56945-9 The first complete, real-world guide to building and running help desks and software support centers. Quality software support is now a fundamental differentiator in satisfying both your external and internal customers. And in today's high-pressure, heterogeneous computing environments, it's more difficult to deliver quality support than ever before. The Art of Software Support' gives you proven, best-in-class integrated tools and techniques for structuring and operating a customer-focused support organization--and for overcoming the crisis mentality that's so common in support organizations. Whether you're starting a software support or help desk organization, or seeking to improve the one you already have, you'll find invaluable guidance on: *Choosing and implementing the call management model that's right for your organization. *Selecting tools--including phone systems, fax systems, knowledge bases, customer tracking applications, and other software. *Measuring support center performance. *Packaging support programs that can make your organization a profit center. Learn when to outsource--and when not to.And discover practical, easy-to-implement ideas for every stage of the software lifecycle, from new product planning and testing, to managing software bugs and fixes.
The Art of Software Support also gives you time-and-money-saving tools you can use right now, including: *A sample user's guide. *Call resolution checklists. *Worksheets for determining staffing levels and justifying budgets. Perhaps most important, The Art of Software Support offers practical help with the tough challenge of supervising support people. You'll learn how to determine staffing levels, hire the right people--and keep them, even in difficult times. Whether you manage software support, or you're a support engineer working "in the trenches," The Art of Software Support will dramatically enhance your effectiveness.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Verlagsgruppe
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Maße
Höhe: 242 mm
Breite: 185 mm
Dicke: 28 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-13-569450-3 (9780135694503)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
1. Introduction.
2. Call Management Models.
Achieving Customer Satisfaction. Call Flow Models. Other Call Management Considerations. Escalations.
3. Call Management Implementation.
Hotline Support Basics. Phone Interface. Call Routing. Escalation Management. Non-phone Based Support. Disaster Recovery Planning.
4. Measuring Support Center Performance.
Important Process Metrics. Customer Satisfaction. Analysis Metrics.
5. Packaging Support Programs.
What is a support package and why create one? Defining Successful Support Packages. Pricing and Selling Support Packages. Sample Support Offerings.
6. Support Organization Structure.
Do I need an organization dedicated to Support? Third-Party Support: Outsourcing. Reporting Structure. Do I need more than one Center? Internal Structure of the Support Group.
7. Managing Support People.
Planning Support Staffing Needs. Hiring Support Staff. Managing Support Staff Performance. Retaining Support Staff. Managing Morale.
8. Managing Software Bugs and Code Fixes.
Definitions and Models for Bug Fixing. Bug Fixing Process. Fixes for Third-Party Products.
9. Tools for Software-Support.
Choosing, Justifying, and Implementing Tools. Phone System. Fax System. Call Tracking System. Bug Tracking System. Knowledge Base System. Proactive Customer Communication Systems. Customer Tracking System. Problem Reproduction Environment. Call Center Management Applications. Facilities.
10. New Product Planning.
Planning for New Products. Training for New Products. Testing for New Products.
Appendix A. Sample User's Guide.
Appendix B. Call Resolution Overview.
Framing the Call. Problem Solving. Creative Brainstorming. Checking Satisfaction.
Appendix C. Determining Staffing Levels.
Deriving a Staffing Level Knowing the Service Target. Deriving a Service Level from the Staffing Level. Effect of Call Length on Service Level. Theoretical Proof of "Big is beautiful".
Appendix D. Creating and Justifying a Support Center Budget.
Justifying a Support Center Budget. Building a Support Center Budget.
Bibliography.
Index.
