Choosing Help Desk Software
There are so many help desk software providers out there, prices ranging from free to over $4,000 per advanced user (i.e. Technical Support Rep or Customer Support Rep) and a vast array of structures, web services, and features to choose, choosing the right help desk software for your organization can be a time sucking and aggravating process.
The purpose of this article is to attempt to and make easier the procedure for you. This article will address common issues that everyone in the help desk software market should understand before making the ultimate choice. Considering these issues will help you make a more knowledgable decision.
Help Desk Software – Architecture
The issue that seems to cause the most confusion in our industry is server/client web-enabled solutions (C/S) vs. 100% web-based solutions. In general, C/S architected solutions are dying breed. At one point, an great improvement over main frame solutions, C/S technology has been phased out due to the accesability and rewards of web-based solution structures. The main reason some helpdesk software businesses continue to sell C/S solutions is due to the fact that they do not have the development resources to adapt their older product to a web-based architecture. Some of the advantages that web-based solutions include over C/S solutions include:
- No client-side software install, updates, or support
- Log in from anywhere, anytime with any web browser
- Access to all features and functions at anytime and from any place
When you start to demo different customer support software solutions please take notice if you are required to load code on your computer to starts the demo. If so, you are not dealing with a business that offers a web-based solution. True web-based architectures need only a URL in order to see a demo.
So, if the vendor sends you a 5 MB exe. file to demo their solution, you are not looking at a 100% web based customer support software solution. The file that vendor is sending you is either front ending a C/S system or is a complete canned demo on your computer. Make sure you assess the solution you are going to purchase! If you do purchasea C/S solution, please note that web-enabled add-on modules wont give you full access to all of the features when you are in a browser on the web.
