3 Hidden Costs of Legacy Help Desk Platforms
It is easy to become complacent about a business’ help desk. As long as the number of service requests is within reason and there is no negative feedback, it is often presumed that all is well and that there is no need to switch over to a modern web based help desk platform. Unfortunately, there are hidden costs, both financial and operational, in staying with legacy systems. Often the extent of this cost is not realized until significant damage has been done to the business’ operations. Of the many negative factors in the continued use of legacy help desk platforms, there are three which cannot be ignored.
A business must continue to grow in order to survive. That means that the pressure on help desk services will increase. Users are no longer willing to be kept on hold until someone is able to talk to them. A help desk operator who is obviously handling multiple calls simultaneously while losing focus in dealing with each caller is a major cause of irritation for the customer. Also, users today have multiple connection options that only a web based help desk platform will be able to handle effectively. Legacy platforms cannot be customized. If the help desk cannot modify its support interface, the opportunities to present a professional appearance, increase efficiency and develop the business are lost.
Legacy platforms offer remote access to only specific systems and applications and their inability to support the latest in connectivity, security, diagnostics and reporting are serious weaknesses. The inability to provide full remote access and collaboration tools does not allow session reports, technician monitoring, customer survey or service request completion feedback. These are all available with a web based help desk. The resulting cost savings, less downtime for the user and reduced workload for the help desk all translate into increased efficiency and better results. Help desks are often under great pressure and this can result in a loss of morale and drop in the motivation levels of those who run them.
A web based help desk will automate a large amount of the work, ensure that no case is overlooked, automatically escalate delayed cases and generate all the metrics and data needed for operational analysis. The result will be increased efficiency and less stress on the workforce. Non-legacy systems will allow businesses to ameliorate results and increase the ability to interact with callers in a friendlier and relaxed manner.
Service revenue is a major source of income for businesses. Modern users need support via smartphones, laptops and landlines. The inability to address technical issues over varied platforms results not only in a deficiency of service and increased user dissatisfaction but also in the inability to offer new profitable services. A web based help desk will be able to offer all this. Also, upgrading to meet future technological developments is simple and fast requiring little or no disruption in help desk operations.
Change is inevitable. It is better to abandon legacy platforms and choose a web based help desk solution before the change is forced upon a business by problems in help desk operations which will have a domino effect on other operational areas.