How SaaS companies should structure their Customer Support Teams?

A SaaS company or Software as a Service company is a company that provides a platform which can be used to host an application in a way that it can be accessed on the internet through the means of web-browser. The application software can be accessed easily from any device platform i.e. laptops, computers, tablets or mobile phones.

A SaaS based company works on the SaaS Business Model. The model consists of an organized framework of database, server and software. A SaaS company maintains these database, server and software to allow users to access their desired application over the internet.

There are many SaaS companies who have managed to integrate this SaaS business model into their structure and are able to enlist themselves as top SaaS companies. A list of SaaS companies is given below:

• Google
• Adobe
• Team
• Veeva
• Splunk
• HubSpot
• Microsoft
• Shopify

Of course, this list doesn’t end here, as there are many other SaaS companies that are running their operations successfully. But these big names have surely made it out to stand on the next level, and are considered as best SaaS companies in the world.

SaaS companies require a subscription fee from their customers. The subscription can vary as per the type of program selected by the customers.

The SaaS Market:

SaaS providers in market comprises of marketing and business operations which are consist of sales and purchase of SaaS cloud-based software. With rapid changes being faced by the businesses all over the world, the SaaS companies are creating a huge impact on the market.

Customer Support Service for SaaS Companies:

Customer support services are an essential part of any business model or any business organization. Their sole role is to provide the customers with the assistance they need with the customer service or product. They also help customers in resolving their queries.

It is hard to imagine the success of any company which does not care about its customers. There is no use of having lavish building structures and decorated interiors and high-definition products if the company does not know how to deal with the problem and queries of its customers.

The success of a SaaS company also depends upon the way it deals and acts to resolve the problems of its problems. For a SaaS company, forming a Customer Support Service Team of a person or two could be cited as an easy task, right? One may think that this task is easier than said done.

However, realities are always different. Hiring a team that comprises of only two persons can be a temporary solution and will not last long. The correspondents will soon become fatigued and tired and will no longer take any interest in doing their work. The task that was at least providing a connection between the customer and the company if it’s not there then the company will cripple down gradually.

So, what is the correct way to form a proper Customer Support Service for a SaaS company?

Forming a Compact Customer Service Support Structure:

Having a proper formed team structure is as important as having a team itself. Forming a structure may not seem like an idea that promotes liberation of the customer support team but, organization and discipline are necessary for any organization to develop and build itself. The most important benefit of forming a framework is that it will enable the company to perform its day-to-day activates in a smooth and aligned way. An organized customer support service is a source of growth, expansion and prosperity of the company.

Even if you are planning to form a small customer support service company, designing a framework that is properly “documented” and “listed” is important.

Tips For Forming An Effective and Stable Customer Support Service Structure:

It doesn’t matter if you want to make some reforms in your existing customer support service structure or if you are planning to build a whole new structure, below given tips will surely help you out.

• Allocating Channels to Your Support Agents:

If you are a SaaS company that provides customer support services by the means of email, phone, chat or if you are a SaaS company that takes customer support to next level by interacting with its customers using guided support or some other social media platform, one thing you can add in the basic framework of your customer support service is a provision of proper channels to the members of the team. Choose those who you think are appropriate to deal with chat, emails and look out for those who you think can deal better with the customers on guided support and phone calls. Putting focus of the members of your customer support service team on medium of communication as per their ability can help them in working efficiently. Although you can change their duties for the sake of change in taste.

1. Forming  A Connection and Collaboration Between the Teams:

Forming a collaboration between members of the customer support is another important step for the basic structure for your framework. There should be a connection between the one who is dealing with queries and complains on email and the one who is dealing with people on phone calls. The importance of this connection lies in the fact that sometimes, a customer may ask a bunch of questions on the internet and he may feel to communicate further for which he considers phone call an option and he and may feel the need to connect via call. Now the member of your customer support service responsible for handling the calls will have to deal with that customer. Here, a problem may be encountered as the customer and the member of your customer support service will have to go through the Q&A session again. The only solution to this problem is that you should have an integrated channel that form links between your customer support members so that they can assist each other in these types of situations.

1. Appointing Subject Matter Experts (SME):

The customer support agents you will have with you will surely vary in the amount of experience. Also, they will face different issues while on work. For instance, one customer service agent may face a question regarding the billing process while other may face a customer who is having trouble with technicalities of a product. Now this may happen that one of the agent may not be experienced with solving the technical issues and may require an upper-hand in the form of Subject Matter Experts. Of course majority of your customer support agents will be able to handle most of the problems, there may be times when one will not be able to handle a case in a better way and that is where the SME will come to their ease.

1. Creating learning and growth opportunities:

As discussed above, making a framework may seem like a progress that hinders the opportunities of progress and prosperity of the employees. However this is not the case as organization and discipline are necessary for growth and progress. Your SaaS’company should be able to provide the customer support agents opportunities of growth within their own domain. This can especially be achieved by asking them the methods they prefer for their growth and progress. The employees should be given a free-hand if they want to shift their job scope from one role to another. But this must be done in accordance with the employees’ abilities and interest in that particular area.

1. Innovations In the Customer Support Structure Should be Made in Accordance With Goals and Vision of the Company:

It is good to decide about re-structuring the tour customer support service’s structure. But if the innovations are made in such a way that your organization’s goals are going in one direction and innovation planning is going in another, then they will be of no use and will ultimately end up in a disaster. Therefore you should keep in mind the importance and value of your customer support team, because they are the ones who help you in acquiring the new customers and afterwards help you in retaining them too.

Therefore, you should keep in mind that all the upgradation process should be in accordance with the pre-defined objectives and vision of your company, and there should always be some room available for further improvement in the structure.

Conclusion:

• Customers are very important for a SaaS company if it wants to evolve and progress. Hence it is important that instead of trying to do everything in a quick way, take some time to plan and build your customer support team.

• Develop a framework that works best for your company as well as for the agents and members of your customer support staff.

• Having this approach for your company, customer support service team and your customers, you will soon be able to stand out in the crowd and create a new example among your competitors.