Support or Success – What Type of Post Sales Service Portfolio Do You Need?
It Is Time to Move Beyond Support Portfolios
Support and maintenance portfolios have been the foundation of many post-sales service offers, yet Support offers alone are no longer adequate to sustain and growth customer relationship value. Modernization of support portfolios and the evolution to success-focused programs and offers is the future of post-sales service portfolios.
Support Versus Success
If you are creating or modernizing a post-sales portfolio that offers customers more than reactive problem resolution assistance you are likely building a success portfolio.
Success portfolios differ from support portfolios because they offer services typically beyond the scope of technical support and often include services and resources from departments such as Training, Professional Services and Technical Support.
The focus and intent of post sales services programs help to define the type of portfolio you are building and suggests what entitlements to package and offer to customers. Use the table below to consider what the focus and intent of your post service offers should be.
Support |
Success |
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Note: Success Portfolios often include support services, but Support portfolios do not include services beyond traditional issue resolution entitlements.
Characteristics of Leading Post Sales Service Portfolios
Well-defined post-sales service portfolios with up-to-date and customer-driven service entitlements can significantly increase your ability to help customers use and apply products.
Market leading service portfolios are well structured to offer differentiated service rights, entitlements, and resources to deliver maximum customer benefit. World-class service portfolios offer:
- Access to skills, resources and expertise from across all service departments including Support, Professional Services, Education and Success.
- Flexible program structure and purchase options provide access to the services customers need when they need it even as their needs evolve.
- Expert assistance to drive tangible outcomes and achieve quantifiable benefits for the price paid.
Take Your Services to the Next Level
Is it time to update your Support portfolio or add Customer Success programs extensions and add-ons? Give us a call. We can help you define, price, and launch successful new service offers.
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Treat Your Service Portfolio as a Product Line
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Support Pricing Benchmarks
Setting the correct price for your support programs begins with a baseline understanding of what your market will bear but ultimately the price must be based on the type and level and entitlements offered. The average prices for support programs range from 15.6 percent for a basic level of support to more than 26 percent for a high-end premium offer.
Stop Selling Support and Start Selling Success
It is no longer enough to attach a support program to a product sale. Effective Success Sales teams must be able to establish long term service relationships that last and grow well beyond the initial sale.
Selling Service Value
Selling the value of service is making the case for why the customer is better off with it than without. This article explores the 5 critical steps for establishing a credible and compelling service value proposition.
Top Reasons Why Customers Do Not Buy Services
Why don’t customers buy services? Because they believe they do not need the coverage or that they do not feel that the costs outweigh the benefits. Learn how to overcome customer objections by understanding what customers want from Support.