When brokerages are going through the software evaluation process, there is usually a bit of tunnel vision around price tag: How much does the program cost to license, and what’s the annual charge to renew? What’s often missing is an evaluation of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the software.
While there are many items to consider when performing a TCO analysis, a truly vital piece to evaluate is what the software agreement promises in terms of service and support.
Why customer support matters
No matter how straightforward a system is promised to be, at some point in the journey your agents will need assistance using the program. When software providers offer consistent, accessible, and responsive customer service, the companies implementing the software can see a direct impact on their bottom line due to minimized downtime and better adoption.
Qualities to look for in a support team
According to ZenDesk’s 2018 study, “Quantifying the Business Impact of Customer Service,” 87% of clients surveyed said that good customer service impacts their buying behavior. The report also stated that 89% say a quick response to an initial inquiry is important.
During the vetting process ask questions. Look for testimonials about the company’s support team, ask about their rate of first reply and resolution rates. For example, MoxiWorks clients on average see the first response within one hour, while Zendesk states the customer service average response rate is 14 hours. Knowing how long your agents could potentially be waiting for a response or resolution to a problem is crucial.
It’s also important to understand both what a system’s learning curve might look like, and the range of technical ease and literacy among your team of agents.
What excellent service looks like and how it will help you scale your business
Great technical support includes more than direct human responses. How much time and effort has the support team put into self-service resources? While speaking with a human is always helpful, some of your agents may be more DIYers. Look for providers that give your agents access to on-demand how-to videos, articles, FAQs, and step-by-step guides. Consider the time cost to your internal administration if the software doesn’t come with accessible training and support.
The bottom line? Excellent customer support helps reduce overhead for a company’s internal training and it helps with increased adoption rates providing an overall higher quality return on your investment.
Bill Yaman
Bill Yaman, vice president of customer engagement for technology platform firm MoxiWorks, leads the company’s support and account management functions ensuring that both brokerages and agents maximize the benefits of the MoxiWorks solutions. Bill is the former president of marketing automation company Imprev and joined the MoxiWorks family when MoxiWorks and Imprev merged. Before joining Imprev, Yaman served as senior vice president of sales and marketing at GoAhead Software Inc., which was acquired by Oracle in 2011. He grew up in an IBM family and began his career at IBM after earning a Bachelor of Science in engineering and business management from Princeton University.
About MoxiWorks
MoxiWorks provides a comprehensive open platform to more than 260 brokerages and 340,000 agents. With a proven 54% increase in repeat and referral business for agents, MoxiWorks also lowers overall technology, training, and support costs for the brokerage. MoxiWorks’ support team, located in their Seattle HQ, consistently sees satisfaction rates over 90%.