Use Case: Outsource Tier 1 Support and Help Desk
The first actual test for any business is how they support their customer. Typically, your first thought is that the service itself is most important, but customers tend to look past the service since that should already be fulfilling their needs. Next, they see how their issues are resolved and how quickly. According to Salesforce, 88 percent of customers say that good customer service – in this case, first-level support – makes them more likely to purchase again. For technical concerns, being able to outsource Tier 1 support may be the most fruitful option for your growing business.
What is Tier 1 Support?
The most common support tiering structure contains five levels. The levels vary in difficulty, and the skills needed to solve the problems in the tier vary. A vital skill is understanding when an issue needs to be escalated to a higher tier so the client can be adequately supported.
- Tier 0 – Self-service: By creating a self-service tier, you can help reach the customer who likes to figure out the easy issues themselves. This could include blog posts, a knowledge base, or technical articles but a central place for them to get help.
- Tier 1 – General: Typically, the first line of defense by having people field the customer’s concerns. These interactions are usually more manageable and straightforward but tend to give leaders insight into system or process deficiencies.
- Tier 2 – Technical: A stepped-up version of support. You will be getting more seasoned agents, and more troubleshooting will occur. Instead of relying on configuration or client misuse, the issues may be with the system itself.
- Tier 3 – Expert: Usually the highest internal support level where one-offs or highly irregular software issues are causing major concerns. These tend not to be easily diagnosed and, more often than not, result in coding changes to fix the problem.
- Tier 4 – Third-party: Not needed in all organizations, but Tier 4 is often reserved for vendors who tie into the service in one way or another. Tier 3 alerts the need to pull in the vendor to help troubleshoot the issue with their component.
Chart credit Zendesk
Reasons to Outsource Tier 1 Support
Technical support is a highly valued skill that is not easily found in your local area. These specialized individuals require technical and communication abilities to satisfy a customer’s needs. Especially when it comes to Tier 1 support, as mentioned, these are general questions that require patience since it’s most likely an opportunity to teach a customer a feature or best practice. A report from PwC found that 82 percent of customers prefer the human touch.
Save on Costs
With the general inquiry nature of Tier 1 support, you can save substantial costs by outsourcing these concerns to a trusted partner like iReply. By outsourcing, you get the best technological industry-leading customer support strategies available for your telecom, healthcare, and logistical needs. When you save on upfront costs associated with building the best internally, you can funnel those funds to different business areas to generate more revenue.
When you create a strategic partnership that benefits all involved, then you have a recipe for long-term success.
Productivity and Efficiency Improvement
When you outsource Tier 1 support, the focused dedication you receive to your SOPs and scripts will streamline customer interactions. Since Tier 1 support is generally more straightforward, your assigned agents can get up to speed faster and begin quicker resolutions for your customers. Meaning more work is being completed in less time.
Emphasize Core Capabilities
Suppose you try to build an internal team. In that case, chances are they will be pulled in different directions and not wholly focused on IT support (especially with startups or small to medium-sized businesses, where people wear multiple hats), which could cause response time to slip. With outsourcing Tier 1 support, you get individuals solely focused on your customers and resolving their issues—no bouncing from one priority to another. A report from Forrester found that investing in a customer-first operation can yield up to a 700 percent ROI over 12 years.
Access Modern Systems
As with any business sector, technological advancements are impossible to track unless you’re in that sector. The same can be said when outsourcing Tier 1 support. Your outsourcing partner will use emerging technologies to streamline issue resolution and supervise quality control. Checks and balances, especially with interactions, are crucial to the success of your business and with your blossoming partner.
What to Look for in an Outsourcing Partner
There needs to be alignment with overall goals and company communication. For instance, not every interaction will be solved at the first level, so building handoff procedures that effortlessly connect to the next support layer is vital. Here are some additional areas to consider when evaluating your outsourcing Tier 1 support:
- Comprehensive technical support and workforce management strategies
- Value top-tier outputs
- Communication-focused and clear client interaction
- Able to address language and cultural barriers
- Adhere to industry and government standards
You will undoubtedly have more specific needs based on your business, but these are a great place to start the conversation.
Build a Partnership that Lasts
In the same way you strive to provide the best service for your patients, telecom subscribers, or logistics customers, your outsourcing Tier 1 support partner should strive to feel the same way about working with you. At iReply Services, we pride ourselves on providing leading support services for a fraction of the cost. A more cost-effective service does not equal second-tier results. Contact us today to see how our expertise can lighten your IT support load.
