Customer Support and Service Articles

TeamSupport.com (http://www.TeamSupport.com) – the popular provider of web-based customer support and help desk software solutions – announced the company has been recognized with a 2012 CRM Excellence Award by Customer Interaction Solutions. The magazine, published by integrated media company TMC, has been the premier journal for CRM, contact center and tele-services since 1982.

TeamSupport, used by customer support and help desks worldwide, is easily configured and customized; the application is offered in several reasonably priced, upgradeable versions. TeamSupport is scalable from a simple help-desk application to a 100+ seat Enterprise-wide system for customer support and product defect tracking.

“TeamSupport.com earned a CRM Excellence Award for its commitment to its customers and their clients,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC. “TeamSupport demonstrated to the editors of Customer Interaction Solutions that their support and help desk solutions improved client business processes by streamlining and facilitating the flow of information needed to promote and strengthen customer relationships.”

“We are honored to be recognized by a respected industry resource,” said TeamSupport CEO Robert C. Johnson. “Our applications are focused on helping client companies improve their communication, collaboration and workflow to better meet the needs of their end-users – satisfied customers fuel business growth.”

The CRM Excellence Awards rely on facts and numbers demonstrating the improvements a winner’s product has made in their client’s business. Winners were chosen on the basis of their product or service’s ability to extend and expand the customer relationship to cover the entire enterprise and customer lifecycle. The Thirteenth Annual CRM Excellence Award winners can be found in the May 2012 issue of Customer Interaction Solutions magazine.

About TeamSupport

TeamSupport.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dallas, TX-based Muroc Systems, Inc. (http://www.MurocSystems.com), a holding company focused on developing productivity enhancing software products delivered via the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.

About Customer Interaction Solutions

Since 1982, Customer Interaction Solutions (CIS) magazine has been the voice of the call/contact center, CRM and tele-services industries. CIS magazine has helped the industry germinate, grow, mature and prosper, and has served as the leading publication in helping these industries that have had such a positive impact on the world economy to continue to thrive. Through a combination of outstanding and cutting-edge original editorial, industry voices, in-depth lab reviews and the recognition of the innovative leaders in management and technology through our highly valued awards, Customer Interaction Solutions strives to continue to be the publication that holds the quality bar high for the industry. Please visit www.cismag.com.

About TMC

TMC, celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2012, is a global, integrated media company that helps clients build communities in print, in person, and online. TMC publishes the Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Next Gen Mobility and Cloud Computing (formerly InfoTECH Spotlight) magazines. TMCnet.com, which is read by 1.5 million unique visitors each month, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. TMC is the producer of ITEXPO, the world’s leading B2B communications event. In addition, TMC runs multiple industry events: including Mobility Tech, M2M Evolution, Business Video, ChannelVision Expo, MSPWorld, Super WiFi, SUITS, LatinComm, HTML5 Summit Conferences and more. Visit TMC Events for a complete listing and further information. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

It’s that wonderful time of year, time for some spring cleaning! While you’re rearranging your bookshelves, putting away all the winter gear, and cleaning underneath all the couch cushions, make sure to take time to do some spring cleaning around the office, too.

Your customer support probably needs some organizing and sprucing up just like anything else. Like dust bunnies multiplying under the bed, unnecessary dust can accumulate on your customer support over time, causing you to sneeze…well, metaphorically speaking anyway. Knock out those proverbial dust bunnies by making a few changes or upgrades.

Find Out What’s Holding You Back

No matter how good you are or how well-oiled a machine your team has become over the years, there is always room for improvement. Maybe it’s taking a little too much time responding to emails here, or figuring out what customers want there; whatever the case may be, that small pinhole could eventually stretch into a larger problem. The good news is no matter what your issue is, it can be mended. If you take the time to stitch up those small holes now, your customer support will keep looking good and fresh.

Perhaps the time spent answering emails could be sped up with an improvement to the email system. It could be the problem with figuring out more quickly your customers’ needs simply involves rewording the FAQ on your website. For nearly any issue, there’s often a simple, elegant solution.

Updating the Website

Be honest: when’s the last time you looked at your website? I mean really looked at it? No fibbing – I see that “Copyright 2006” on the bottom of your FAQ. Don’t you think it’s time to make sure everything’s in 2012?

Go over every page on your website with a fine-toothed comb in order to weed out any problem areas. You may find not only is your copyright page off by a few years but much of your information is as well. Since pages like a Customer Support Q&A are aimed to help customers, pages filled with outdated info could actually hinder.

Reorganize

Try not to assume anything about your customer service. You may assume your website is intuitive or the process customers must go through to get to a live human is quick and simple. Ask your end users or customers and you may find out differently when they respond. The truth might hurt, but ultimately it can help you heal your help desk woes and make for stronger and healthier customer support!

Don’t just wait for customer feedback – nip the problems in the bud before they strike. Get a focus group together so you can get instant, honest, and in-depth feedback. What they reveal may come as a surprise to you. When the truth comes, accept it, embrace it and try to use it to institute some positive changes.

This reorganization might also uncover causes of some of the other issues listed above. Maybe the website itself is what’s been holding you back from achieving the quick email responses you desire? When spring cleaning your customer support, try to look in every nook and cranny, but always look towards the ultimate goal; making your customers happier than they were when they woke up that day.

TeamSupport.com (http://www.TeamSupport.com) –the popular provider of web-based customer support and help desk software solutions –has announced a successful deployment of  the company’s Enterprise Edition by Wren Solutions, a leading supplier of physical security solutions for loss prevention. The Jefferson City, Missouri-based company offers a comprehensive suite of Web-based applications under the Encapsulon® brand for enterprise-level security and operations management.

Seeking a well integrated solution to streamline Wren’s internal supportworkflows, IS and Client Services Manager Sean Chambers chose TeamSupport “for its ease of use and customization, plus an incredible number of features for the price … we replaced four independent systems in six departments [with] a single one that gives us insight and open-to-close issue tracking, even when something’s handed-off to another group. We eliminated multiple spreadsheets and tracking systems; what once took 20-30 minutes [now] takes five … we’ve saved some 20% in man-hours over the past six months and by reducing our [use of] the CRM enterprise software, we’re saving more than 40% in monthly seat license fees.” See the full case study at http://teamsupport.com/case_study12.php

“We designed TeamSupport to help our clients provide exceptional support to their own customers by facilitating internal collaboration and workflow efficiency,” said company CEO Robert C. Johnson. “Wren Solutions embraced our concept and has taken full advantage of its power and functionality to reduce expenses and increase productivity.”

Used by customer support and help desks worldwide, TeamSupport is easily configured and customized; the application is offered in several reasonably priced, upgradeable versions. TeamSupport is scalable from a simple  help-desk application to a 100+ seat enterprise-wide customer support and product defect tracking system.

About TeamSupport
TeamSupport.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dallas, TX-based Muroc Systems, Inc. (http://www.MurocSystems.com), a holding company focused on developing productivity enhancing software products delivered via the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.

About Wren Solutions
For nearly 30 years, Jefferson City, Missouri-based Wren Solutions has supplied Loss Prevention professionals with wide range of physical security solutions –from video surveillance hardware to retail audit software. Wren helps leading retailers and organizations of all kinds protect assets and reduce loss. The company has earned a solid reputation for top-notch customer service and high quality products.

Working the Help Desk can be frustrating and stressful. One can leave the job on any given day feeling as if a battle had been waged and lost. Dealing with customers is unfortunately not always the most glamorous or rewarding of jobs, am I right? No matter what profession you’re in, eventually you’re going to run into a few instances of customer service exasperation.

In such instances, it’s understandable that you may want to blow off steam or at least swap stories with fellow customer service warriors. So where can you go to find such camaraderie? Try these 5 places to share your craziest customer tales and get advice on how to cope.

1. Communities

If you’re a frequenter of sites like Reddit, you’ve undoubtedly come across a specific section that deals with your industry. Maybe the gaming industry or the cooking industry – everything has its place and lots of users. There’s even a customer service subReddit, although it doesn’t have a ton of users yet. Maybe you’ll be the one to really make it take off!

2. Forums

There’s a website for everything. And there are also chat forums for everything. So if you want to talk to someone, why not hop on one of these forums and talk to people in your exact position? Sites like Customer Service Manager have forums you and the zillions of other customer service reps to blow off some steam and discuss better ways to serve your shoppers.

3. #custserv

Want to know what the Twitter community thinks of customer service and how best to improve it company-wide? Then join the #custserv Twitter chat every Tuesday night! Folks from all over ecommerce and brick & mortar commerce converge to discuss all the latest trends and ways to improve your game. The hosts always ask tough questions to really bake your noodle and make you see things in a brand new light.

4. Facebook

Naturally there are a ton of customer service Facebook pages, including a generic “Custom Service” page and several others depending on what you search for. For instance, you can join “Vans Customer Service,” “Customer Service Representative,” and even “No, I’m not flirting with you, It’s called customer service!”

5. The Water Cooler

There’s nothing like swapping stories with your coworkers, and once in a while you should do it by the (literal or figurative) water cooler! Let’s be honest, a few old fashioned “what were they thinking” tales can bring people together like nothing else. Bring your crew together to commiserate in the real world, but make sure to use it as a teaching method to prepare them for the craziest of situations.

TeamSupport.com (http://www.TeamSupport.com) – the popular provider of web-based customer support and help desk software solutions – has been recognized as an Innovator in Customer Service Management (CSM) and received high scores for Affordability and Strategy in a recent evaluation report conducted by Info-Tech Research Group titled “Vendor Landscape Plus: Customer Service Management Platforms.”

“TeamSupport’s product offers Help Desk and customer service capabilities, making them a more comprehensive solution for businesses,” said Tim Hickernell, Associate Lead Analyst, Info-Tech Research Group. “TeamSupport is particularly responsive to customer feedback and has been proactive in quickly turning customer requests into new features and tools.”

Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscape reports recognize outstanding vendors in the technology marketplace. Assessing vendors by the strength of their offering and their strategy for the enterprise, Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscapes pay tribute to the contribution of exceptional vendors in a particular category.

“It is extremely gratifying to see our efforts recognized by a leading source of industry research and analysis,” said company CEO Robert C. Johnson. “We understand the importance of responsive customer service; TeamSupport strives to provide every client, regardless of size, with a ‘Golden Rule’ experience.”

Used by customer support and help desks worldwide, TeamSupport is easily configured and customized; the application is offered in several reasonably priced, upgradeable versions. TeamSupport is scalable from a simple help-desk application to a 100+ seat enterprise-wide customer support and product defect tracking system.

About TeamSupport
TeamSupport.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dallas, TX-based Muroc Systems, Inc. (http://www.MurocSystems.com), a holding company focused on developing productivity enhancing software products delivered via the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.

About Info-Tech Research Group
With a paid membership of over 25,000 members worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group (www.infotech.com) is the global leader in providing tactical, practical Information Technology research and analysis. Info-Tech Research Group has a fourteen-year history of delivering quality research and is North America’s fastest growing full-service IT analyst firm.

They have a strange and eventful life. From the moment they are sprung into existence, they experience a brief but turbulent life before meeting their end. They can vanish quickly and completely or linger around a while in a weakened state, all of which is entirely dependent on outside factors.

It may sound like we’re narrating a National Geographic special, but we’re really talking about the life of a complaint! You may not realize it, but when your customers are upset, they pop these little guys into the world. It then becomes your job and responsibility to care for them so they receive the proper treatment.

Pop!

Complaints can be likened to little cloud creatures – they are born into existence by and float around the person who initially has them. They are then transferred along the line when reported to a customer service representative or help desk until the issue is eventually resolved and put to rest. When your customers have an issue, all they want to do is to float that little cloud in your direction so YOU can send it away.

But the life of a complaint continues to amuse. As soon as it’s born, it basically wants to vanish. Who wants to keep a complaint around? It’s stressful, for you, for the complainer, and for the little creature this ordeal spawned. So you do your best and work your hardest to aid it on its quest to leave.

You do so by taking the little guy in and figuring out what it wants. Remember that every complaint is different: they all have diverse lives and needs. One complaint creature could need an entirely new product, where another just really wanted a kind word from somebody that day. Invest some time into researching the needs of each one, as they can be quite unique.

Moving On…

Fortunately, no complaint can live forever. Even the most hardy and stubborn of complaints eventually dissipate and move on.

What they can do, however, is leave traces about even after they have passed on. Sometimes it gets on your product, your help desk team, or even on your company’s name. These traces can be seen by others and leave a small smudge that may cause them to think twice about doing business with you.

So it’s best to deal with the complaint creature the best you can while it’s still early on, manageable and easy to handle. Lay it to rest the best way you know how – let the customer (and their little pet) know that everything will be fine and they have nothing to worry about. Find a common ground and get it all taken care of and you should have nothing to worry about.

If all goes to plan, the complaint creature’s life span will be very short, and it can enjoy a nice little rest next to all the others that have come passing through your help desk be it via phone or email. Take into account, these little guys are a way to improve your business, so roll out the red carpet and hold them in high regard when they come waltzing in!

A recent blog over at Shep Hyken’s website talks about striving for 100% perfection with your customer service. Shep gives the example of the airline industry, where it was seemingly great news that just fewer than 85% of flights were on time in December. He remarks that it is a good thing the percentage went up, but the fact remains that having nearly 15% of flights NOT on time is still pretty poor.

And he’s not incorrect. If you went to a restaurant regularly and the service was bad 15% of the time, would you continue to go? If the movies at your movie theater broke 15% of the time, would you still buy tickets?

That last example hits close to home as my college town’s movie theater DID mess up all the time, probably closer to 25% of the time. The thing is, we had no other options, and when things did go wrong, we would complain and get free tickets. And that’s where the customer service aspect of imperfection comes in to play.

Perfection

Shep argues that every company should strive for 100% perfection when it comes to taking care of your customers. Of course, he also says it’s impossible, as one little slip-up, intentional or not, kills your record.

But just how close can you get? Is 99% perfection possible? What about 90%? Honestly, sometimes there’s just no way to judge what your percentage of success is. Plus, unlike an airline’s lack of punctuality, sometimes that percentage changes.

For example, you may goof up an order at one point or have miscommunication on the first call. It’s unfortunate, but occasionally it happens.  During the follow-up, you realize the mistake and you remedy the error. Now where’s your percentage? Does the original success rate go up or do you start a whole new chart? It’s difficult to say, as the whole affair ebbs and flows naturally.

Striving

In Shep’s final paragraph, he mentions the point of striving for perfection is along the way you create a great atmosphere for your customers.

“What you sell has to do what you promise it will do, and you must deliver it with strong customer service,” he says. “When you do, you have a winning combination and a chance at getting that customer to come back the next time they need what you sell.  And when that happens over and over, the customer will eventually own the experience.  Once they own it, you have created customer confidence.”

So the end point really isn’t to achieve some magical number you can brag to your competitors about. The final result is more about creating a happy environment for your customers where they feel safe in buying your stuff. They’ll know that no matter what happens you’re going to do what you can to fix anything that comes up.

While there may not be any such thing as “perfect,” you can certainly be perfectly honest in your attempts to BE perfect. Along the way you should find you’ve achieved even more than if you had somehow acquired that perfect record.

The latest edition of our customer support newsletter is out! We have shared some customer service articles we found of interest and some help desk tips and insight to help your customer support teams in their quest for customer service excellence.

Customers almost always know what they want when they call or email your help desk. After all, they’re not just contacting you to say hello; there’s obviously going to be a specific reason they picked up the phone. So there’s definitely no point in trying to tell them what they want, as you’ll find out in the first few minutes or seconds of the conversation.

But what they NEED – now that’s another story.

While you would think what a customer wants and what they need would be the same, it’s often not the case. In fact, they’re usually two completely separate things. As a customer service professional, your task is to give them both – preferably at the same time.

Wants and Needs

Back in my college days, some friends of mine helped run the college radio station. There was a discussion one night about the type of music they played. Seems the station was going more “pop friendly” which caused them great distress.

Why? Because they said pop music was what listeners may want, but not what they needed. College radio, they said, was all about the need – people NEED to find new music, to be challenged, and there are limited places to do so. By playing already popular music they were only fulfilling the “want” of the listeners.

This scenario is can be likened to nearly every customer service interaction. My friends knew they needed some popular music to get folks to listen, but they also wanted to take advantage of their unique situation and introduce to the masses new and niche bands. As a customer service rep, you want to fulfill the customer’s wants, but equally as important to remember their needs.

What They Need

While you may not be telling them what cool tunes to check out (or maybe you are!), you are going to try and pinpoint something just as useful to their lives. And while wants and needs may sometimes be completely separate things, you may be able to use their want to find their need.

For example, say a customer calls up and wants to discuss a mysterious charge on their bill from your company. After researching, it turns out there was a mistake and their card was charged twice. They’re not terribly upset, but state that they’re glad they regularly check their bank account as they otherwise would have never spotted it.

Of course the customer’s want is to have the mysterious charged explained and taken away. After all, that’s what they said when they called. But what do they need?

If they hadn’t caught the double charge, it may have caused havoc with their finances. From this incident you realize there is no system in place to notify customers when a charge is made to their account. The customer didn’t say it, but that’s what they need – some way to know when your company charges them, and for how much.

And that’s just one example; one where the want and need are closely related. Another example may be if the customer told you about the mysterious charge and you find out they discovered it over a week ago. When inquiring why it took so long to contact customer service, they inform you they had trouble finding the contact info so they wound up putting it off. Right there, you’ve found their need – improve the website so the next time they need to contact you they can do so immediately and with ease!

When you answer support emails and calls you likely give your customer what they want. But checking in on overall trends can – in the long run – give your customers the things they didn’t even know they needed! Fulfilling the needs AND wants of your customers will ultimately deliver excellent customer service and make for a happier customer.

TeamSupport.com (http://www.TeamSupport.com) – the popular provider of web-based customer support and help desk software solutions –has announced the addition of a new “Community” feature for the Advanced Customer Portal of the company’s flagship support application.

Communities, sometimes called forums, let end-users interact with each other as well as company support specialists through TeamSupport’s Customer Portal. They provide the enterprise with a means to notify customers, provide progress updates, solicit feedback, and even let users help to analyze and solve problems. Communities are a venue where everyone can share ideas, experiences and gained knowledge with no limit to the number of exchanges and collaborations. Posts are integrated directly with TeamSupport tickets so support staff can keep-up with discussion threads and customer communications. For a more detailed description, please visit http://help.teamsupport.com/customer-portal/advanced-portal/community

“We developed this new feature to empower customers to help each other and themselves,” said company CEO Robert C. Johnson. “TeamSupport is continually evolving to provide our users with greater flexibility in managing their help desk and support activities. We firmly believe that satisfied, well informed customers are the foundation of any successful business.”

Used by customer support and help desks worldwide, TeamSupport is easily configured and customized; the application is offered in several reasonably priced, upgradeable versions. TeamSupport is scalable from a simple help-desk application to a 100+ seat enterprise-wide customer support and product defect tracking system.

About TeamSupport
TeamSupport.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dallas, TX-based Muroc Systems, Inc. (http://www.MurocSystems.com), a holding company focused on developing productivity enhancing software products delivered via the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.