What would you say if someone told you that live answering services and help desk support don’t have to be mutually exclusive? They can go together. Live answering services can be seamlessly integrated with help desk support systems to provide comprehensive customer service. It is something we do here at Apello.
Reception and help desk support have traditionally been separate entities. Customers call a general customer support number for non-technical inquiries and problems. But if more technical support is needed, they are forwarded to the help desk.
The traditional system works well enough that there are plenty of companies still utilizing it. But why not integrate reception and help desk support into a single system? You can with live answering services that include the help desk component.
Integrating With Technology
One of the keys to combining live answering services with help desk support is technology. You need an answering service whose systems can seamlessly integrate with the most popular CRM platforms. When technology fully integrates, everyone is on the same page.
Technology integration encourages a more streamlined workflow. Here are a couple of examples:
- Ticket Creation – When a new call comes in, the answering service can automatically generate a new support ticket within the help desk system. Ticket creation can be managed 24/7, minimizing disruptions when calls come after hours.
- Data Transfer – In addition to generating a new ticket, the receptionist enters all information pertaining to the call into the help desk platform, in real time. Once in the system, the data is available to all parties who need access to it.
Technology integration brings client and answering service together in one digital space. This creates a more collaborative environment that promotes productivity and efficiency.
Customized Call Handling
In order to make live answering services compatible with help desk support, you need customized call handling. Answering services need to be tailored to handle industry-specific needs. For example, take scripting.
Custom scripts developed for different types of industries meet each client’s needs accordingly. But even when dealing with a single client, there may be the need to create custom scripts for different types of inquiries. That way, receptionists always have access to appropriate responses.
Routing and Support
An answering service should be more than capable of routing calls when necessary. Otherwise, calls may not get to the right people or departments in a timely manner. Consider this point in terms of real time support.
Offering tier 1 tech support is a common practice when companies combine live answering services with a help desk. But what if a customer’s inquiry goes beyond the limits of such support? The inquiry must be routed to the appropriate tier. If necessary, the issue needs to be escalated. And in such cases, all relevant information needs to be passed along to the next operator.
All of this can seem a bit overwhelming to the point of encouraging organizations to keep call answering and help desk support separate. In reality, the biggest challenge is getting it set up. Once in operation, combined services can actually be simpler than maintaining things separately.
Give It Some Thought
We have given you a lot of information to think about in this post. There is more to consider, but you have enough on your plate. If your organization still maintains separate reception and help desk support, give some thought to the idea of combining the two. A live answering service with help desk support could literally change the way your phones are answered. It could mean the difference between keeping customers happy and having to figure out what went wrong.
