Different facets of mobile support

Support customer stakes are higher than ever, claims Stuart Facey

Focusing on new services to expand your business and differentiate yourself is easier said than done.

End users now expect customer support at least as good as they get as a consumer.

Remote support is on offer from many resellers. But many providers have failed to develop these services to keep up with changing market requirements.

Remote support offerings are often limited to PCs. As end users become more mobile, though, service providers need to manage and support every device consistently, across the board.

Many business device users regularly use a PC and at least one mobile gadget. If users have a bad support experience on one device, this will drag down their perception of the provider.

VARs that offer multi-platform support tools and processes that work across all devices can become a one-stop shop for all of their clients' issues.

With mobile OS and device choices increasing every day, this is a huge opportunity.

One popular application is chat. Chat can be a less intrusive way for customers to contact you and allow technicians to easily support multiple clients at once.

Integrated with remote support, it can give you a chance to provide different communication options and sometimes create different pricing tiers.

You can also use the same licences for separate client instances.

For companies that sell to heavily regulated industries such as financial or professional services, secure remote support is a big advantage. And it can help you keep up with customer needs.

Doing it the right way can help set a company apart, even if it is offering the same products as the firm down the street.

Stuart Facey is EMEA vice president at Bomgar