This is a guest post by Sarah Peterson, you can find out more about her at the end of the article
In recent years, help desk software has been responsible for transforming many small businesses and making them more efficient and customer friendly. As with any software package, the trick is choosing the right one to fit a company’s needs.
With the shape of today’s economy, small businesses need any advantage they can get. Help desk software can be extremely beneficial, but choosing the wrong one could end up costing the company money. Before choosing a help desk, there are several things that should be considered, as outlined below:
*Business mission – Before purchasing any software package, it is important to take a look at what is expected of the program and what the benefits would include. This should be documented so it can be referred to while the search is being conducted.
*Record specifics – Determine what the needs of the company are and how help desk will be expected to aid in them. Consider how the software will interact with customers and employees. What sort of information will it collect? If the business is looking to switch from one help desk version to another, make notes about the shortcomings of the software that is currently in use. If this is the first time buying such software, contact other businesses that are similar and find out which packages work for them. Make sure it is adaptable as the company grows.
*Budget and time – Decide how much can be spent on the software and how soon it must be implemented. There are free versions of help desk available, but they may not meet the needs of the business. They may also be lacking in technical assistance if something should go wrong. It is also important to figure out how soon the software needs to be installed and how long it will take to train employees.
*Make a shortlist – Narrow the search list down to two or three potential products that appear to meet the company’s needs, fit the budget and can be installed in the given time frame. Arrange some time to review them.
*Interview vendors – Have prospective vendors prepare demonstrations of the software on the shortlist, but make sure to set up the necessary requirements with them beforehand. Look for vendors that are the most proactive and seem open to solutions that suit a particular business.
*Make the selection – After the vendor demonstrations, select which help desk software best suits all the company’s needs and which vendor can make it happen. Negotiations can then begin. If all goes well, that should be the end. Otherwise, move to the next one on the list.
Help desk software has been a great invention to make small businesses more efficient, and as such has grown in popularity in recent years. Purchasing the right one can vastly improve a company’s operations, while the wrong one can be a waste of money and ruin the company’s reputation. Proper planning and careful research can help a business owner avoid any potential pitfalls.
Image credit:AlanClarkDesign
This is a guest post from Sarah Peterson. Sarah is a contributing writer for a website that provides help desk reviews and offers business owners advice on finding the best solution for their customer service needs.
Gary Shouldis
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[...] Choosing the Right Customer Help Desk Software for Your Business [...]
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Excellent article! I am a Business Systems Analyst and this it what I help businesses work through…for any system or software solution they may be looking for if they don’t have the time or experience to follow these steps themselves!
Thanks for the feedback Sandra, creating systems for your business will save you both time and money
Look for vendors that are the most proactive and seem open to solutions that suit a particular business.