Picture this: You've submitted a ticket to your NetSuite support provider for an urgent issue, and now you're left waiting. Each minute feels longer as your business operations are on hold. Waiting for a response to your  ticket can be a frustrating and helpless experience, especially when your business depends on a quick resolution.

This frustration isn't just about impatience—it's about trust and perception. According to a study by SuperOffice, 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience, which includes timely responses. When response times lag, customer satisfaction takes a hit, leading to a potential loss of loyalty and, ultimately, business.

Let's explore how to manage and reduce these delays effectively to keep your business running smoothly.

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The Metrics That Matter

The Average First Response Time (AFRT) is a crucial metric that can make or break your experience with your support provider. It quantifies how long customers wait for an initial response. Slow AFRTs can escalate dissatisfaction, whereas fast AFRTs foster loyalty. 

Equally important is the overall ticket resolution time—the longer it drags, the higher the risk of negative reviews and lost customers.

To counteract this, ensure you provide detailed ticket information and follow up regularly to keep the process on track.

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The Standard Scope of Support Services

Most support providers offers a broad range of services designed to optimize your NetSuite environment. These include:

• Business Solution Advisement and Customization: Providing strategic guidance and helping tailor NetSuite to align with your business processes.
• Remediation Support: Assisting with remediation efforts to address complex challenges and ensure smooth operation.
• Development and Testing Guidance: Offering expert advice on development processes and testing to maintain system performance.
• Release Guidance: Helping you stay ahead with updates and ensuring seamless transitions with new NetSuite releases.

Most providers efficiently manage these services using a combination of automated processes, ticket prioritization, and AI-driven tools like chatbots. These innovations can positively influence ticket resolution times by swiftly assigning issues to the appropriate support teams.

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Breaking Down Resolution Times

When it comes to customer support, resolution time is a critical factor directly influencing customer satisfaction. Here’s a comparison of resolution times between Atticus Solutions Services and other providers:

• Atticus Solutions Services:some text
  • Severity 1 (Critical): Initial findings within 4 hours.
  • Severity 2 (Severe): Initial findings within 8 hours.
  • Severity 3 (Minor): Initial findings within 24 business hours.
  • Severity 4 (Information Request): Initial findings within 40 business hours.

We employ a severity-based model to prioritize issues, ensuring that critical problems are resolved promptly while less urgent matters are attended to within a reasonable timeframe.

• Other Providers:some text
  • Complexity-Based Resolution: The time taken to resolve tickets depends on task complexity. While specific SLAs are not provided, more complex tasks require more time.

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Optimizing Resolution Times

Understanding the factors contributing to delays—such as task complexity, mode of communication, and customer engagement—is crucial. Here’s how to manage these delays effectively:

• Clear Communication: Ensure every ticket contains detailed information to reduce bottlenecks.
• Leverage Support Tools: Utilize AI and other tools to streamline the resolution process.

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Service Levels and Their Impact

Service levels defined by Service Level Agreements (SLAs) play a significant role in shaping customer experience. Clear and consistent SLAs set benchmarks for service delivery and impact:

• Consistency: Reliable service helps manage customer expectations and enhances satisfaction.
• Productivity and Engagement: Defined service levels guide service reps and ensure timely interaction with customers.

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Atticus Service Levels vs. Leading Support Provider

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Atticus Solutions offers clear SLAs designed to prioritize and resolve issues promptly. In contrast, other providers have variable resolution times depending on task complexity. By choosing a support plan with well-defined SLAs, you can better manage expectations and minimize wait times.

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The Power of Knowledge

Access to experts and well-curated resources such as knowledge bases, documentation, and support forums can significantly reduce resolution times. Atticus Solutions excels in providing these critical tools.

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Pricing and Billable Hours

When considering a support service, pricing and billable hours are important factors to consider.

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Cost Comparison

• Atticus: Offers Standard and Premium packages. The Standard package includes email support and access to the knowledge base, while the Premium package adds phone support and a dedicated support manager.
• Other Support Providers: The service levels—Monitor, Optimize, and Architect—have distinct pricing and features.

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Billable Hours

• Atticus: Provides clear breakdowns of billable hours and expiration schedules, ensuring transparency.
• Other Support Providers: Enforces quarterly usage limitations and charges additional fees for exceeding hours, which can influence the overall cost.

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Financial Impact of Delays

Slow response times can lead to increased billable hours and costs. It’s crucial to weigh the potential financial implications of delays when selecting a support service.

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Contract Terms and Flexibility

Contract terms are key to getting consistent support.

• Atticus Contract Terms: Atticus offers a 12-month subscription, which provides steady support throughout the year and ensures you get the most out of your investment.
• Other Support Providers Terms: They also require a 12-month commitment and allow for flexibility only if the contract aligns with co-terminus NetSuite licenses.

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Influence on Responsiveness

Flexible contract terms enable more tailored and responsive service, potentially leading to quicker ticket resolution.

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Strategies for Managing Delays

To effectively manage delays in support ticket responses, consider these strategies:

• Communicate Clearly: Ensure every ticket contains detailed information, including a clear issue description and relevant context. This minimizes back-and-forth and speeds up the resolution process.
• Follow Up Regularly: Maintain momentum by setting up regular check-ins or status updates with your support team. This helps keep the resolution process on track.
• Understand Service Levels: Knowing what to expect based on your service level helps manage your expectations and plan accordingly.

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Main Takeaway

Managing delays in support ticket responses can be challenging, but it's crucial to assess your current support services to ensure they meet your business needs. Slow response times and complex pricing structures can impact both operational efficiency and costs. 

By choosing a support plan with clear service levels, predictable costs, and prompt issue resolution, you can significantly improve response times and enhance customer satisfaction.

Atticus Solutions offers transparent and efficient support tailored to your needs. Our Standard and Premium packages provide a clear commitment to resolving issues swiftly, ensuring your business stays on track without hidden costs or delays.

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Don’t Let Delays Impact Your Business Operations

Contact Atticus Solutions today to discover how our transparent service levels and dedicated support can help you manage and reduce ticket response times effectively.

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