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Variations of Software Application Support

Do associates ever really complain about System Support, or lack there of It happens when work comes to a grinding halt because the system fails to do what it is supposed to do or because users weren's8217;t really properly trained in the first place. We ask ourselves 's8220;Why do these issues rise during mission critical projects's8221;



The time to think about System Support is during vendor analysis. How well will the vendor support your associates after the system has been installed Do they run in the other direction or did they invest in a full-scale Internal Call Center Will they provide references to double-check their claims for full support



Application support comes in many flavors. Variables such as associates expertise, previous training, certifications, and system's8217;s impact on the business determine which level of support is necessary for optimum business performance and success. Breaking down into different levels of support; basic email and knowledge base searches, Call Center support and finally 's8220;Over the Shoulder's8221; support.



The first level of support, or basic support, is the access to an online Knowledge base. This requires time and patience to research the database, an understanding of appropriate keywords, and the ability to execute suggested workarounds. Sometimes entries in the Knowledge Base include 's8220;threads's8221; of other users with suggested resolutions; other times it's8217;s answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). A worthwhile knowledge base will be updated frequently. Microsoft offers this level of support free to its users. For more basic questions and simple solutions, a knowledge base can be helpful coupled with a good understanding of what to look for. Expert users may find this level of support challenging and frustrating since they may require actual communication with another experienced programmer for several hours to develop resolutions.



Email Support may come hand-in-hand with a knowledge base at no extra charge or a small fee. With this level of support, users must be very detailed in their request to receive any meaningful solutions from the team. OfficeCalendar, a collaborative calendar solution, provides this level of support. These questions are normally answered with in a 24-hour period, which may not be quick enough. Additionally, users may experience back and forth communications until the issue is resolved, another point of aggravation.



Another common help desk support offering is the self-service or per incident support. For example, Microsoft offers a 90-day for three incidents/calls plan into the help desk. After the user has exhausted the plan, Microsoft charges per minute fee. What ends up happening is the Customer Service Representative is researching the Knowledge base same as a user would. No further knowledge transfer is happening and thus no problem solving. The users end up with no more resolution than researching the database themselves. They are basically relying on keyword searches from the user to lookup an answer. For multiple users of the same system, time and material charges far exceed monthly maintenance fees.





On second level support, the software vendor has invested into an Internal Call Center with knowledgeable Representatives to field the users calls and speak the system language. The reps have actual experience with the product in question and are trained to resolve your issue. Fees can be based on a per-call basis, however monthly maintenance charges is a more common method of payment. Monthly fees are commonly based on the number of user licenses as a percentage normally ranging from 20% to 25% of the total license investment.



At level three, users experience the 's8220;Over the Shoulder's8221; support. This type of help allows the Internal Call Center to actually enter into your computer to further resolve the issue. It's8217;s almost like having a representative on-site, without incurring the travel expenses. Additionally, these reps have access to highly paid consultants in other various groups such as Programming Designers, Architects, Project Managers allowing the rep to build an army of problem-solvers to stomp out issues quickly and efficiently. Some functionality in this category overlap with second level support, such basic Call Center activities and knowledgeable services.



When calling your Vendor Call Center, remember the following:



- The better you understand your problem that you have, the quicker your get your problem resolved.

- The more information you can provide the better chances of getting answer quicker.

- The representative is there to help. She/He is on your side.



Level one is great for basic vendor software such as Word processors, spreadsheet applications and smaller databases. Mission critical systems, systems that can cause a business to come to a halt, require not only an investment but assurance that proper vendor staffing is in place to resolve issues quickly. Again, money wasted on lost resource time far exceeds monthly maintenance support. An expert can figure out issue in 15 minutes, which would normally take a user take 3-4 hours to resolve. A combination of a good knowledge base and support staff that understands the problem will allow your organization to run smoothly, rain or shine.



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