Many businesses have specialty software that is essential for their work. As the IT department for our clients, we are exposed to many different pieces of software, ranging from well-known products like QuickBooks to niche, industry-specific ones like Dentrix for dental offices or Revit for architects and designers.
We are often called in when software isn’t working properly and – regardless of how common that software is – it’s usually important that we get it back online quickly. Often, that means interacting with software support teams.
Not-So-Supportive Software Support
I don’t know many people who enjoy calling an online customer support service to get help with software. Having to call someone who doesn’t know you or your business to get help with an important piece of software that isn’t working can suck up huge amounts of time, leading to a lot of frustration and wasted energy.
In case you haven’t had to deal with this firsthand, here are a few of the key issues we see with most software support teams we interact with.
- Long Hold Times. If you call at the wrong time, you can end up waiting for “the next available representative” for a while.
- Inconsistent “Expertise.” Will you get lucky and have a knowledgeable person answer your call, or will you get the brand new trainee who is answering their very first support call?
- Starting from Zero… Sometimes Over and Over. Regardless of who answers the phone, they are going to be a stranger who knows nothing about you or your business. Expect to spend some time getting them up to speed. And if you’re transferred from person-to-person, you may have to do this multiple times depending on how good the rep you were just talking to is at entering notes into their system.
- Passing the Buck. Given the slightest opportunity to do so, many online support teams will try to pin your issue on anything other than their software. Old computers, operating systems, or anti-virus software are among the favorite targets the rep may use to pass the buck.
Why do they act this way?
Because most online support teams are scored on how quickly they get you off the phone. If they can fix your problem quickly, that’s great, but if they can’t, their motivation will rapidly shift to finding any way they can to end the call.
It’s not fair to you, but know that they are behaving like this due to how the system is set up, not from any personal animus.
So, How Can You Make Third-Party Software Support Work?
Here are some tips to help maximize your odds of a good outcome with online support.
- Write Down the Details of the Problem Before You Call. Remember that the person you are talking to probably does not know you or your business. Take the time to be clear on exactly what is going wrong with the software before you call.
- Don’t Call on Monday Morning. That’s when everyone else on the planet is calling, and most support lines are overwhelmed.
- Don’t Call Late at Night. This is when many business owners want to call because the office is quiet and they can focus on solving the software problem. The downside is that you are more likely to have your call answered by less experienced (and often overseas) support teams on evenings and weekends.
- Get a Case Number. If you end up needing to call back multiple times, a case number should help the next tech you talk to quickly get up to speed on what’s happening.
- Recommend a Screenshare. That old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words can have relevance when you are trying to explain a software error.
- Listen and Clarify. You really have to tune in and listen carefully to what the support rep is saying. Our experience has been that because they don’t know you or your business, they can initially misunderstand the issue. Take the time to help them get clear on the problem you are dealing with.
- Document Everything. Take notes while you are on the call and afterward. You may end up having to deal with the same problem again, and you can avoid being stuck on hold waiting for a tech again if you take good notes on how to fix it yourself the next time. If you keep an internal company knowledge base, start a section for third-party software issues.
- Leverage Their Documentation and FAQs First. You may find that someone else has already seen and solved the same problem you are having.
- Consider Support Agreements. In some cases, extended support agreements can provide better technical support. If you have software that is crucial to your operations, a service agreement may be worth the investment.
A Little Knowledge Can Go a Long Way
The bottom line is that somebody on your team will eventually have to learn a little about your third-party software if you want to keep downtime to a minimum. Expecting the remote software support team to solve your problems 100% of the time without your help unrealistic. But if you know the basics about how the software works, it will greatly improve your ability to work with the technician to find and fix the problems.
Got a crucial piece of software that’s causing you issues? Schedule a consultation with me and I’ll be happy to see what we can do to help.
