Support Tools, Support Tiers, and Service-Level Agreements

Overview of Support Channels

• Self-support channels
  • Self-help
  • Wikis
  • FAQs
  • Knowledge base
  • Documentation
  • Discussion Forums
• Email support
  • Asynchronous support
  • Not a real-time exchange
• Social media support
  • Asynchronous support
• Phone support
  • Synchronous support
  • Urgent issues
  • Sensitive information
  • Real-time support
• Live-chat support
• Video chat support
  • Virtual hands on support
• Remote support
  • Host device to customer device
• In-person support
  • Hands-on troubleshooting
  • Preventive maintenance services
  • Hardware support

Ticketing systems

• Create ticket
• Document, track, and manage customer issues to resolution
• Convert emails to tickets
• Log phone sessions
• Users submit tickets

Remote Support Tools

Two types of remote support

• Attended
  • Customer is at a device
  • Immediate resolution
  • Hands-on support
  • Faster resolution times
  • Customer satisfaction
• Unattended
  • Maintenance of groups of users and servers
  • Doesn’t require permission from users to access their computers
  • Users don’t need to be at their computers
  • Installing updates
  • Managing the IT infrastructure
  • Troubleshooting issues on many devices

Tools

• ConnecWise
• TeamViewer
• Dameware
• BeyondTrust
• ZoHo Assist
• Windows Remote Assistance

Common Features

• Remote control and screen sharing
• File sharing
• Secure devices
• Transfer support sessions
• Multiple monitors

Future of Technical Support Tools (Emerging Trends)

• Virtual agent and chatbots
• Training and education in IT
• Pre-installed support
  • ML/AI embedded solutions
• Proactive technical support
• Cloud-connected support
• Video chats
• Technical support i virtual spaces
• All-in-one support platforms

Levels of Technical Support

Need for tiered support

• Route technical support issues
• Handle a large volume of issues
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Improve technical support

Levels of technical support

Technical support skills required

Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)

SLAs in technical support

• Legal agreements

  Ensure:

• Quality
• Timeliness
• Availability
• Expectations

SLA contracts

• Support available
• Free or paid version
• Accepted contract

SLA details

• Agreement summary
• Goals of business and users
• Consequences of violations
• Points of contact

Types of SLAs:

• Customer-based
• Service-based
• Multiple

SLA priority levels

Response SLAs vs Resolution SLAs

SLA management

• Track
• Monitor
• Prioritize
• Automate
• Report

The Escalation Matrix

Escalation management

• Builds trust and support
• Improves business
• Improves communication
• Boosts satisfaction

Escalation Process

• Escalation paths 1) Functional 2) Hierarchical 3) Automatic

1) Functional escalation

2) Hierarchical escalation

3) Automatic escalation

Escalation matrix

Handoffs in technical support

• Help to resolve an issue
• Encourage information sharing
• Prevent incomplete documentation
• Lead to faster resolution