While these two terms may seem familiar and play a significant role in driving business success, the difference between capacity building and technical assistance is rather vast. By understanding it, companies can optimize their operations and empower their workforce to address the demands of the dynamic B2B market. In this article, we will discuss the nuances that take these two categories apart, their purposes, and the best practices to enhance them.
1. What is capacity building?
The long-term development of skills, capabilities, and knowledge defines capacity building. Companies focus on empowering employees and improving their customers’ experience. To do it, they start exploring new technologies and adapting new tools and concepts that could enhance their personnel’s performance and contribute to the growth of the business. Capacity building activities include training programs and coaching sessions revolving around the culture of knowledge sharing and learning.
2. Key principals of capacity building
Organizations can establish a strong foundation for capacity building initiatives if they focus on the following principles of this approach:
2.1. The long-term plan is a priority
Instead of opting for a singular improvement of the capabilities, companies should make it an ongoing expedition with the objective of monitoring pain points and always be on the lookout for solutions that could effectively address them. Business process is not a static matter, it is a dynamic substance that is constantly evolving, therefore, it is essential to tailor training as soon as there is a need for it, instead of waiting until the moment when the employees are no longer at ease with newly onboarded solutions.
2.2. Engagement of multiple stakeholders
Top-down communication when information is transmitted from leadership through the whole business is not an efficient way of communication for capacity building. It requires collaboration and cooperation among different stakeholders such as leaders, partners external experts, and employees. To ensure that the latter is heard, the bottom-up approach is advised. Thanks to it, the employees are able to express their ideas and as, a result, higher management can make more informed decisions. Engaging diverse perspectives and expertise fosters a holistic approach to capacity building and promotes knowledge sharing and learning from various sources.
2.3. Resource allocation
Capacity building is not about gathering employees and announcing that the company is now on track to boost their skills and knowledge and never proceeding with this objective afterward. Resources such as financial, human, and technological ones are inseparable parts of an effective capacity-building plan. Seeking external professionals who could deliver training programs, mentoring, and coaching can be a great step to undertake on the journey of empowering the company’s workforce.
2.4. Customization and contextualization
Every company is unique and so is its knowledge base. The one-size-fits-all approach does not take into account the specific characteristics of the company. Therefore, when designing capacity building strategies, it is important to conduct a meticulous assessment of needs to identify why, where, and how capacity building is required. The potential areas of assessment are existing skills, knowledge gaps, the company’s strengths and weaknesses, the definition of goals, etc.
3. What is technical support? How does it differ from capacity building?
Technical support is about providing immediate assistance to customers who are facing problems with products, services, or software. Without it, there would not be any smooth operation which would make customer retention impossible. Its main principles are :
- easy accessibility,
- responsiveness,
- competence,
- and measurable character.
Measuring the performance of technical support is crucial to monitor its effectiveness. Metrics such as response time, first call resolution rate, customer satisfaction scores, and average handling time provide insights into the support team’s performance and help identify areas for improvement.
Keeping track of performed support is essential for the evolution of the service. Technical support teams should maintain comprehensive documentation and a knowledge base that captures common issues, their resolutions, and frequently asked questions. This knowledge base serves as a valuable resource for both support agents and customers, enabling faster and more consistent issue resolution.
If the objective of capacity building is the augmentation of customer satisfaction level, the purpose of technical support is more of a retention of customer satisfaction. Therefore, adding a human touch to interaction with support experts, bringing proximity of it to the customers, and fostering empathy among support agents are crucial factors on the road to success.
4. Application of video assistance capabilities to technical support
Visual support solutions can be a great addition to the set of tools that can improve technical support and add that much-needed human touch to interactions with customers.
4.1. Troubleshooting becomes easy
Whether the company works with heavy machines that require maintenance or it is a call center that needs its agents to be efficient with handling customer queries, visual support makes remote assistance available regardless of the sector of activity. Customers can troubleshoot by using QR code (it can be pasted on the assets) or the company’s assistance form which normally can be found in the “Contact us” section of any company’s website. Instead of leaving the request to be contacted back, the customer can launch a video report by simply clicking on the embedded button. This report will allow him/her to record the encountered problem, add relevant files, and leave comments for the expert.
No frustrating wait on the hotline, no unanswered emails, and no concerns about how he/she can share heavy media files with the support agent.
4.2. Reduction of unnecessary displacement
Remote resolution of the problem may significantly reduce operational costs that could be associated with traveling on-site. Thanks to the visual support tool, the expert receives an immersive view of the encountered issue and can use collaboration tools to guide the customer through the step-by-step resolution. It is accessible through a weblink that is sent either by email, SMS, or WhatsApp. The invitation to join the call is customizable, therefore, each company can add its personalized touch to customer interaction.
The support that is provided on time can prolong the lifespan of the equipment and mitigate safety risks in case there is any.
When the expert has access to the customer’s front and back camera, can add supporting files, and use such AR tool as a laser for precise guidance, the customer feels that he/she is in good hands. It builds trust and increases the chances that the customer will recommend this product/service in the future.
5. Application of video assistance capabilities to technical support
5.1. Training and onboarding
Ensuring that the employees are at ease with the support tools is one of the determining factors that customers will receive assistance effectively and on time. Depending on the company’s preferences, video recordings of the sessions at the end of each video call can be saved inside the tickers/work orders/cases. Thanks to it, a repository of recurring problems, the main types of issues, and queries can be created. Such a repository can significantly facilitate training and the onboarding process as the newcomers will have a full view of the real-life situations that support agents/experts are dealing with.
At the beginning of the article, we mentioned the possibility of inviting external consultants to conduct training sessions. Guides and tutorials generated with video archives can either fully substitute the need to invite an external consult or they can significantly improve the quality of such sessions.
Knowledge banks, Q&A pages, and e-libraries accessible at any time can be created with the help of video archives allowing employees to solve the problems on their own.
5.2. Knowledge sharing and skill development
Every expert and support agent who uses remote visual support has the opportunity to share his expertise with his colleagues during the session. “Tagging” capabilities that remote visual support tools provide facilitate this process as the expert can pinpoint particular points in the video, add relevant files, and categorize them in a suitable way, so it would be easy for his team members to locate them.
Collaborate capabilities allow team members to work on the same tickets/work orders which speeds up problem resolution and strengthens the spirit of accountability of everyone involved. They can update it with comments and insights without even the need to trigger video calls. Like this, everyone can see the state of the problem’s progress and act accordingly.
5. Conclusion
Incorporating a remote visual assistance tool into your capacity-building efforts can enhance the learning experience, enable continuous skill development, and foster collaboration, ultimately strengthening the organization’s capabilities and improving employee performance.
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