Setting up and running a successful business isn’t easy. You must offer a product customers want and are willing to purchase. Besides, customers should feel you care about them at every phase of their purchase journey. One of the aspects clients pay attention to is how you offer technical support. For instance, a customer may want to know how to set up an electronic from your store, and it is where technical support comes in handy. If you don’t take this aspect seriously, you’ll likely lose the customer to your competitors.

You may be wondering if there is any distinction between customer support and technical support. While the ultimate support of both is to improve customers’ support experiences, the technical support team only handles the technical aspects of the product in question; how to set up an application, use it the right way, and any operational problems after the purchase of the product. On the other hand, customer support deals with issues such as problems with product delivery, return, and subscriptions. So, how do you hire, train, and retain top talent in your technical support department? Let’s explore.

Assess Your Customers’ Needs

Building a technical support team is essential when offering a product customers may require technical assistance with. But you can’t create this department blindly; it has to serve its purpose of improving your brand. Listen to your customers before you proceed to the next level. Here’re the signals that you should revamp your technical support team as part of the dedicated customer service:

  • A reduction in the rate of increase of new customers
  • You no longer have repeat customers/a reduction in customer loyalty
  • Many unanswered queries from the customers

When setting up tech support for the first time, you should assess the customers’ specific needs. The requirements vary depending on the product on offer and the size of the business. For example, a business that sells IT-related products has customers who require assistance with aspects such as installation, software configuration, replacement of damaged hardware parts, and online security, among others. If you handle many customers, you should have an appropriate number of tech support experts, as your clients may require 24/7 support. When you build a tech team with your customers in mind, you increase the chances of prospering.

Hire People With the Right Skills

At this point, you already know the requirements of your business. It’s now time to hire experts who can serve your customers. Remember, the quality of customer support you offer depends on the skill set of the individuals you hire. So the first aspect of analyzing before you hire a person is their technical know-how. Ask questions that are related to the product you offer. If you design software, your potential employees should understand software installation procedures, different operating systems, and how to enhance software performance.

Secondly, you should have a technical support team structure comprising individuals who understand the industry and what your business stands for. In some cases, you’ll find talented people who are fresh from college. Such individuals may not have a clear picture of how the industry operates. If you feel such people are ambitious enough and can drive your business to the next level, hire them. You can then train them on how to approach challenges in the industry and your business in specific.

Don’t forget about soft skills during your hiring process. For instance, a tech support expert should know how to communicate with people. In most cases, they are in direct touch with the customer. When these experts communicate appropriately, they give the best impression of your business to existing and new customers. Given that these experts solve problems, you should also hire people with analytical skills. Such individuals can closely assess customers’ problems and provide effective solutions. Adaptability is another skill you shouldn’t overlook; adaptable people can offer the best technical support even when customers need change.

Create a Fantastic Working Environment

After you hire a team of talented and dedicated technical support experts, the next step is to retain them. The best way to retain talent is to create an excellent working environment. First, you should build a team of individuals who are willing to work together. Constant conflicts can result in huge employee turnover, and you don’t want this. So you should hire people who are willing to work with each other. Collaboration facilitates smooth operation and increases the level of productivity of the business while enhancing employee engagement.

Another practical approach for retaining talent is offering competitive compensation. If you compensate your tech support employees for the value they provide, they’re less likely to be tempted to apply for jobs in other organizations. You can also offer other employment benefits such as paid vacations, team-building events, and employee discounts. Workplace flexibility also makes your tech support team comfortable with working for you. For example, make it possible for these people to work from wherever they are.

Conduct Regular Assessments/Analysis and Training

 

You should assess your technical support team’s performance to determine whether you’re moving in the right direction. Have specific KPIs that you can analyze from time to time. An example of a KPI for the technical support team is technical issues resolved. Others include the number of new customers gained and customer return rates. Reward those who post fantastic stats to encourage others to work harder. Also, suggest changes your team can make to improve areas where it isn’t doing well. Lastly, remember technology changes. So you should train your team to keep up with the changes in the industry.

Bottom Line

Building a robust technical support team can tremendously propel your business to prosperity. Establishing this team begins by assessing the specific needs of your business and the questions your customers ask frequently. Then hire talented experts with technical and soft skills, and ensure you create a comfortable working space for them. Most importantly, evaluate your team’s performance and make changes where necessary.