"Should we partner up with an outsourcing company for tech support?"
It is crucial to provide technical support to products users as a form of customer service. This builds relationships and sets up a reliable brand image that will eventually attract future prospects. Outsourcing, however, may or may not be the best option for a business. And this depends on several factors.
When should you outsource technical support?
Outsourcing is especially beneficial for small companies. It costs less than hiring an in-house employee or department. A dedicated outsourcing company also has extensive IT resources and employees trained in different technical areas. Large businesses, meanwhile, may already be capable of keeping an in-house team though they may still opt to outsource. They will need to find a reliable partner that can deal with any unique challenges or large-scale problems.
Outsourcing also makes for a better option for businesses that need to scale up or down, depending on the volume of tickets received. They can choose a vendor who will agree to adjust team size as needed, saving effort and costs.
On the other hand, businesses who would like to receive feedback directly for their or prefer to provide pro-active support that goes far beyond ticketing, it makes more sense to keep technical support in-house.
Finally, the decision should also be based on how issues can be resolved. If answers to potential issues can be compiled in a troubleshooting manual, tech support can be entrusted to outsourcing companies. However, if queries require comprehensive technical expertise in a particular field or quick inputs from the product teams, then it is better to build an in-house support team.
Overall, the decision depends on businesses' profile and needs, and this applies for both small and large enterprises. There are advantages to outsourcing technical support and also potential problems that may be encountered. A business may greatly benefit from outsourcing in costs, resources, and expertise, while others may find it more appropriate to keep the task in-house as appropriate for their goals.
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