CRM system or Help Desk? What is the fundamental difference, where does the confusion come from, and what is on the Help Desk market?
First, we wanted to write about how our cloud startup Okdesk “flew” in 2017, but having received requests for a “CRM system” one of these days, we decided to expand the article a little :)
The result was an exhaustive answer to several questions at once: “Why are Help Desk systems often called CRMs?” “Is there an essential difference, and if so, at what level?”
“What automates most CRM systems?” “How do Help Desk solutions differ?”.
The answers, of course, are supported by the statistics of the popularity of CRM and Help Desk systems abroad and in Russia.
')
Well, for the results and development plans of Okdesk - the first specialized solution for automating the support processes for service companies, the place remains at the very end.
About CRM on Habré many articles are written enough. It seems that there are no longer those who would not know this abbreviation. However, CRM in the eyes of many has become a kind of universal system, when it comes to the client. Let's see once and for all why this is not completely true.
If you do not go into the lyrics, the CRM system is a program to account for all relationships with customers (in the conversational "customer management system") at all stages of the life cycle. However, the majority of CRM, especially for small and medium businesses, are “sharpened” at the stage of selling goods / services and automating the process of increasing lead conversion into sales (or Sales Force Automation ).
It turns out that the overwhelming majority of CRM systems are aimed at solving 3 main tasks:
That is why the CRM system - in the first place became the main tool for salespeople and their managers.
As a consequence, the main object of most CRM are transactions and tasks that need to be carried out by the sales person to complete the funnel transaction. As part of the sales process, tasks may arise for colleagues from related departments: marketing, accounting, or even implementation, but these are, rather, secondary activities.
The main work in CRM is completed at the moment of transfer of the lead to the client, that is, at the time of payment for your goods or services. Further, depending on the business and its specifics, with the client can:
The key difference is that Help Desk (or Service Desk - without going into terminological disputes) solutions are not focused on sales, but on pre-sales and lower outflow .
At this stage, the main work takes place not with the lead (hypothetical client), but with the customer on a contractual basis in the case of B2B. It is at this moment that quantitative and qualitative obligations appear, which are often called SLA ( Service Level Agreement ) and which we must comply with before the customer. The purpose of these obligations is to maintain the efficiency of the provided and supported services of the client in such a way as to minimize the impact of negative consequences on the business. Repair what has broken, replace what has failed, help to do its work in the “typical” mode.
As part of solving customer requests, the processes become more complex than the sales process. Including because the person in charge is not an account, but specialists of various qualifications, and sometimes attracted third-party contractors, vendors, etc. And, most importantly, these processes have mandatory time parameters for the solution - the very same SLAs.
Simplified, the goal of any Help Desk system, in addition to eliminating the loss of requests from customers, as quickly as possible to solve the problem. This primarily affects the ultimate customer satisfaction. If his applications are resolved in accordance with his expectations and, ideally, the obligations of the contractor, he will be satisfied and will not try to find another supplier for after-sales service.
Thus, the Help Desk system and support processes directly affect the duration of customer interaction with the company and, as a result, LTV ( Life-Time Value ).
As various Western studies show, this is critically important because:
Thus, if the reader has a clearer analogy, then the Help Desk is a CRM for pre-sales and increasing LTV .
Why do so many people still persistently call the Help Desk system CRM?
There are a couple of hypotheses to explain:
The graphs of requests over the past 5 years at Google confirm the increased “demand” for CRM systems.
And the graphs clearly show how in Russia the attitude to help desk systems and after-sales service automation is immature and lagging behind the west (the ratio of “crm software” and “helpdesk software” queries for the USA is 3-3.5, for Russia it’s about infinity :) )
And what about the HelpDesk systems market? It turns out that not all of them are “equally useful.” Even inside Helpdesk there is a division into parts of the segments to which they are oriented and the tasks that they solve.
All Help desks can be divided into 3 main classes (without taking into account the average receipt):
The first class is characterized by automation “in depth” and a focus on infrastructure (resource-service models, service catalog, continuity management, that's all).
In such systems, one cannot do without integration with “internal” applications: monitoring, MS Active Directory, MS SCCM to synchronize data on internal hardware and software, etc.
The best-known solutions on the market are HP Service Manager, ServiceNow, BMC Remedy. From Russian or "Slavic" - Naumen Service Desk, BPM Online. Almost all of these solutions are flexible platforms with a very inhuman price tag for small and medium businesses.
Customer Service tools are focused on mass service on typical issues and not necessarily at the stage of after-sales service. Where it is important to record appeals from anyone along all user-friendly channels (therefore, one of the key functions is integration with social networks) and to offer tools for a mass solution (response templates). Such helpdesks are very popular when interacting with physicists - in banks, online stores, MFIs, etc.
Here the key players are Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout, Kayako.
For a long time without the specialized solution remained the same 3rd class - the segment of support b2b. And above all, medium and small service companies working with legal entities on a contractual basis. Those companies in which it is important:
Companies where services are business, or at least its large and important part, for example:
Due to the lack of a ready-made specialized Help Desk system, such companies for a long time were forced to use the solutions of the first two classes or write “samopiski” ( note that, according to our research, more than 90% of such companies still use Excel as an automation tool. or paper journals - the graphics above confirm that people don't know anything about the help desk of the system ).
But now for this segment there is a specialized Help Desk solution - Okdesk, which we have been actively developing since this spring.
Last year, we briefly told Habré about our plans for 2017 .
In the outgoing 2017, we have done much more than planned. Note only the largest “blocks”:
By the end of the year, the most functional of all the Telegram bot systems analyzed by us Help Desk systems for applicants will also appear. In fact, it will be similar to a mobile application, which allows not only to register applications, but also to add comments, evaluate a decision, etc.
These and many other activities have allowed us to “jump up” to almost 150 paid active clients this year. And this is just the beginning.
Our customers are forcing us to actively move forward, and that is why we have even more ambitious plans for the 2018th year. Here are just a small part of what we plan to implement in the coming year:
Follow our changes and please do not call the Help Desk of the CRM system again :)
Upcoming holidays! May all of us succeed in all our plans!
The result was an exhaustive answer to several questions at once: “Why are Help Desk systems often called CRMs?” “Is there an essential difference, and if so, at what level?”
“What automates most CRM systems?” “How do Help Desk solutions differ?”.
The answers, of course, are supported by the statistics of the popularity of CRM and Help Desk systems abroad and in Russia.
')
Well, for the results and development plans of Okdesk - the first specialized solution for automating the support processes for service companies, the place remains at the very end.
CRM system. Application and real field of automation
About CRM on Habré many articles are written enough. It seems that there are no longer those who would not know this abbreviation. However, CRM in the eyes of many has become a kind of universal system, when it comes to the client. Let's see once and for all why this is not completely true.
If you do not go into the lyrics, the CRM system is a program to account for all relationships with customers (in the conversational "customer management system") at all stages of the life cycle. However, the majority of CRM, especially for small and medium businesses, are “sharpened” at the stage of selling goods / services and automating the process of increasing lead conversion into sales (or Sales Force Automation ).
It turns out that the overwhelming majority of CRM systems are aimed at solving 3 main tasks:
- accounting of all leads (contacts who are somehow interested in your product / service)
- accounting of all interactions with the lead (calls, letters, answers in social networks and chat rooms, etc.)
- automation of interaction processes in order to maximize lead-to-sales (conversion)
That is why the CRM system - in the first place became the main tool for salespeople and their managers.
As a consequence, the main object of most CRM are transactions and tasks that need to be carried out by the sales person to complete the funnel transaction. As part of the sales process, tasks may arise for colleagues from related departments: marketing, accounting, or even implementation, but these are, rather, secondary activities.
The main work in CRM is completed at the moment of transfer of the lead to the client, that is, at the time of payment for your goods or services. Further, depending on the business and its specifics, with the client can:
- there are no interactions;
- be transferred to the implementation department - if it is a project;
- or, in the ideal case in B2B, transferring a client for maintenance / subscription services ( note is surprising, but most organizations still do business at the level of one-time projects and do not even think about what you can and should make money on after-sales service ).
Help Desk and Service Desk. What is the difference from CRM?
The key difference is that Help Desk (or Service Desk - without going into terminological disputes) solutions are not focused on sales, but on pre-sales and lower outflow .
At this stage, the main work takes place not with the lead (hypothetical client), but with the customer on a contractual basis in the case of B2B. It is at this moment that quantitative and qualitative obligations appear, which are often called SLA ( Service Level Agreement ) and which we must comply with before the customer. The purpose of these obligations is to maintain the efficiency of the provided and supported services of the client in such a way as to minimize the impact of negative consequences on the business. Repair what has broken, replace what has failed, help to do its work in the “typical” mode.
As part of solving customer requests, the processes become more complex than the sales process. Including because the person in charge is not an account, but specialists of various qualifications, and sometimes attracted third-party contractors, vendors, etc. And, most importantly, these processes have mandatory time parameters for the solution - the very same SLAs.
Simplified, the goal of any Help Desk system, in addition to eliminating the loss of requests from customers, as quickly as possible to solve the problem. This primarily affects the ultimate customer satisfaction. If his applications are resolved in accordance with his expectations and, ideally, the obligations of the contractor, he will be satisfied and will not try to find another supplier for after-sales service.
Thus, the Help Desk system and support processes directly affect the duration of customer interaction with the company and, as a result, LTV ( Life-Time Value ).
As various Western studies show, this is critically important because:
- 66% of customers in the B2B segment have ceased to cooperate with the supplier after facing poor service (note the link to the study );
- retention of 5% of current customers can bring in an additional 25% to 95% of profit to the company; (note the link to the study )
- depending on the industry, attracting new customers can cost 5-10 times more than retaining an existing customer
Thus, if the reader has a clearer analogy, then the Help Desk is a CRM for pre-sales and increasing LTV .
CRM and HelpDesk. Where did the confusion come from? Some statistics.
Why do so many people still persistently call the Help Desk system CRM?
There are a couple of hypotheses to explain:
- CRM, by definition, must “close” all aspects of customer interaction at all stages (from marketing to call center and support processes). Therefore, we continue to wishful thinking. As we can see, most of the CRM systems are focused on the sales stage (for about 10+ years, I have never seen a single CRM system in which I managed to implement all the planned aspects ).
- The term “request from client / client request” is equally suitable for the initial treatment and “entry” into the sales process, which means in CRM, and for after-sales service and “entry” into the Help Desk. From that everything that is connected with taking into account applications and client applications - for the majority concerns CRM.
- CRM market in Russia is more formed. For the last 3-5 years, we have heard from every “speaker” about sales and the need to use similar systems to automate sales. De facto, any solution for interacting with the client, the audience has become the default CRM.
The graphs of requests over the past 5 years at Google confirm the increased “demand” for CRM systems.
And the graphs clearly show how in Russia the attitude to help desk systems and after-sales service automation is immature and lagging behind the west (the ratio of “crm software” and “helpdesk software” queries for the USA is 3-3.5, for Russia it’s about infinity :) )
Help Desk system. Classification
And what about the HelpDesk systems market? It turns out that not all of them are “equally useful.” Even inside Helpdesk there is a division into parts of the segments to which they are oriented and the tasks that they solve.
All Help desks can be divided into 3 main classes (without taking into account the average receipt):
- Solutions for automating the provision of IT services "inside" the company (they are also called ITSM solutions or ITIL oriented). In recent years, there has clearly been a trend to use and to automate the provision of all services “inside” the company, and not just IT.
- Solutions to automate mass support for finite “physicists” (the so-called Customer Service or Customer Support solutions).
- Solutions for automating external support in service companies operating under subscription and after-sales service agreements (b2b support).
ITSM solutions
The first class is characterized by automation “in depth” and a focus on infrastructure (resource-service models, service catalog, continuity management, that's all).
In such systems, one cannot do without integration with “internal” applications: monitoring, MS Active Directory, MS SCCM to synchronize data on internal hardware and software, etc.
The best-known solutions on the market are HP Service Manager, ServiceNow, BMC Remedy. From Russian or "Slavic" - Naumen Service Desk, BPM Online. Almost all of these solutions are flexible platforms with a very inhuman price tag for small and medium businesses.
Customer Service Solutions
Customer Service tools are focused on mass service on typical issues and not necessarily at the stage of after-sales service. Where it is important to record appeals from anyone along all user-friendly channels (therefore, one of the key functions is integration with social networks) and to offer tools for a mass solution (response templates). Such helpdesks are very popular when interacting with physicists - in banks, online stores, MFIs, etc.
Here the key players are Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout, Kayako.
Help Desk to automate the support of legal entities
For a long time without the specialized solution remained the same 3rd class - the segment of support b2b. And above all, medium and small service companies working with legal entities on a contractual basis. Those companies in which it is important:
- fix client requests, including in relation to locations or service objects;
- comply with contractual obligations and SLA;
- keep records of supported client equipment and software;
- be able to provide and one-time work or services for an additional fee on the price list;
- build transparent customer relationships (b2b support feature), etc.
Companies where services are business, or at least its large and important part, for example:
- Maintenance of specialized equipment and software (office equipment, video surveillance, intercoms, KKT, barriers, elevators, and so on).
- Developers and vendors.
- IT outsourcing.
- Operation of commercial real estate (business and shopping centers).
- Digital agencies and web studios.
Due to the lack of a ready-made specialized Help Desk system, such companies for a long time were forced to use the solutions of the first two classes or write “samopiski” ( note that, according to our research, more than 90% of such companies still use Excel as an automation tool. or paper journals - the graphics above confirm that people don't know anything about the help desk of the system ).
But now for this segment there is a specialized Help Desk solution - Okdesk, which we have been actively developing since this spring.
All that is acquired by overwork. Plans for 2018
Last year, we briefly told Habré about our plans for 2017 .
In the outgoing 2017, we have done much more than planned. Note only the largest “blocks”:
- released and already several times updated the functions of the mobile application for field professionals. To date, more than 1,000 engineers in the fields have successfully used it in their daily activities;
- released several modules important for the industry: accounting for serviced equipment and software, accounting for service facilities or locations within one client, “Knowledge Base” and others;
- implemented the mechanism of automatic actions, which are the point of expansion of business logic and allow to solve very specific tasks arising in the processes of support of various companies;
- integrated with more than 25 PBXs;
- developed a mechanism of "nested" applications to attract sub-partners and contractors;
- maximally simplified work with attachments: drag-n-drop, preview files directly in Okdesk;
- updated the interface and made the mechanism of disconnected modules - to further simplify the work in the Help Desk of those who do not need to use the “Price List” or “Equipment”;
- moved to the new infrastructure , which made it possible to do work in Okdesk even faster;
- implemented a couple of large modules that have not yet received wide publicity and are being tested in closed mode.
By the end of the year, the most functional of all the Telegram bot systems analyzed by us Help Desk systems for applicants will also appear. In fact, it will be similar to a mobile application, which allows not only to register applications, but also to add comments, evaluate a decision, etc.
These and many other activities have allowed us to “jump up” to almost 150 paid active clients this year. And this is just the beginning.
Our customers are forcing us to actively move forward, and that is why we have even more ambitious plans for the 2018th year. Here are just a small part of what we plan to implement in the coming year:
- more flexible rules for automating and calculating the SLA from the interface;
- the mechanism of regular service applications;
- tool for planning the loading of engineers;
- development of modules for working with equipment and customers;
- some very interesting industry integrations.
Follow our changes and please do not call the Help Desk of the CRM system again :)
Upcoming holidays! May all of us succeed in all our plans!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/343976/
All Articles