Web Hosting Support Systems
We previously discussed the use of web hosting billing systems and the role that they play in the running of a web hosting business. This time we will be leading off from what was said about web hosting support systems, and just how they are able to effect the running of a web hosting business and the perception that customers may get of a web hosting business that is using a support system. Support systems are used by web hosting companies to manage the trouble tickets which clients may open with them for one reason for another; as well as support requests, support systems, which can otherwise be known as helpdesks, are also used by web hosting providers to handle any sales or billing enquiries that customers may have regarding their existing web hosting account or other hosting products that they are looking into buying. As well as having the management capability in the form of tickets, most web hosting support systems also come with a live-chat client built in which in-turn allows web hosting companies to hold real-time text chats with visitors to their websites over the internet; in some cases this is used as an alternative method of support to telephone services, although some customers still demand that they be able to contact their web hosting provider over the phone when they have an enquiry regarding their web hosting service.What are the most commonly used support systems?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of support system you wish to use; it is important to note that most web hosting billing applications now come with a helpdesk built-in which will handle all your tickets and requests, although advanced features such as staff management and staff assignment of tickets may not be available since such helpdesks are normally much more basic than what you would get from a fully blown application. If you are looking for a fully fledged support application then you will want the application concerned to be able to offer you the features that you need with the eye for extra expansion if needed; one of the main applications used in this case is Kayako Support Suite.
How do most ticket based systems work?
Most ticket based systems work in the way that the application itself is designed to monitor the email inboxes which you tell it to keep an eye on; in most cases this is done with a cron job and new emails are fetched at a set time interval - emails can be fetched automatically if you setup email forwarders under your domain name which will then forward any emails to the relevant addresses to your chosen support application. In the case that your chosen application comes with a live-chat add-on then this can be easily used by embedding some simple HTML code into your web pages which your customers can then click on; they will then be forwarded to your support system where they will then be able to talk to you in real time over the internet. In the case where messages are piped into the ticket system, they will be answered by your web hosting provider’s support team.
Advantages of Using a Web Hosting Support System
Web hosting support systems allow web hosting providers to streamline their support services so that they can focus more on key support areas, and the features which are provided in more advanced applications allow companies to focus more on their targets rather than only providing customers with one set level of support that may not be the most desirable. Support requests can also be managed in a more practical way to ensure that they are responded to in an acceptable period of time. As a web hosting provider you will be able to offer your clients an easier way of contacting you besides basic emails and telephone support, which will in-turn boost your customer satisfaction. Other advantages that using a web hosting support system may be able to offer you and your web hosting business could include:
Better customer interaction - since most web hosting support systems are now ticket based, they make use of web interfaces as well as piped emails to ensure that your customers can communicate with you in at least two different ways when it comes down to their active support tickets - although you can only communicate with your customers used the web administration interface that is provided with most web hosting support systems, giving your customers the choice of two methods ensures that there is choice for them which will encourage better customer interaction when it comes down to any enquiries or issues that they may have
Faster response times - with the use of a web hosting support system, you are able to respond to your customer’s enquiries or issues in a faster manner than if you were using standard emails since a unique ID is assigned to the ticket which will then allow you to chase it up easily in the future of needed - and since you can setup multiple staff on a professional web hosting support system, you will be able to ensure that there will always be at least one person available to answer any trouble tickets which customers may submit to your support system, because it is important to remember that there can’t always be one person sitting at the computer waiting for support tickets
Allows for ranking - when your customers open new support tickets they will be asked to rank their ticket based on their importance, i.e. whether it is a matter of low priority or one which requires immediate attention from you or your support team - by doing this you are able to sort out the issues which are going to be causing major problems in the short term for the person that has submitted the ticket as well as the other users who may be hosted on the same server as them - however, this kind of system isn’t fool proof and is open to abuse from customers who just want their basic issues dealt with quickly.
As you can see, by investing in a web hosting support system, you are able to bring many advantages to your web hosting business not only in terms of how it is managed but also how customers see you as they will think that you are more professional if you are dealing with them in a more personal manor. Web hosting support systems are very easy to use, both from the administrator and client sides, meaning that they are a worthy investment for a web hosting business of any size; at the end of the day your main aim should be customer satisfaction, and by interacting with your client base in this way you should be able to ensure customer satisfaction.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Web Hosting Support Systems
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