How to choose the best helpdesk software for a SaaS-based business?

In the customer-oriented market, business survival depends on the ‘best’ customer experience. Further, the technological advancements and competitive prices have made it tricky for a business to retain the customers. A business organisation, irrespective of its size and sector, needs to keep its customers on the top priority. The sure-shot way to earn business and loyalty is delivering ‘Excellent Customer Service!’

The ‘SaaS’ culture continues to grow. More and more businesses are adopting the SaaS platform. It seems to be the easiest way to reach out to a wide range of customers. There are many examples depicting the channel shift transformation – food delivery, cab services, home improvement, shopping, etc. to name a few.

SaaS-based businesses need to be extra cautious about customer service. Technology has set very high customer service standards. These businesses focus on convenience and support. No doubt, the customers expect immediate answers and instant communication.

The cost of poor customer service is really high! Businesses incur a cost of more than $75 billion a year with wrong customer service. Also, 67% of customers have become “serial switchers”. It indicates the customers changing their preferred brands because of unsatisfactory customer experience.

To deliver flawless customer service, a company needs the best helpdesk software. But, the confusion to select the best helpdesk software is never-ending. It is a crucial decision. For instance, a particular helpdesk software may suit requirements of a particular company, so it’s a perfect solution for them. On the other side, it may not be suitable for other company. So, it’s not the best helpdesk software. Then, what’s the solution? Well, a SaaS-based company should definitely consider certain factors to win the game.

Setup and Scalability

Speed is important. A customer looks for speedy answers. A business should look for a helpdesk software that offers easy and quick setup. The specialty of modern helpdesk systems is that they are cloud-based. They need no specialized infrastructure or tools to get started. While searching for the best helpdesk software, a company should prefer cloud hosted solution as it takes no time to setup. It is easier to implement such systems.

Another important concern of small-to-medium sized SaaS companies is scalability. In the initial phase, they have limited requirements. But as they expand, the requirements also tend to increase. Ideally, cloud-based helpdesk software is easier to scale up or down to meet the changing requirements. Go for free trials and select a system that doesn’t restrict your requirements. It should accommodate changes, features and updates in a hassle-free and cost-effective way.

Customer and Employee Experience

The reason to use helpdesk software is to empower the employees deliver greater service to the customers. It is a no-brainer for the companies to evaluate the software from design and experience point of view. The helpdesk system in question should be user-friendly. The support executives should be able to utilise it and harness all the capabilities. For instance, the best helpdesk software should have a rich knowledgebase, quick search, 360-degree view of information, and dynamic forms.

Helpdesk software aims to sort out the problems and help the customers. In the recent times, a company cannot limit its support options. Considering the customer and market base, companies should look for a solution offering multi-channel competences. For instance, social media, live-chat, and self-service are an added advantage along-with the conventional calls and emails. Know your customer expectations and then select the helpdesk solution that is able to meet all the touchpoints.

Automation and Integration

One of the key reasons to implement helpdesk software is reducing repetitive manual work and allowing the employees to focus on more business-critical tasks. The best helpdesk software for a company will be the one that will free up employees’ time by automating ticketing and workflows. It will make customer service effective and efficient. It should replicate the business processes into the system. Automation will speed up the operations and promote standardization in answers and processes.

A company may have more than one application in place to manage its processes. To fully leverage the benefits of helpdesk, it should be possible to integrate the helpdesk software with other related systems. The seamless integration will ensure consistent data. Also, it should comply with rules and law like the recent GDPR regulation while using the information. A loophole in security can cause a big harm to the company as a whole. It is advisable to choose a solution after determining its security and integration features.

Honestly, choosing the best helpdesk software is a tough nut to crack. Whether the company is replacing an existing system or implementing a new solution, success doesn’t come easy. The business organisation must involve the key members from all hierarchical levels before making a decision and-

• Take their inputs to know the actual requirements.
• Brainstorm the ‘essential’ and ‘nice-to-have’ features.
• Do a market study to evaluate available software options.
• Sign up for their trials and see how they can support your business.
• Seek references before finalizing.
• Implement the solution.
• Monitor the outcome changes and performance.
• Stay connected with your service provider.
• Take customer feedback.
• Scale up or down as per the requirement.

A business has to think twice before investing and taking a risk. It is imperative to gain returns on the investment. To choose the best helpdesk software, the business needs to be in the shoes of its customers. Think what they want and what will make them happy. Then, consider the above-mentioned points to zero down a solution. We’re sure you will be able to excel. To know more, sign up for a free demo of iTouchVision’s bespoke helpdesk software. We’d be happy to help.

Make a smart choice!