Technical or “tech” support is a form of service rendered by product-based or service-based companies to their users to help them resolve any issues they might have while using their products.
This can either be done through off-site technical support such as live chats, email, or phone, or through onsite technical support where the company renders the support on the user’s premises.
Common problems that require technical support include login errors, installation issues, or any other difficulty that can negatively affect the overall user experience.
What is User Experience
User experience (UX) is a user’s perception when interacting with a service or product interface. It involves the usability of the service, its efficiency, and the value it offers to the user.
User experience is often personal to a user and can vary between several users. A common service where UX comes to play is an e-commerce website. Here, the customer buys a product from an online store. If the customer finds the buying process complex or finds it difficult to navigate through the website, then the UX will be considered unpleasant.
However, if the buying process is simple and stress-free, the UX will be considered pleasant.
Having a good user experience will make a customer loyal to a particular service or product. This is because customers are likely to choose a service with a better experience. So, in a crowded market, UX gives you a boost over your competitors.
How Tech Support Affects User Experience
People buy different products for various reasons. However, the bottom line remains that every product bought is to solve a problem and make life easier for the product’s users. So once a product starts to malfunction or becomes difficult to use. There is no one to guide them on what to do to solve the problem. Such a product already defeats its purpose.
To the product designer, a problem with their products may look like a simple issue that a user can solve on their own. However, having to deal with problematic products from a company that lacks a proper support system can be a huge turn-off for many people.
If the user keeps facing problems they cannot resolve, and there is no tech support to reach out to for help, there’s a high probability that they will refrain from using the product and go for another product that is more suitable for their needs.
A company’s inability to provide a hitch-free user experience can cause them to lose both money and customers. This is more common for subscription-based products. It can also give the company a bad image within its customer base.
Investing in a good technical team that would deal with users’ issues is vital to product-based companies as it will give their users a good overall user experience.
Ways to Offer Better Tech Support
Prioritize tech support
Until you consider tech support just as important as selling your product or service, you will never be able to provide quality tech support to your users.
It often determines whether a user would continue using your product or discontinue using it. So, put more effort into it.
Employ the Different Levels Of Tech Support
Some issues faced by users can range from minor issues to complex issues, and they require different levels of attention.
Having different levels of tech support will ensure that the users get a faster response. This will help provide you with a well-structured tech support system.
Connect With Your Users On Social Media
The first place your users often go to when they have an issue is forums on social media or the internet.
Getting involved in their conversations would help you identify the common issues your users face and help resolve those issues faster.
Contacting Tech Support Should Be Simple
Your users shouldn’t have difficulty finding your contact information, especially for web applications. If they have difficulties reaching out to you for support, it may discourage them from using your service further.
Your ability to quickly resolve minor or complex issues would surely impact their overall user experience. So you want to make it a pleasant one for them as it would determine if they would be staying long term.
Having a responsive tech support team should also be considered a marketing strategy. So, as a business looking to grow, you should try your best to invest in it.
