You only have one opportunity to make a first impression with customers. Anything less than impressive could mean losing business to your competition.
Both customer and technical support play valuable roles in creating impactful customer experiences. If executed well, businesses can build long-term customer relationships and even increase revenue:
- Nearly all customers believe customer service is important for brand loyalty.
- 73% of companies with above-average customer experiences are in better financial positions than their competitors.
Below, we’ll discuss the main differences between technical and customer support and explain how both are key to your business’s success.
Technical support role and key responsibilities
Customers who encounter set-up or performance issues after purchasing a product/service want immediate assistance.
The main job of a technical support (or ‘tech support’) team is to help customers resolve technical difficulties with a particular product. Companies can offer tech support to customers through channels like:
- Live chat
- Social media
- Phone
A technical support representative is responsible for determining what doesn’t work and finding a solution. And they must deliver these fixes as quickly as possible.
Instant service is “crucial” or “very important” for 90% of customers. Promptly resolving issues helps customers trust you and encourages lasting relationships.
It may seem obvious, but tech support agents must have technical expertise.
Customers turn to support agents when they encounter problems with a product or service. If agents don’t understand what the caller is referring to, communication between parties will inevitably break down. A lack of understanding and resolution will contribute to a poor customer experience.
A tech support team member also needs strong problem-solving skills. They must assess the situation, identify the root cause of the issue, and suggest a solution. Working under pressure while maintaining a positive and professional attitude is key.
Since no two customers are the same, a technical support agent must be flexible in delivering solutions. Some callers may have limited technical knowledge, while others just need a reminder of an important step. Agents should be able to explain complex solutions clearly so all customers can understand.
What key skills are needed for customer support?
Customer support should make a customer feel valued and heard. This type of support addresses general inquiries and should focus on high customer satisfaction with every call.
Customer support can be anything from answering product-related questions to providing customer-specific recommendations based on their preferences.
For instance, the customer support team of an e-commerce brand might expect inquiries about:
- Placing orders
- Moving around the company’s website/app
- Handling returns or exchanges
Good communication is a must-have skill for any customer support team member. Whether you communicate with customers via email or phone, active listening ensures you fully understand each customer’s situation.
Active listening goes beyond hearing the customer’s words. You must interpret the tone, context, and emotions to effectively handle their concerns.
In some situations, you’ll need to initiate communication with customers. You may have to follow up on previous inquiries, inform a customer about an update or change to their account, or reach out to ensure satisfaction after resolving an issue. Being proactive can reassure customers that you care.
Empathy and adaptability are other necessary skills of customer support agents. Each customer interaction will differ from the last, and every customer deserves kindness and understanding.
Efficiency is critical, as more than half of customers stop purchasing from a company due to slow response times. Although the average response time is 12 hours and 10 minutes, 85% of customers expect a response within six hours.
Responding quickly to customer support issues can be challenging for a small team. However, customers can expect timely and helpful responses when your business uses a professional answering service. Live agents provide support 24/7, so customers can get answers to their inquiries whenever they contact your business.
Differences between customer support and technical support
What sets customer support and technical support apart is their primary goal:
Technical support tackles specific tech issues, and customer support handles general inquiries.
Both support types deliver solutions that cater to different customer needs. The chart below summarizes the main differences between customer support and tech support:
| Customer support | Technical support | |
| Scope | Handling general inquiries | Handling technical issues |
| Expertise | Interpersonal skills | Specialized knowledge |
| Resolution focus | Customer satisfaction | Complex problems |
Picture this: You’ve just bought a new piece of software for your team. You’re excited, but you run into a snag during setup. You reach out to the company’s helpline – and you’re greeted by a helpful voice who quickly identifies the problem and walks you through the fix. That’s technical support.
A week later, you’ve got a question about your billing cycle and whether you can upgrade your plan. You contact the same company and get an equally helpful, friendly agent who talks you through your options. That’s customer support.
Both experiences leave you feeling supported and valued – and more likely to stick with the company long-term.
Technical and customer support: Impact on business success
You must do your best to stand out in your industry. Focusing on your customer experience provides that opportunity.
Businesses can deliver the experience customers want and have come to expect through excellent technical and customer support.
Nearly three-quarters of people cite customer experience as an essential factor when purchasing, yet only 49% say companies deliver a positive one. So, when your company provides an exceptional customer experience, it has much to gain.
Good customer service experiences make people feel appreciated and give your business that human element. Some customers will even pay more when dealing with a brand known for good customer service experiences – up to 16% on a product or service.
A positive experience goes further than making one customer happy. It can lead 72% of customers to refer your business to six or more people. With every successful experience, you can enhance your company’s reputation, too.
Technical and customer support help build loyal advocates without extra advertising costs. Almost all customers who receive excellent customer service will make a future purchase.
And it’s not just the customers who are happy.
Strong customer support can positively affect your employees. Companies that prioritize the customer experience have 1.5 times more engaged employees than less customer-focused businesses.
Why and when your business needs customer and technical support
As different as they are, businesses need both customer and technical support. This is especially true if your company offers complex products or digital services.
As your business grows, the need for both support types becomes even more important. A larger customer base will likely require more diverse solutions to meet their individual needs.
Having both kinds of support will ensure a smooth customer experience, one that prioritizes the customer while delivering quick fixes.
Outsourcing customer service can also free up time for internal teams to deliver specialized technical support.
| GEEK911, a technology solution provider, partnered with AnswerConnect to do this. Entrusting a professional answering service allows GEEK911’s employees to focus on providing technology solutions to its customers. As a result, customers now receive a consistently high level of service and access to a real person whenever they call. GEEK911 customers are happy to receive timely responses, while employees never have to worry about missing a call. |
Ready to elevate your customer experience?
Whether you need technical support, customer support – or both – AnswerConnect gives your customers real conversations with real people, 24/7.
Discover how our answering service can help you deliver better support and build stronger relationships.
Quick takeaways
- Technical support handles product or service issues, while customer support addresses everyday concerns.
- Both technical and customer support should enhance the customer experience.
- Great customer experiences help increase loyalty, create more referrals, and generate more revenue.
- Executing both customer and tech support well can contribute to a seamless customer experience.
- A professional answering service can improve customer support, allowing internal teams to concentrate on technical support.
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary difference lies in their focus: tech support fixes technical issues, while customer support answers general inquiries and concentrates on customer happiness.
If your customer base is expanding and you offer multiple products or services, implementing both types of support may be the next step. If you’re unsure, ask yourself: Are all of my customers’ needs met by the current support model? If not, it may be time to reevaluate.
When customer support and technical support are executed well, businesses can expect loyal customers, positive reviews, and plenty of new customers through referrals!
An answering service can provide businesses with 24/7 phone coverage. This level of service helps businesses keep costs low and your internal team focused on other important tasks. It also means your customers will always speak with a real person, not a bot or voicemail.
