User support is the assistance provided to software users when encountering technical issues or questions regarding the product or service. User support can be provided in several ways.
- A technical team via chat, email, or phone (internal or external)
- Automated chatbots
- Library of vendor resources
- Embedded application support
How does user support work?
User support is composed of the following elements:
- An internal technical team or external provider of user support.
- A ticketing system to prioritize technical support issues and questions (a ticket is a clear brief of a user request).
There are 3 levels of support request:
- Level 1 support request: one-time issues that can be resolved quickly
- Level 2 support request: recurring technical issues that prevent software usage
- Level 3 support request: urgent and complex issues that require immediate mitigation
- The team addresses the technical issues and can mitigate them.
What are the different types of user support?
There are several types of user support:
| Service desk | Help desk |
| Self-service Portal | Embedded application support |
Why is user support a major issue for companies today?
For the effective implementation of digital tools and processes within a company, it is important to ensure comprehensive management and support on these tools on a daily basis.
When users encounter technical difficulties with their tools, rather than turn to colleagues for support, reducing the productivity of two people. They should be turning to technical user support. However, calls to software and service vendors are often costly and time-consuming. According to ZenDesk:
“It takes support teams an average of 24.2 hours to provide an initial response to internal tickets.”
Companies face various challenges concerning support:
- Reducing costs related to support requests.
- Reducing the time it takes to process support requests.
- Increasing user autonomy on tools.
- Reducing time spent on low support requests for higher value added tasks.
What is the connection between user support and user experience?
An enhanced user experience minimizes digital frustrations for users. Accessible and efficient user support should be available to users as soon as they face any issues with their tools. The effectiveness of user support directly impacts the speed at which users can find and seek assistance, leading to improved productivity and satisfaction levels overall.
The benefits of a user support system
- User efficiency on their digital tools.
The availability of user support enhances the overall user experience by ensuring a seamless and effortless interaction. It contributes to the improvement of day-to-day user experiences with digital tools and enhances the quality of output, including functionalities and business processes.
- Optimization of internal tools.
Continuous internal software advancements and refinements enable companies to maximize their capabilities and achieve their full potential (digital adoption). Users, on the other hand, can fully realize their potential in terms of digital adoption when they acquire the ability to utilize both the fundamental and advanced features of a tool.
- User autonomy on digital tools.
By introducing support resources, users gain the ability to independently handle their basic inquiries (level 1 or 2 support requests) within the software. Through the utilization of available resources and support, users acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to manage these requests autonomously.
