A property inspection app is more than just a tool to help make your inspections more efficient and cost-effective: it’s also a team of people who built the app from the ground up and are experts in how to run it. A good property inspection app should also come with great customer service to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth by using the app properly and taking advantage of all its features. Make sure you know what you should expect from customer service, so that you know exactly where to turn if you have questions about your app.
Customer Service should be easy to contact. There are usually three ways to get in touch with a customer service representative. There should be a toll-free phone number clearly marked on the app’s website. Many apps also offer live chat on their support websites, which usually has shorter hold times and is a good bet if you’re in a hurry. Lastly, every app should have an easy-to-find customer service e-mail address or contact form so that you can send a detailed description of your problem with screenshots. If contact information for customer service is hard to find it may just be a product of poor website design, but it can also be a sign that an app developer doesn’t want you to contact customer service, which is definitely a warning sign for a property inspection app.
Customer service hours should be clear, and hold times should be short. If you prefer to speak to customer service over the phone, your app provider should clearly show when customer service hours are. App developers with small staffs may not be able to offer 24-hour support: this is not necessarily a bad sign as long as they are transparent and consistent with their hours. There is very little that is more frustrating than calling with a problem at three o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon and being told that the office is unexpectedly closed! Especially if your app provider has limited customer service hours, they should have a strategy to minimize hold and wait times so you aren’t stuck on the phone while they work through a backlog of customers. Long hold times are a sign that your property inspection app’s developers have an overtaxed customer service department, which could cause you costly delays if you need to get a problem fixed.
Expect professional, courteous service at all times. No question is a stupid question when it comes to getting the best out of your property inspection app, and – just as you should keep your cool with customer service no matter how frustrating your problem is – you have the right to expect that even your simplest questions be treated with respect. It is customer service’s job to listen to your questions, suggest solutions and help you get the very best out of your property inspection app. It may seem surprising, but one of the most common complaints about customer service is that the customer service representatives are condescending towards their customers. Make sure you choose an app whose customer service has a flawless reputation for helping you through your problems with professionalism and courtesy.
