5 aspects you should consider when choosing customer service software
Selecting customer service software can be a time-consuming and nerve-wracking project.
On the one hand, it is important to consider all the desired functions of Operational planners and service technicians.
On the other hand, there are countless providers, just as many software products and everyone claims to be the best.
As each software has its own focus in terms of functions and the customer service solutions are sometimes aimed at completely different sectors, it is all the more difficult to make a neutral comparison between the providers.
To help you make an initial pre-selection of the solutions that are suitable for your customer service, we would like to provide you with a compact list of the 5 most important aspects for your software selection.
1) Comprehensive range of functions tailored to your industry
Definition of requirements and early involvement of your employees
First of all, you or your company should define which functions are a must-have for you (so-called knock-out criteria) and which additional functions are at least desirable (nice-to-have criteria) through preliminary workshops and internal meetings. Involve the employees concerned at an early stage, in particular Involve the affected employees, especially operations managers, field service technicians, fitters and others involved in the service process, in the definition of requirements for your future customer service software at an early stage. This is the only way to achieve maximum employee acceptance when such software is finally introduced.
Uncompromising selection for an initial preselection
The jungle of different providers and customer service solutions is almost endless. Sort out unsuitable providers directly on the basis of their defined knock-out criteria. Also pay attention to the desired additional functions and create ranking lists of the various providers on this basis. If you cannot find any or only insufficient information on the functions on the respective product pages, sort these providers out directly. For support, you can use software comparison portals such as SoftGuide or Capterra to get a rough overview.
Pay attention to industry focus and references
Some providers have specialized in certain industries - e.g. HVAC companies, stationary assets or building maintenance. You can usually find the information you need in the industry section. Also pay attention to the references listed - are there any companies or competitors from your industry that are already using the field service management software? This could be an initial indication that the solution is also a good fit for your needs and requirements.
2) Interfaces and connection options to other software systems
Definition of existing systems to be connected
It is not just the pure functionality of the software that is decisive.
Also consider possible interface connections to existing systems by consulting with your IT department at an early stage and including this aspect as an important criterion in your selection process from the outset.
In most cases, customer service solutions should at least be connected to the upstream ERP/merchandise management system in order to avoid redundant data and multiple manual entries.
In larger expansion stages, a connection to a CRM system and/or to the remote access solutions of your machines can also be implemented.
We will provide you with more in-depth information on the benefits of connecting to existing systems in a follow-up article here on the blog in the near future.
Consideration of the interface connection when selecting software
Once you have defined possible interfaces, check directly during the first inspection whether the software solution in question actively offers interfaces to other systems or whether it is only available as a stand-alone solution. Providers often already list specific systems on their product pages with which the customer service software is compatible.
3) Intuitive operation and user-friendliness
What user-friendliness means
Features and interfaces are one thing. Good software is characterized by the fact that the interface remains intuitive and easy to use, even with a comprehensive range of functions. In particular, take a look at the screenshots provided on the provider's website. Could you find your way around the software straight away? Or do you see, for example Or can you not see the wood for the trees due to a completely overloaded control bar? And how is the design/appearance in general - is it more of a modern application with web technologies or is the interface more of a legacy from the times when there were no smartphones?
Usability as a critical success factor
In our experience, user-friendliness (also known as usability) is the decisive factor for a high level of acceptance among employees and ultimately the overall success of the introduction of your customer service solution. It is no use choosing the product with the most functions if none of your colleagues want to work with it once it has been introduced.
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4) Future-proof technology, update security and continuous further development
The right technology as a basis
Hardly anything develops as quickly as information technology. In recent years, modern web applications have become the standard. Examples include applications that are based on HTML5 and JavaScript, for example. These are based on HTML5 and JavaScript and offer enormous flexibility thanks to their cross-platform properties. However, some software manufacturers continue to offer their customer service solutions based on outdated technologies and are reluctant to update them due to the high costs involved. There is a great risk that these old applications will have compatibility problems in the future and will not be able to keep up with modern counterparts in terms of performance and user-friendliness. You should therefore obtain comprehensive information on the technology used and, if necessary, consult external consultants or experienced colleagues from your IT department.
Ask about regular function enhancements and update cycles
True to the motto "Software is never finished", this also applies to all customer service solutions available on the market. You are guaranteed not to find any software that is 100% fully developed and still meets your requirements without any compromises. What's more, feature requests could arise in the future that you are not even thinking about today - these include keywords such as Service 4.0, data glasses, predictive maintenance and fully automated Operational planning. This makes it all the more important that your software continues to receive both security-relevant and function-enhancing updates in the future, which should be designed and developed by the provider in close consultation with the customer.
5) Reliable support
Do not underestimate the importance of excellent support
Some people are of the opinion that once software has been implemented, support only plays a subordinate role. From our experience, we can assure you that this is not the case. In your day-to-day business, you will constantly notice opportunities for optimization that you would like to have adapted in the long term. There may also always be operating queries when it comes to deeper / more complex setting options or when a major update with additional functions has recently been installed. And last but not least, despite intensive testing, errors can sometimes occur in the software. In all cases, accessible, fast-responding and competent support is crucial.
Pay attention to accessibility, competence and hidden costs
So make sure that the provider provides you with adequate support even after the introduction of your customer service software. For example, ask according to the support models. Is support only offered by e-mail or can you also rely on telephone support? How is the support structured? Do you end up in an endless waiting loop and then reach an employee who is completely unfamiliar with your project and any customer-specific adaptations? And finally, it remains to be clarified how the support costs are calculated. Many providers rely on opaque pricing models here, which skyrocket disproportionately when the "support module" is added.
Conclusion
If you follow the 5 aspects described above, you will avoid major mistakes when selecting your customer service software. Be aware that you will not find the "jack of all trades" and instead select a software solution that best suits your requirements and ideas in terms of its basic orientation.
The selected provider of your customer service solution should actively develop the software further - whether as part of the software implementation in the form of customer-specific adaptations or subsequently through general further development in cooperation with the provider. This means that you are future-proof and won't have to worry about having to change your painstakingly selected solution again after a short time.
