The excruciating days of writing code, testing features, and debugging are finally over. You’ve created a customer service software solution that’s as close to perfection as it gets. Now it’s time to get the word out and launch your software to the real world!
But you don’t want to get too ahead of yourself. Launching a new piece of software can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience. Putting the wrong foot forward can be disastrous for your product and reputation.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ensure a safe and successful launch of your customer service software. Here are five steps to ensure your customer service software will be a guaranteed hit.
1) Do Your Research
While you may believe that you have a million-dollar idea in your hands, you can’t just claim that without any research. Perform a thorough market analysis to get a better understanding of the customer service landscape, current trends, and the competition you’ll be up against.
You’ll have to contend with the likes of Zoho Desk, Freshdesk, LiveAgent, and SalesForce if you’re in the customer service industry. These software solutions already have an established name, so you’ll have to set yourself apart to stand out.
What features differentiate your product from the competition? Is the product you’re offering something the market needs? Are you filling a niche that no other product is currently serving?
Answering these questions is a critical step in the software launch process. This will help you establish a unique selling proposition (USP) and create a solid marketing plan. Furthermore, you’ll also want to develop a customer persona to pinpoint who you’re targeting and what type of messaging will resonate with them.
2) Refine Your Product Offering
If you want to safely launch your product, you’ll need to ensure that your product is tested and ready for customers. This means setting up a testing process that covers all aspects of the product, from its features to user experience.
You’ll also want to ensure that your legal documents are tight. This includes privacy policies, terms and conditions, refund policies, and any other relevant paperwork. If you need assistance, IT lawyers available at LegalVision UK have the expertise to handle your legal concerns.
To ensure that all aspects of the product launch are rock-solid, you’ll want to develop a clear roadmap for development and testing. This roadmap should identify the tasks that need to be completed, the timeline for completion, and any potential roadblocks you may encounter.
Once the testing phase is complete, you should also get a quality control team to review the product for any last-minute bugs or issues. Doing so will help you resolve these issues before launching and make sure your customer service software is fit for public use.
3) Beta Test with Actual People
It’s more than possible to do a successful product launch without involving real people in the process. However, by doing so you miss out on valuable feedback and insights that can help rocket your product to new heights.
As such, you should conduct a closed beta test with real customers before the public launch. This will help you gain a better understanding of how your software works and gain honest feedback on its features.
Furthermore, the beta test also gives you an understanding of how a real-time customer may use the product. This will help you identify any weak spots in the design and make changes to improve user experience.
4) Go Live
Now that you’ve gathered all the necessary information to improve your customer service software, going live is the next step. This is when you implement your go-to-market strategy and publicize your offering to the wider public and let them use it for their own needs.
That said, there are multiple ways to go about launching a product. From press releases to social media campaigns that target more mobile audiences since more people are now active online through smartphones based on 2022 statistics, getting the word out can be done in various ways. This should be tailored to where your ideal customer tends to congregate so that you can raise product launch awareness more effectively.
While digital marketing is one of the most popular methods of acquiring new users, it’s not the only one. You could also host events or offer free webinars that showcase the product, allowing potential customers to experience your software first-hand.
5) Measure KPI
You and your team can all enjoy a glass of champagne the night after a launch, but just because the launch is successful doesn’t mean the project is done.
Once your customer service software has been launched, it’s important to continually track key performance indicators (KPIs) to see how you and your product are doing. These metrics will help you analyse the success of your efforts and identify any product pitfalls that weaken the customer experience.
For example, you can review customer support tickets to identify any issues with the software itself or its design. You can also make more quantified assessments like tracking the “daily active user (DAU) count” or “customer retention rating” to get a better idea of how the product is performing.
There are many customer service KPI metrics that can be measured, so be sure to closely eye relevant success indicators and make adjustments to your product as necessary.
Your product may be making money, but if you want to achieve sustained growth, don’t stop updating and improving it for your user base.
