Most IT vendors operate their online support zones as cost avoidance vehicles. Here, the theory is simple. If the company can get customers to find their own answers online, they can eliminate expensive support calls. In the companies we track at siteIQ, that can translate into boatloads of money.

This tale of woe has an important message that IT vendors should not miss. I did not want a new printer. I wanted my current printer to work.

With this as the impetus, it’s no wonder that most support zones in the IT business range from inadequate to inept to a complete mess. Most vendors think that providing second-rate online support saves them money. What they don’t realize is that it is just as likely to drive otherwise loyal customers to a competitive brand.

To see how, consider a recent experience here at siteIQ.

In March, I had a problem with a year-old Brother printer’s proprietary software. My first stop was to let my fingers do the walking to Brother’s online support zone. There, I was presented with an absolute disaster. Finding the correct product required a mask and a gun. Once the product was hunted down, the user interface was almost impossible to understand and use. Once I got past those problems, I still couldn’t  find anything –and what was there didn’t solve the problem. After an hour on this cyberspace junk yard, I was finally forced to pick up the phone. After another hour and a half on the phone with an agent, the problem was escalated to an engineer, complete with the company’s promise that the problem would be resolved within a few days. By this time, I had burned almost $3,000 worth of time.

A week later, I was forced to consider other alternatives and started shopping for a new printer on the Web (yep, the Brother engineer dropped the ball). Obvious top of mind ‘brand’ candidates? HP and, in a pinch, Dell. Since I know that HP’s support is better than Brother’s–but hardly complete–I decided to check out Dell. First stop was to find the right printer (a top of the line color laser). That identified, I went straight to the support zone to see how well I would be supported after I sent in the check. Dell’s support zone was chock full of easy to find and easy to use information. Score one for Dell’s world-class support–and its role in the purchasing process.

Once the support issue was resolved, Dell’s buying process, a couple of Web 2.0 behaviors, and its e-commerce zone kicked into gear. The buying process (price, configuring, availability, options) was a piece of cake. As important, Dell’s use of interactive product photos allowed myself and our IT person to swivel the product around looking for the USB ports and other features he wanted. I was able to see the entire product and identify if the form factor and usage issues (paper trays etc.) fit my needs. User ratings and reviews were off the chart. One click and we are ready to buy.

Here, Dell’s deft up selling and cross selling kicked in to gear. “Want more memory?” asks the site? My IT person said absolutely yes. Other options were reviewed, considered and added as necessary. Total price–just under a grand–or 40% more than I paid for the Brother printer a year ago. Two clicks and the printer was purchased and on its way.

I didn’t bother to believe Dell’s reputation. I checked it out online for myself.

This tale of woe has an important message that IT vendors should not miss. I did not want a new printer. I wanted my current printer to work. Unfortunately, when it stopped working, Brother’s support zone was totally unusable, both in terms of its interface and the content it provided. Add a dysfunctional support organization that did not keep its promises and Brother sent me directly into the arms of a competitor. As important, a HUGE part of my next purchase decision was the quality and effectiveness of Dell’s online support zone. I didn’t bother to believe Dell’s reputation. I checked it out online for myself.

In the final analysis, I won’t be purchasing another Brother printer–and I will not approve Brother printers for other siteIQ offices. After ten years, I have jumped brands. And it all started with online support.

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