is to let them choose what they want and be ready for it in any way possible. Decision making is theirs, not yours. The only decision you can take is to take is to be seen and heard

Customers are far more knowledgeable today and look to help themselves before seeking help. Therefore, a proper communication channel has to be developed where they are well informed about the products, troubleshooting procedure and up to date knowledge on how to fix a problem. They don’t want to call or email for every single thing they encounter. Hence a good tutorial goes a long way in helping them iron out issues themselves

FDA rules apply businesses to write every important detail on the food item. Similarly, have a strong set of FAQ’s that are commonly asked and are in place with clarity. If customers are well informed about a product way in advance before they buy, there is a greater likelihood of them not coming to you complaining about their lack of knowledge.

So, it makes sense that you should spend some time writing unique FAQ section for your website because otherwise you might have to get yourself prepared to face the full fury of angry and confused customers. And believe me, it is not a good idea to face annoying or angry customers. They can tarnish the online reputation of your business by leaving negative reviews on your business and it might scare away other potential customers.

If there is ever a skill one has to adopt then it has to be listening skills.

No wonder they say that those who listen succeed often. Listening to your customers is very important. They can ask you questions on Twitter, Facebook or any other platform. You have to ensure that you reply to them. This creates a personalized touch and also gives reassurance to them. Responding to questions create one on many platforms. It is like serving ten people at one go. You may never know how many are taking note of your reply and are forming an opinion about you

Evaluating your performance periodically is important.

Make use of sales and marketing metrics and keep checking how you have performed over time. See the problem areas, try and address it. Analyzing will help you get better over time and self-assessment in any field is important. Before being told how good you are, know your worth

Just because emails are working for you, it doesn’t mean social media cannot or vice versa. Do not limit yourself to one platform. Also, having a direct contact from time to time helps create a bond. Machine and technology is meant to aid humans, not replace them

Take feedback from your customers.

Just because you have hired experts and have the best system in place it doesn’t mean everything will be picture perfect. The ones who are using are the best ones to judge what better you can do over time. Do not be rigid in your policies. Sometimes a simple question or a simple feedback can help solve problems you either never thought off or wasted a million dollars on

Automation is probably one of the best systems have provided to businesses.

Make use of systems that is advanced and vendors who can help automate daily drivers. It saved money to help a system do what ten employees can cost you to do. It also saves time and remove human errors

What do you do with your data is one of the most important questions that need answering. Data is not meant to be stored and only used for a reference at a later point. Your data is there to help you understand business and its challenges. Make use of your data base effectively and create a communication channel that goes beyond social media and emailing communication. For example, selling a new product becomes way too easy if you have the data in hand to back up your product

Lastly, training your employees and your customers from time to time is also one significant task many businesses miss out on.  Everything is evolving over time. While your systems may upgrade your users may not. Similarly, it can happen with your employees. Doing a timely training ensures fill the gap if any. Everybody is in the business to gain something. It is not just a supply demand gap but a question of what they want and creating what they may want as well

The post Ten Useful Tips From Experts in CRM appeared first on Tech Web Space.

Here is how to handle these angry customers via an email:

• Understanding what the customer’s complaint is
• How to react to the dissatisfied customers and reaching out to them
• How to write the subject of the email
• Writing the body of the email
• Handling various situations and scenarios faced while dealing with these customers via email

#1 Understanding the customer’s complaint

Miscommunications with the client can lead to quarrels and conflicts. So it is extremely important that you try and understand what the customer has to say. Understanding the problem first is necessary. Only then a suitable reply or a solution can be given. The customer complaint often has too many variables and it gets difficult to decipher them when considering the problem. The clients do not have adequate knowledge about all the features of the product while the company or a retailer knows the details of the product or service offered.

The software technical support gets emails from the angry customers and it is essential to match the details of products with the customer’s understanding of it. The first message sent to the customer should be an empowering one and giving out as many details as possible to get a better understanding of what is actually not working.

#2 How to reach out to angry customer via email

You need to check the CRM software and the helpdesk software you use to get data about the customer, previous support history and the product ordered. After all the information is acquired and preparations are made, the client can be contacted to provide a solution. The usage of the same medium through which the client contacted is the best option.

If there is channel limitation, in that case asking the client to contact you via an email is a good idea and providing the email address is mandatory. When handling issues such as these, approaching the customer politely is important. The client is already frustrated and you do not want to do any more damage to the client’s reputation of you.

#3 How to write a subject

When sending an email to a customer, it is always extremely important to pay a lot of attention to the subject line. A few tips that may be considered are listed below:

• Be very brief and precise while writing the subject as there is a word limit. A short and compact message attracts more attention that a really long one.
• Addressing the core of the issue is the key. You can immediately state the topic of discussion with the customer to grab attention.
• You should always use a “Re:” when writing an email.
• You can send a Generic message as well. Personalization will be appreciated invariably.
• Do not use any weird font or caps while writing such official emails. Usage of unnecessary ticket numbers in the subject must be avoided.

#4 How to write the body of email

The subject line is only to attract the attention while the actual body includes the details and other aspects.

Personalization and friendly behaviour via an email makes the client appreciate your company. It is always nice to open an email and see your name addressed in a friendly manner.

Introduce yourself first when emailing. Although the customer wants to get to the solution as fast as possible, you should mention whom the client is speaking to. It creates a connection between the client and an actual person and not just a faceless corporation.

Explaining why you are getting in touch with the customer helps. Specifying that the email serves as an answer to a particular support request will put the talk on the right track.

Following the four steps Control, Acknowledge, Refocus and Problem-Solve helps in solving the problem in a simple manner. It deals with difficult customers and was introduced by Robert Bacal.

• Control. Handling the situation and solving the problem should be the main aim and not arguing. The situation needs to be dealt with sincerity and do not lose focus or get annoyed when facing such angry clients.
• Acknowledge. Acknowledge the client’s problem and assure them that you will do everything to resolve the matter.
• Refocus. Speak about facts and ask for any other mandatory information or questions if required to solve the problem.
• Problem-Solve. Tell them why those details are required so that they understand the situation better.

Few other essential details include:

• If you need to put any client on hold, do mention it to them the time needed and when you will get back to the problem.
• Forwarding a client to an appropriate department is a wise decision.
• Also, when doing this sends all the necessary information which you know about the client by now. Clients are likely to get frustrated restating the same issue over and over to various people.
• Promising things that the company cannot do is a strict no.
• Always use steps when providing a solution to a problem. It can be followed easily.

#5 How to handle different situations.

Here are some common scenarios when talking with customers via email –

Each customer might be very unique in their own way but they will have similar issues regarding the products or services. Hence having a script ready for the commonly arising issues always helps when handling these situations. It makes the process much faster.

Here are some approaches for the popular situations you will face:

You don’t know the answer

Clients often come up with really difficult and tricky questions. It is alright to not know the answers to all of them. However, you need to say that in a smart way not letting them know it. You cannot sound incompetent in front of clients.

You’ve made a mistake

This situation occurs when the company you are representing has delivered a defective product or the service was delayed. In such situations, it is best to admit the mistake, apologize and try to resolve it as quickly as possible. Denying your mistake will only result in making the client angry.

When an item is currently unavailable

The inventory management may fail sometimes and a customer might order items that are out of stock. Although this is an accident, but from the customer’s point the company is at fault. In this case tell the customer when it will be restocked or ask them to order similar items. The main objective is to resolve the problems faced by the clients and not just giving them an answer. You should ensure that the client has no further issues or questions.

It is thus of utmost importance to respond to the customers in a cordial way so that the reputation of the business is not hampered and the customers are retained as well.  

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Ugly truths of ITSM

These are some of the ugly truths of using ITSM incorrectly and without proper understanding of the approach and what it involves:

#1 Taking on too much work:

ITSM can help streamline processes and optimize the use of your organizational resources. However, this can at times make it seem as if you have more capacity for taking on work than you actually do. This might result in you taking on so much work that eventually, you fail to deliver quality and timely results to your customers.

You need to actually take a step back before taking any major decisions about workload and look at how much you can realistically deliver to avoid situations where your organization looks bad and can lose customers and credibility.

#2 Poor CSFs leading to poor KPIs:

ritical Success Factors (CSFs) are various activities that an organization must perform to reach predetermined goals using ITSM. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are indicators of the level of success of various CSFs. KPIs help track CSFs and ensure everyone is working toward the same goals and objectives.

Many organizations use KPIs without having measurable CSFs in place. CSFs keep the entire team on the same page and everyone knows the eventual goals to be achieved. Without CSFs, the effectiveness of KPIs is greatly reduced and makes KPIs unreliable to measure success.

#3 Poor communication and knowledge of terminology:

Poor communication in any organization setup can be disastrous. In a multifaceted working environment such as the ITSM approach to manager services and delivery, the importance of proper communication multiplies multiple times. If all the employees are not on the same page about goals and tasks, it can lead to chaos.

Organizations using ITSM tend to use a lot of terminology and jargon in everyday communication, and this can cause a lot of communication problems if everyone is not well-versed with various ITSM terms. Miscommunication can lead to loss of information, rework, delays, and a lot of confusion, affecting quality and timely delivery of services to customers. A service desk with trained professional can help reduce internal communication issues.

#4 Poor research and testing:

Research could refer to best practices, trends to follow, or solutions to implement. It is essential to not make any decisions without thorough research and review of all available data. Without adequate research, you can end up making grave mistakes that can cost your organization money, customers, and your credibility in the market.

Another important factor in this context is testing. It involves understanding what the client requires, looking at the market conditions, and getting the right information form the clients. Rushing into a new project without adequate time for testing can mean that you do not have adequate information to deliver quality services, which will ultimately lead to delays in service delivery and poor customer satisfaction.

#5 Poor change management and OCM:

Managing change well, with customers and internally within the organization, is critical to ITSM, and therefore organizational, success. Poor change management can result from ineffective communication, inadequate time, lack of information, and poor planning. This, in turn, can lead to myriad problems for the organization, including grave legal issues with customers.

Organizational change management (OCM) is a major cause of poor change management. When employees and entire teams do not know their goals or do not understand the task at hand, it can lead to delays, confusion, and poor implementation. Better training, enhanced communication, and a high level of monitoring of processes and activities can help avoid major change management issues.

#6 Decisions made knee-jerk reactions:

At times, especially when there is a match in planning and execution, or when there are other factors at play, the actual results may vary considerably from expected results. Many organizational leaders make the mistake of taking decisions on the spur of the moment in such situations. However, such rash decisions can result in disaster if they are not backed by common sense, sound reasoning, and logic.

At such junctures, it is crucial to take a step back and view the problem at hand objectively. It may make more sense to provide a temporary solution while you look at all the available data and information available. You can confer with your team and make a decision to fix the problem at hand instead of rushing into it.

Some positives about ITSM

Do not be discouraged. ITSM is not all bad, and it can actually be quite useful to your organization as long as it is used and implemented well.

• Improved efficiency of services: There are various ITSM tools that can help improve efficiency by making communication and coordination easy among employees and teams within the organization as well as with external clients.
• Enhanced clarity and communication: A functioning service desk with the right service desk software and trained employees to manage the desk ensures proper and timely communication internally and externally. Good communication can, in turn, lead to better clarity of tasks, goals, and timelines.
• Highly streamlined processes: There are a number of ITSM software that is specially designed to identify various ITSM processes and activities and assist in streamlining them for the better overall functioning of the organization. This leads to timely service delivery and minimizes wastage of organizational resources, be it personal, finances, time, or physical assets.  
• Greater accountability and measurability: Accountability in business need not always be externally controlled and monitored. Organizations can have mechanisms in place internally to monitor tasks and usage of resources ensure minimal wastage. ITSM allows for organizations to have such accountability checks in place. Having measurable goals, timelines, and targets, enabled by using ITSM approach to service delivery, can help track progress, results, and eventual success.  

It is important to be aware of the downsides of ITSM before making it apart of your organizational plan. Understanding ITSM and what it entails well will ensure you avoid the ugly side of ITSM and ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library), the most popular framework used to implement ITSM within organizations. Exercising caution, being vigilant, and using sound reasoning can help avoid most pitfalls of ITSM.

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