How can you make your ERP support system more responsive and user-friendly?

1 Assess your user needs

Before you design or improve your ERP support system, you need to understand your user needs, preferences, and pain points. Conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations to gather feedback from your users on their ERP experience, expectations, and challenges. Identify the common issues, questions, and goals that your users have, and prioritize them according to their urgency, frequency, and impact. Use this information to tailor your support system to your user needs and align it with your business objectives.

2 Provide multiple support channels

Different users may prefer different ways of accessing and receiving support for their ERP tasks. Some may want to call a helpdesk, others may want to chat online, and others may want to search a knowledge base or watch a video tutorial. To accommodate these diverse preferences, you should provide multiple support channels that are easy to find and use. For example, you can offer phone, email, chat, web, and mobile support options, and link them to your ERP interface, website, or intranet. You can also use chatbots, FAQs, or forums to provide quick and automated answers to common queries.

3 Create engaging content

The content of your ERP support system should be clear, concise, and relevant to your users. Avoid using jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that your users may not understand. Use simple and active language, bullet points, headings, and images to break down complex or lengthy information. Use examples, scenarios, or stories to illustrate how your users can apply the ERP functions to their real-world situations. Use videos, animations, or interactive elements to demonstrate how to perform ERP tasks or solve problems. Make sure your content is updated, accurate, and consistent across all support channels.

4 Encourage feedback and collaboration

Your ERP support system should not be a one-way communication, but a two-way dialogue between you and your users. Encourage your users to provide feedback on your support system, such as rating, commenting, or suggesting improvements. Use this feedback to measure your support performance, identify gaps or errors, and make adjustments accordingly. You can also foster collaboration among your users by creating online communities, groups, or networks where they can share tips, best practices, or solutions related to the ERP system. This can help your users learn from each other, build trust, and increase engagement.

5 Train and empower your support staff

Your support staff are the front-line of your ERP support system, and they need to have the skills, knowledge, and tools to deliver high-quality service to your users. Train your support staff on the ERP system features, functions, and benefits, as well as the user needs, expectations, and challenges. Provide them with clear and updated guidelines, procedures, and scripts for handling different types of support requests. Equip them with the appropriate technology, software, and resources to access, analyze, and resolve user issues. Empower them to make decisions, escalate problems, or suggest improvements to your support system.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?