Help desk software is changing - it's social customer service application built for the cloud. Traditionally, customer support software was designed to focus on resolving issues rather than helping people. Customer cases were generally handled by any available agent on a "first come first serve" basis, and agents typically knew little to nothing about the customer. With no mechanism for storing any context or customer background, agents spent more time re-learning about the issue rather than actually resolving it. And if that wasn't enough, customer support software had to be maintained and updated, which meant companies wasted considerable time and resources hiring and training agents. There was no system for retaining customers beyond the fleeting one-time interactions, and it encouraged an impersonal approach to handling customer support.
Today's customer service software bears few similarities to the software of the past. Customers are demanding more and better customer service, delivered through every conceivable channel from apps to mobile devices to the web. That's why many smart businesses are using software as a service as a solution for help desk management. The key contrast with traditional software is that today's software requires no software. Software as a service is delivered through the web, which means no installation or updates. So you can lower costs and raise agent productivity. You can spend less time training agents and more time making customers happy. And you can resolve customer issues quickly and easily so no customer ends up in "support purgatory." The future of software is no software.
An example of a simple, social and affordable software as a service solution is Desk.com. At Desk.com, we help companies address their customer's needs in the most effective way possible in both traditional and social environments including Facebook, Twitter, email, chat and phone. That way, you can respond efficiently in real-time wherever a customer reaches out. Our software is easy to use and uncomplicated. It's so simple to manage that any company, even without an IT staff, can get up and running in no time. You can also handle customer cases on the go with our Mobile Agent so you can support customers anytime, anywhere. And finally, our pricing is straightforward, simple and honest. You can scale up and down based on the season or your business needs and only pay for what you use, making it possible for anyone in your organization to participate in customer support -- easily and affordably.
Even with a the right help desk solution, if you lose sight of the fact that you're serving people, there are consequences not only for the quality of your service, but also for your product. That's why everything about Desk.com is humanized. At Desk.com we acknowledge that our customers and agents are real life people. Agents can provide the highest level of support across traditional and social channels, so no customer case falls through the cracks. We expand customer service to include everybody at your company -- a concept we call "Whole Company Support." It's an efficient way to connect with people, an opportunity to hear what they want, what they think, how a product or service worked or how it didn't. Trust is the core of Desk.com. That's why our team focuses on finding ways to enhance performance and ensure the reliability of the system. We listen to our customers with respect and attention, and respond to issues in a timely fashion. Being human is good for business, and Desk.com gives companies a chance to be personal again.
Today's customers want answers fast and don't want to waste their time getting their issue resolved. That's why so many customers end up frustrated with traditional customer service methods and its agents. Companies need to understand the value of their current customer base, and recognizing what they need to do in order to keep them. When you promote agent-customer relationships in your customer support methods and tools, you'll save yourself two or three callbacks tomorrow. Your employees will become more skilled and motivated, and your costs will go down over the long run. Software as a service is the "new 800 number" and it's good for your customers and your business.
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Alex Hisaka works in Marketing at Desk.com. You can find her on Twitter at twitter.com/alexhisaka