Choosing a good field service management software can be a game changer for you and your business. However, no matter the software you use, an issue or urgent question will eventually arise. This is when the customer success team enters the picture.
As you shop for a new field management software, the customer support behind the software should be an important factor in your decision. An excellent support team can make or break your field management software experience.
But how do you know if a customer service support team is solid before purchasing field service software?
4 Questions to Ask about a Field Management Software’s Customer Service Team
While the best way to get to know a support team is to interact with them after a software deal is sealed, there are a few things to look for during the buying process that will help you learn more about a customer success team. Here are four questions to ask a company about their customer support:
1. Who is My Point Person?
Nobody wants to sit on hold for 30 minutes on a 1-800 line. To avoid time wasted on hold, you should have a dedicated employee assigned to your account.
This may be a customer service representative or customer success manager. No matter the title, you should have their email and phone number on hand for quick access.
However, the relationship should go both ways – a good SaaS customer success representative will check in periodically or set up occasional meetings to make sure things are running smoothly. When asking questions about a customer success team, ask if you could schedule regular meetings with your representative.
2. How Quickly will My Problem be Resolved?
A field management software company should have a good grasp on their customer service team’s capabilities. Look for software that offers a high same-day resolution rate or guaranteed response times.
While not a requirement, many of the best customer service teams have won awards or accolades for their performance.
Another sign of a good customer success team is if their results are measured. A software company should be constantly monitoring their customer service requests and resolution time in order to have a pulse on their customers’ satisfaction. Here are a few questions to ask that may help you better understand a company’s customer service team’s capabilities:
- Q: What is your customer satisfaction rate?
- Look for a satisfaction rate above 90% – the closer to 100%, the better!
- Q: What is your first touch resolution (FTR) rate? Note: First touch resolution is when an issue is resolved by the service team during the first interaction with a customer.
- Again, a rate of 90% or higher is best for FTR, as it shows that a customer service team can quickly and efficiently solve issues.
- Q: What is the average response time when a customer reaches out to support?
- When a live representative is involved, five minutes or less is considered a very fast response time.
3. What Resources are Available to Me?
Often, if you’re experiencing an issue, somebody else has as well. So, a software company should have resources on hand to guide you through common issues.
One-pagers, how-to videos and FAQs should be available to you for quick reference, saving you a call or email to your customer success rep. When asking about customer support, ask if there are materials that are available for frequent questions.
Some service management software companies may have an online learning platform that gives customers access to a resource and training library. This allows customers to learn how to best utilize the software, get answers to questions and view educational documents and videos.
Not only can a resource platform help navigate issues that may arise, but it may also allow you get the most out of your field service software as a whole.
4. What if I have a Problem after Hours?
Issues seem to arise at the most inconvenient times. While most field service software companies don’t offer 24/7 live support, a great customer support team should communicate what to expect if you need help after hours.
For example, if you leave a voicemail with a customer representative after business hours, will they return the call the next morning? Are appointments available after hours if scheduled ahead of time?
Deciding if a Software Support Team is a Fit for your Business
While these questions will certainly help you identify a good customer support team, it is ultimately up to you to decide which factors are most important to your business.
Are fast response times a must? Or having a resource or training library to help navigate the software? Identifying what you need most from a customer support team will help you make the best decision for your company.
About FieldEdge Customer Support
At FieldEdge, we know customers are the core of our business. We’re committed to helping our customers accomplish their goals and desired outcomes through customer service best practices. Our team aims to build meaningful relationships and drive value for our customers on a daily basis. With 98% same-day resolution on requests, our support team is always ready to assist.
Book a demo to learn more about our award-winning customer success team and other FieldEdge benefits.
