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Published January 14th, 2017 by

Guidelines on How to Compare Help Desk Software

Guidelines on How to Compare Help Desk Software

The helpdesk is one of the integral parts of the business. This department caters to questions and problems of their customers. Sometimes, it even offers new products or reminds us about our monthly dues.

Nonetheless, working in this unit is not easy. Most of the time, they are the ones who receive the clients’ frustrations about the product or service. Hence, all they have to say is sorry and promise to improve the quality of their goods or services.

Aside from poor product or service, there’s another reason why customers get mad. That problem would be the number of minutes they have to wait for their calls to be answered. Some customer support take 30 minutes to 1 hour before the representatives answer customers’ calls. By that time, the caller would get frustrated because of the long time they had to wait. Hence, instead of just asking questions, they would scold you because of your poor service.

These situations are the common scenarios in the help desk center. Fortunately, you can improve your service in that department. You only need to hire more agents or get the help desk software.

There are many software providers that offer this product. They all claim that they have the best service desk software. But the question is  how to compare help desk software. You will learn these tips and more if you read this post. But first, we need to discuss the use of this tool and the benefits you can get from this program.

A Brief Explanation of the Help Desk System

The term “help desk” has a broad definition. Some articles describe it as a unit that answers technical questions. However, Zoho, a customer service software provider, has the best description of this word. According to them, the help desk is a name given to the department of the firm that solves clients’ grievances. Customers call the support hotline whenever they have issues or concerns, and the representative will answer  questions or solve problems.

However, the help desk isn’t only for customers. Some companies have an internal help desk that caters to their employees. Like the customer service department, this sector answers questions and problems of the staff.

The help desk has three levels. First is the FAQs phase. This stage answers common questions asked by the customer. The answer can be found on the FAQs tab or sent via email or chat. However, if your question cannot be answered in this first phase, the agent will transfer you to a skilled representative.

At this stage, the agent will give you quick fixes to solve the issue. But if the problem is too technical, then the representative will transfer you to the third level. Compared to the previous agents, those who are in this unit are more skillful than the rest.

For instance, they can solve bug issues on your computer. You simply need to tell them the problem, and they will do the rest.

There are different ways to call this department. Some people call it customer support service. Others know them as the information center. Whatever name you call them, their purpose is the same, and that is to help customers solve their issues.

Why Should You Use a Help Desk Program?

Without a doubt, the help desk industry is rising. More and more companies hire agents who will cater to their customers’ needs and concerns. Nonetheless, only a few corporations use the IT helpdesk software. That’s because they feel they don’t need to get this package. However, there are several benefits that you can get from this tool and these are:

It gives you full control.

According to Syed Balkhi, an award-winning entrepreneur, there are two ways to offer customer support. First is through online forums. It is said to be an efficient way to answer customer concerns because you don’t need to send them messages. Moreover, if your agent is missing, someone can answer the question on his behalf.

However, using this method eliminates full control. Because anyone can answer the thread, your customer might get the wrong info, resulting in poor customer satisfaction. For this reason, you need to use the support software.

With the use of this program, you’ll get full control of this unit. You can monitor who answers the question and how they deliver the information. Hence, the outcome will be more consistent and reliable.

It provides more information about the customer.

The good thing about the support desk software is that it gives your employees an insight about the caller’s concern. This tool records the client’s information, as well as your previous conversations. In that way, the representative can use the history to solve the problem. Hence, the client doesn’t need to wait long to get your answer. The moment the agent gets the record, she can convey the solution to solve the issue.

It improves organization.

Without the helpdesk tool, chances are, you would miss a customer complaint. Consequently, it will affect your reputation, as well as your relationship with your clients. However, if you use this program, the risk of unintentionally ignoring the grievances will be reduced. Furthermore, you can prioritize concerns that need immediate attention.

It provides quicker solutions.

As mentioned earlier, this program records all the past conversations. You can use the recorded data to solve a recurring issue. Hence, all you need to do is give them steps on what they must do to resolve the problem.

Catering to customers’ issues can be stressful, especially when you’re dealing with hundreds of calls a day. However, if you put the ticketing software in place, it will be easier to respond to their questions and problems. You only need to ensure that you get the right platform for your business’ needs.

How to Compare Help Desk Tools

There are many service desk products on the market. You can grab them for free or with pay, depending on your budget. However, the price shouldn’t be the only reason why you chose the package. There are other things you need to consider when comparing this software. Here are some of them.

List the features that you need.

Despite its primary uses, not all helpdesk platforms offer similar functions. It’s because not all customer support services use hotlines to cater to their customers’ needs. Some use the chat support while others use the email system. Hence, when you compare help desk software, you need to identify the method you are using. In that way, you can list the features that you need.

For instance, the customer support system that you use is email. You need to list the features, or brands, that allow your clients to send tickets. With its functions, you will know what queries or complaints to prioritize.

Check if it’s compatible with the tool that you use.

This tip is relevant to the first advice. Again, you need to consider the system that you use. Check the brand of the equipment that you have. Then, look at your list and see which software is compatible with your system. If you do this, it will narrow down your choices, making it easier to compare help desk software.

To do this, let’s go back to the example that we used earlier. Let’s say you’re using Exchange as your server. To ensure you get the right software, you need to know the brands that are compatible with it. In that way, you can get your customers’ tickets without a problem.

However, there are programs that are compatible with multiple servers. You can choose this software if you’re using two servers, or you’re planning to change servers.

Consider the Database That You Need.

Lastly, you need to consider the database. It is one of the vital components as it is where you will store and backup valuable data. With the use of this feature, you can save as many files as you like.

When finding the right software, you need to compare the size of the software’s storage space. Get the tool that has a bigger database so you can store documents without a problem.

Aside from that, you also need to consider its security features. Because you’re saving your previous conversations and your customers’ information, you need to keep it safe and secure. Not only will it improve your reputation, but it will also help you gain their trust.

These are just some of the things you need to consider when comparing help desk programs. If you get the right software for your business, it will reduce the risk of complaints and improve your responses. But don’t forget to read some user reviews of help desk software. These critiques will help you compare the pros and cons of using the tool. However, you need to check the source of the review to ensure you get the right information.

Do you want to find reviews which compare help desk software? Go to our website, CrowdReviews.com and read our help desk software reviews.

Our rankings are completely independent, transparent, and community driven; they are based on user reviews and client sentiment. These help desk software companies had to earn their way up and didn't just pay their way up.

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