As a support consultant, I help customers every day by answering questions and resolving issues. From the moment the customer submits an issue until after the issue is resolved, there are a few things I pay attention to in order to provide the best support possible.
I make sure I fully understand the question or problem
When a client asks a question or reports a problem, I want to understand him or her as well as I can. This goes beyond listening carefully to his/her story or going over the issue thoroughly. In many cases, it is important to ask questions back, asking through to the heart of the problem or understanding the reason why the customer is asking the question. It is also important to have complete information. So knowing where and when the problem occurs, what the consequences are and what the customer does expect from the system or process.
I devise the right plan to help the customer
Understanding the customer is step 1, taking the right action is step 2. Can I answer the question myself? Or do I need a colleague? Do we need to change the process at the customer or the functionality in the software? Are we going to develop customizations? Provide training? In short, what is the plan of action to best help the customer? Our industry often involves complex issues, where business processes, technology and people all play a role. Only with the right deployment of specialists in technology and processes, who can also transfer their knowledge in the right way, are we able to provide top quality support.
I pay attention to conveying the answer or solution
The answer is known or the solution is ready. But how do you convey this to the customer? This is where support often goes wrong. My responsibility as a support consultant goes beyond simply sharing the answer with the customer. My intention is to explain it to the customer in such a way that he or she fully understands it. Sending a complex answer by mail or implementing a custom modification without explanation or training can lead to confusion, misunderstanding or misinterpretation. That's why I pay attention to how I convey the message.
I check if the customer is really satisfied with the support
The issue is resolved and can be closed. But how did the customer experience the support? This check is often skipped. Is he or she satisfied with the speed of support? Does the answer or solution fully meet expectations? Did your customer experience the contact with you and your colleagues as pleasant? Regularly evaluating how the customer experiences your support increases the quality of your support and contributes to building and maintaining a good customer relationship.
Wilbert Schreurs is a Support Consultant at Dysel and helps customers successfully use Dysel's software solutions.
