Investment management solutions have changed the way investment managers manage their portfolios, but software tools like these aren’t always straightforward to implement and start using. This is where the value-add of post-sales support becomes crucial to successful solution adoption.
Post-sales support refers to the service product vendors offer after their tool has been purchased by a customer. More often than not, because of the complexities that can accompany these solutions, post-sales support is integral to a user getting the most out of their tools, but not all post-sales support is the same, nor is it a given. Here’s a look at why post-sales support is important, and how to know if your potential product partner has the capabilities to support your post-sale needs.
Why post-sales support matters
For tools with sophisticated capabilities and specific requirements, like investment management software, after-sales support helps users ensure they get the most use - and best value - out of their chosen solution. After-sales support comes in many forms and should be as comprehensive of an offering as a user would need, depending on the complexity of the product. Post-sales support can include:
- Product installation
- Training and onboarding
- New feature training
- Technical support
- A dedicated help desk
- Product maintenance and upgrades
- Dedicated customer service channels like a support hotline or chatbot
Businesses put considerable time and effort into researching and choosing the tools they invest in, but not all systems and software work the same, and if a user is unable to use the solution they’ve purchased, this could have significant effects on their productivity and performance. This is where post-sales support becomes vital to ensuring a tool is set up correctly and is accessible, and that the user is ready to hit the ground running with their new solution sooner rather than later. Also, should the user experience any problems with their tool at any point, effective post-sales support is there to ensure issues can be quickly resolved before they start affecting business performance.
Additionally, because purchases like investment management solutions aren’t one and done, and the tool will likely see frequent updates as technology advances, post-sales support is tantamount to ensuring a user is comfortable with every iteration of the tool’s capabilities. The ongoing usage and constantly evolving nature of solutions like these mean that the post-sales support offered by the product vendor is just as important a consideration as the solution’s capabilities itself.
What happens when you don’t get the post-sales support you need?
From the time you purchase a solution and throughout your use of it, without proper post-sales support, you can run into a lot of unforeseen issues that can be a greater hindrance than expected.
Once you’ve made the commitment and invested in a new solution, you’ll begin with installation and setup. Without the right technical expertise, however, this process can be difficult and time-consuming, depending on the tool, and you risk not setting it up in the most optimal way. This will negatively impact how you use the tool moving forward and therefore, your return on investment overall.
Similarly, without proper training and orientation on the tool’s features, you won’t be able to use the tool to its full potential and you’ll miss out on business-enhancing advantages. This is particularly the case for tools that have a suite of features that complement each other and work together for maximum delivery.
This is also applicable when new features are released. As tools like investment management solutions update, users need to be made aware of the updates and how these affect their use of the tools. Some vendors provide ongoing training post-sales to ensure users are always in the loop of product updates and how to leverage them, while others provide training resources with each update. Without post-sales support like this included in your purchase, you’ll lose track of feature changes and how to use them, which over time could result in your tool becoming obsolete entirely.
Downtime is a frustration we all encounter with our software solutions at some point or another, but downtime, and the causes thereof, can be quickly resolved with proper post-sales support. If your product vendor abandons you post-sale without any guidance or direction on how to deal with problems when they invariably arise, you’ll lose valuable time and money trying to navigate them yourself, which you may not even be able to remedy on your own.
How to know if the investment management solution you are looking to buy will support you in your whole investment journey
Tools like investment management solutions have revolutionised how investment managers allocate and manage their investments, and have helped them deliver positive portfolio performance to clients. To ensure they are able to do this on an ongoing basis, using the tool they’ve invested in, post-sales support needs to be included in their purchase.
Before committing to a tool, take the time to understand what post-sales support the product vendor offers. Their website may have resources like user manuals or FAQs where common questions regarding product support are answered. These resources can also be helpful post-sales support materials that can save you time if the problems you encounter have already been troubleshot. Some vendors even have tutorial video libraries where common issues are addressed, that users can refer to for quick issue resolution.
It’s also worth doing your own research and looking at online reviews and existing client testimonials to gauge the level and type of support other buyers receive from the vendor. Use the experience of others to help you decide if the vendor you’re considering offers adequate post-sales support for your needs, throughout your journey with the tool.
Consider what support you may need from the time you purchase the solution, all the way up to when you’re a regular, long-term user. Does the vendor help with installation and configuration? Do they assist with maintenance in any way? Do they offer 24/7 help desk capabilities? Check what level of support you’re entitled to in your Service Level Agreement, as this varies between products and vendors, and can also help you plan for how best to deal with issues as they arise. Some vendors even offer dedicated account management, which can be very beneficial if your business is using the tool for critical workloads.
How AlternativeSoft supports clients post-sale
AlternativeSoft’s analytical investment solutions are used by 5 of the 10 largest hedge fund investors on the planet, and comes standard with free installation, post-sales support and customised fact sheets. Our solutions also include regular updates to ensure their capabilities remain on the cutting-edge of investment management technology, and information pertaining to each update is communicated directly to our clients via email, and added to our website for easy reference.
Our highly trained industry experts pride themselves on their customer-first approach and are always willing and available to provide help through our customer support chatbot, email and phone line. Our clients know they can depend on us, and attest to how our extensive support and responsiveness provided added value during implementation, through to the ongoing use of our solution.
We enable our clients to use our award-winning platform to the fullest with clear and transparent communications and free ongoing support and guidance. This allows them to experience the full advantage of our solutions, including our trading, pre-trading compliance, and reporting capabilities.
Summary
While technology has transformed processes like investment management and optimised the way investment managers provide value, the tools that enable this are only as good as the post-sales support that accompanies them.
To get the most value out of the investment management solutions you invest in, you need to be sure that your solution provider can support you throughout your entire journey with the tool. When considering a solution and whether its features meet your needs, take note of the post-sales support available to you once you’ve made your purchase, as the post-sales support can either make or break your solution investment.
If you’d like to experience the capabilities of the AlternativeSoft investment management solution and the expert team behind it, book a 14-day free trial with us, or contact us to learn more.
