In The Wake Of Explosion Of CRE-Centric Platforms, Customer Service Lags

The rapid adoption of technology in commercial real estate has left many perplexed, as the promise of game-changing apps often goes unfulfilled. Frequently, users’ capacity to unlock value is stymied by a lack of instruction or customer support needed to complement user interfaces. Impersonal or marginally accessible support can be a source of frustration and attrition.

"To get a substantial ROI with Software as a Service (SaaS) you really need to leverage the 'service,'" says Electronic Tenant Solutions president and CEO Ian O'Neil. "It’s a strong customer service and continuing education commitment tailored to a client's aspirations that delivers optimal app usage, facilitates best practices, disrupts antiquated processes, advances careers and empowers meaningful, valuable change."

According to an article by customer success software company Gainsight, client satisfaction and successful tech integration depend on three things: 

• Solution — a software product that delivers on its value proposition, accelerated by real-time visibility on how clients are using the products.
• Strategy — consistent retention of clients by nurturing close relationships and keeping lines of communication wide open.
• Team — an internal group of “doers” who not only respond to problems quickly and seamlessly, but also ensure clients are fully engaged with the technology, getting the value they expect from the product and the training and education modules.

The ETS team has internalized these three tenets and uses them as pillars to bolster a commitment to superlative customer service.

"Customer satisfaction is becoming one of the most important factors across all technology sectors, and is turbocharged by customer service," says ETS VP of account management Bryn Jerome. "A committed, experienced partner with a deep bench of expertise makes all the difference."

6 Things To Look For When Assessing Customer Support Capabilities

• A dedicated senior account manager who’s intimately familiar with the industry, client company leadership, asset managers, individual properties and the people that comprise every property management team.
• A team of seasoned experts made up of individuals with diverse experience, ranging from graphic design to programming, communications, workflow, copywriting, clerical services and training—appropriate members of this team should be on call at every property's disposal day in and day out.
• A deployment strategy. The resurgence of "DIY" does not extend into the realm of technology. Successful deployment depends on a committed team that listens to clients, collects the requisite materials, and affirms the continuation of the property brand, meeting content and data needs. The team must also be involved in facilitating property-by-property customization and programs apps, and should provide and populate content while understanding and optimizing workflow.
• Education efforts and outreach to get property teams (and tenants) using applications entails a standardized, but evolving curriculum with regular training sessions. These sessions should foster continued collaboration that leverages best practices in operations.
• Multi-channel access to support is key to satisfaction. Providing clients a seamless and fast connection to support on the platform that’s most convenient for them, whether in person or by phone, email, chat, video conference, screen share, web conference, etc., is pivotal to customer service.
• Support that’s free, factored into subscription fees for software, is essential. Clients don't want to feel nickeled and dimed to get the most out of their investment. No one should be reluctant to ask questions for fear of a bill.

ETS takes a holistic view that necessarily encompasses customer service. Its customer service team is constantly evaluating how good a job it’s doing aligning with the above criteria. ETS boasts a dedicated account management division, there from day one of deployment, and an education and training team that keeps existing clients abreast of product updates, new features and best practices. ETS also empowers clients with anytime access to a suite of product resources, and its team understands what it means to be present and responsive to clients’ needs.

To learn more about ETS, click here.