Today we take an interview from the Chief of Technical Support of KCTsoft company Iazykov Alexey. We will try to learn more about recent changes in the work of technical support.
– Hello Alexey, recently on the website of your company kctsoft.ru were published regulations and prices for techsupport. What caused changes in company’s policy, why tech support has become chargeable and what’s the basis of forming such rates, many believe that they are quite high?
– I must say that technical support was never free. Now, as before, program includes from 6 to 12 months of standard technical support. In their expiry, consultations made by our company’s staff were voluntarily. Now it has been decided to streamline the process and to transfer it on a contractual basis, with the corresponding regulations, staff structure and service control. Prices for services are formed in accordance with the requirements of the market, are they high or not – depends on the situation, I think. You can compare the monthly cost of the advanced technical support as the most expensive of the available plans, with the amount of average wage of worker, which would have to perform the same task in any case, for example, for configurating the directories or for keep them up to date state. I think the comparison will be in our favor. Also we guarantee that the technical support consists of the qualified specialists, which will quickly and correctly solve the problem.
– Tell us, has the organization of technical support changed? Was made something new or you have just installed price tags?
– Answering the first question , I have already touched on some of that moment. Yes, it changed. Absolutely all clients’ treatment are now being registered. They are being monitored. Any appeal of the client is now being closed only after his confirmation of getting answer for question. According to results over a certain period of time the company managers make decision on the effectiveness of technical support personnel with introduction of appropriate corrective measures, if it’s necessary. Including up to changing staff of the service, its functions and regulations.
– What other services can users expect in addition to usual tips?
– In addition to the consultations included in the standard support plan, as part of the advanced one being made search and fix of errors in client’s configurations, configuration of program directories by the client’s request up to the introduction of new profiles’ systems. For more information you can read our website.
-What kind of questions do you answer the most often?
-Most of all, perhaps, the question “the program calculates wrong…”. We have to investigate the configuration of client’s database and make recommendations on changes to the settings. Or, in case of standard techsupport, to indicate at what particular items of configuration should the user pay attention by himself.
– Does it mean, that the most often problems arise because of some of users actions?
-Basically yes. Most problems with calculations of something are related to incorrect settings changes.
– Are there any flaws in the program itself?
– Of course. Do you know our proverb: “Not God but man makes pot and pan”? Here is the same, programmers and software architects are not gods, errors may be made at any stage. The bulk of them, of course, being eliminated in the testing phase, but in the release version sometimes happens to find something missed. We try to fix such things as quickly as possible, and new build of program is usually being issued after that. The same goes for some architectural decisions – made some changes to the program – released new build.
– When you produce new build is it available for everyone of only for those who have acquired technical support?
– Of course for everyone, we do not believe that we have right to refuse to users in fixed, updated and improved versions of already acquired program, or require money for it.
-If the person without paid technical support will contact you – will you help?
– Of course we try to answer for not big questions, but if for solving problem it’s necessary to search for database, check settings or functional of program’s calculation part – then it belongs to the paid version of techsupport. Accordingly, to the applier will be asked to continue the dialogue within any of selected plans of technical support.
– One more question, are any changes in the work of technical support planned in the future?
– Of course, there will be some changes. Since the problems of the people appear suddenly and not all are prepared for them in advance, including the timely paying for techsupport services. Perhaps we will consider some options for even more flexible and urgent providing of our services. But this question would require detailed study after accumulation of statistical appeals.
Alexey, many thanks for your answers, I think now for me and for other clients of your company became clear that all the innovations aimed at improving the service.
Dokaev Ruslan
KCT soft©