Ticketing systems might not meet modern customers' expectations.

Ordering pizza over the phone worked well for a long time. Similarly, using paper maps for road trips was pretty okay too. But when technology advanced, these systems changed for the better. 

The ticketing system that your business might use for managing the help desk is like placing orders over the phone or using paper maps. Although it has worked efficiently for a long time, __it might not meet modern customers' demands and expectations__. Businesses that insist on using it as it is are losing to their competitors. 

Keep reading as we explore: 
- What is the ticketing system?
- Six reasons why companies are still using it. 
- Eight reasons you should ditch the ticket system – backed by current statistics. 
- A solution that’s revolutionizing outdated customer support systems. 

## What is a ticketing system? 
The [ticket system](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/ticketing-system) is a help desk system that businesses use to manage customer support issues. __It’s been the go-to system for most businesses for many years__ because it’s more convenient compared to the old-school way of calling over the phone to log and resolve customer requests.

Here is an example of how you can view the log of all your tickets in the Amazon Seller Central ticket system. 

![Inarticle-Amazonsellercentral](//images.ctfassets.net/scrf7o05zai3/7dEUmX1u3AvQA7jw6GRMTC/6c1190cfaebcc29d9e5e97fe9e53f378/Amazon-Seller-Central.webp)

You might know the tickets by different names, such as issues, requests, and cases. But the main use is the same. 

## Here’s how the ticket system works
When customers have a problem, they go to the company’s website, social media pages, app, or help desk email to find a solution. They are met with a page that asks for their personal information, such as name, email, and phone number. 

Then they proceed to a page that asks them to elaborate on the problem they are facing. Most ticket systems use drop-down menus for this, or they have a field where your customer can type in the details of their issue. Some also recommend helpful articles for self-service.

Once that is done, they receive a reference number or ticket number that they can use to follow up on their issue. Most companies also send a copy of the reference number to the customer’s email (if that’s the preferred mode of communication). 

When the issue raised by the customer requires more information or is ready to be addressed, then support desk reps contact the customer and cite the reference number in all their communications.

Depending on how quick the response time is for a company, the company’s representatives can reach out instantly or after a few days. Here is a quick overview of the ticketing system for Microsoft: 

1. Log in.
2. Go to the support page. 
3. Describe your issue and select one of the options from the menu. 
4. See if you can find the answer to the problem in the recommended articles.
5. Explain your issue in detail and talk to a customer support representative.

## The main reasons why companies use a ticketing system 
The ticketing system has its charm. There are several reasons why companies have been using it for so long and continue to benefit from it. These reasons include

### 1. To keep track of all queries 
It is easy to miss emails or phone calls and forget about the specifics of the problem when you don’t have them written down. __The ticket system helps businesses ensure that each problem is resolved in due time__ and nothing slips through the cracks. 

It also gives your team visibility into the customer’s previous interactions. That [improves the customer experience](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/why-is-customer-experience-so-important-in-2022) because they don’t have to repeat things like their contact information. 

### 2. Creates a database of all problems solved ever 
The ticket system helps your internal team consolidate similar problems in a database to find solutions easily. If you have a __checklist for your customers to select options__ from while raising a ticket, you can easily categorize issues and put them in different folders. 

That is great for new support staff because it decreases their training time. This [database is valuable](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/4-reasons-data-driven-companies-outperform-the-competition) for different departments, shareholders, and executives to learn about the common problems their customers are facing. 

### 3. To prioritize tickets efficiently 
Not all tickets are equally complex or urgent. Businesses use the ticket system to __manually organize customers’ questions into urgent or regular tasks__ so that the support teams can get to them quickly. 

For example, if a regular task requires an automated action, then the ticket system will tell your support person to start the process and work on a high-priority ticket in the meantime. 

### 4. Gather data on customers and analyze trends
Ticket systems are excellent for [conducting customer satisfaction surveys](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/the-importance-of-customer-feedback-and-how-to-collect-it) because they are usually in a good mood after your support team has resolved their issue.

You can __use the analytics feature of your ticket system to understand the customer journey__, ticket resolution time, first-time requesters, repeating topics, and customer satisfaction with the response from the support team. All these are valuable to improve service quality and brand reputation. 

### 5. To simplify workflows 
The ticket system is a __sound filtration system to separate issues concerning different departments__. Without it, your help desk would be flooded with questions, and you will have to manually sort each query or forward it to the relevant departments. 

### 6. Ensure customer service quality 
The ticket system’s primary goal is to __resolve the problems of every customer that raises a ticket__. Companies with this criterion as a key performance indicator (KPI) and consider it more valuable over a quick response time often find ticket systems helpful in maintaining [customer service quality](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/customer-support-vs-customer-service). 

It can also help your business store all the problems and their responses in one place for internal audits and quality assurance.  

### Eight reasons why you should stop using a ticketing system 
Each company is different. So their reasons for ditching the ticket system would be different as well. Here are some universal reasons why you should have stopped using the ticketing system yesterday: 

### 1. It makes customers feel that the response will be delayed 
The ticket system adds a barrier between the customer and the support person with the answers the customer desperately needs. This additional layer often gives the __perception of delayed response time__. 

That is not good for business because people want immediate feedback. A HubSpot research shows [90% of your customers](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw?__hstc=238111519.3341327d09c8e887dcebfa04cf12c527.1667121848748.1667121848748.1669866084106.2&__hssc=238111519.1.1669866084106&__hsfp=2484765400) want an immediate response (10 mins or less) for their problems from the customer service desk. 

A ticket does not give them information on the number of customers ahead of them in the queue, which adds anxiety and makes your customers feel like you won’t solve their problem in time. 

### 2. Too few or too many options in pull-down menus are frustrating 
Most ticket systems require customers to select options from pull-down menus as answers to questions that help your customer support team place their request in a specific category. It usually includes instructions such as 

- Place select one option.  
- Please describe the problem in the field below. 

But __this process frustrates the customers when they can’t find a suitable category for their issue in those options__. On the other hand, too many options mean endless scrolling and even more delays before your customer is connected with a support person.

### 3. Ineffective pull-down menu options lead to repetitive questions 
__Your customer will probably have to repeat themselves__ when connecting with the customer support personnel attending to the ticket. 

That’s because the conversations usually start with something like "*Hey, what can I do for you today?*" As a reply, your customer will say the same things they selected or wrote while raising the ticket. 

For example, suppose your customer selects the option ‘unusual sounds’ as a primary category. Then type in “the food processor’s motor is making too much noise” to submit a ticket. 

The logical start of the conversation would be from the questions “*When does it make the noise?”, “Can you describe the sounds*” and “*Does anything else happen, such as excessive vibration, when your food processor makes these sounds?*”.

But most help desk representatives don’t do that. __This repetitiveness causes delays__ and makes the customer feel that your staff didn’t pay attention to the earlier answers. A survey shows that [72% of customers](https://d16cvnquvjw7pr.cloudfront.net/resources/whitepapers/Zendesk_WP_Customer_Service_and_Business_Results.pdf) consider customer service poor if they have to explain their problem multiple times. 

__Very few businesses have good menus that list all possible scenarios__. And even fewer ones pay attention to the answers and start the conversation with a solution instead of more questions. 

### 4. Your customers have to use a separate platform 
Your ticket system will be a pain for customers if they __log into a completely different platform__ to get updates or talk to customer support. I say “completely new” to describe a platform dedicated to customer support problems. 

Most customers ([59% on average](https://info.microsoft.com/rs/157-GQE-382/images/2018StateofGlobalCustomerServiceReport.pdf)) appreciate a business that solves their problems on social media. If you can reply to a ticket by email and continue the conversation there or via the chat feature in your mobile app/ website, customers will have a better experience. 

They’re already using these channels to [interact with your brand](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/7-ways-to-make-every-interaction-with-customers-special). So, using them to connect with the help desk isn’t too much of a hassle. But it becomes a chore when they have to __create a new account to raise a ticket and get help__. Your job should be to keep the barrier to entry as low as possible. 

### 5. Most customers can’t convey the details of their issue in a ticket 
You have to realize that __the language in your ticket system might not be the first language of all your customers__. Even if it was, many people aren’t as good at typing out their problem or describing it by checking a bunch of boxes as they are talking about it. 

Hence __they might need to talk to your agent__. If they cannot, they might just ditch the ticket and your company along with that. It’s no secret that most customers don’t stay loyal to a brand with lousy customer service. 

A report from Microsoft Dynamic recently showed that [over 60% of customers](https://info.microsoft.com/rs/157-GQE-382/images/2018StateofGlobalCustomerServiceReport.pdf) are happy to switch to your competitor after just one bad customer experience. A bad customer experience doesn’t necessarily mean that your help desk person didn’t resolve the problem or was rude or something similar. 

Suppose your customer has difficulty raising a ticket because they need help understanding the terminologies, cannot find a relevant option in the pull-down menu, or cannot describe their problem in a few characters. In that case, all that adds to a terrible customer experience and increases your chances of losing that customer forever. 

### 6. It’s not the best solution for simple problems with quick fixes 
Have you ever been to a superstore while running late for something else to pick up just one thing? How do you feel when you get to the checkout, and there’s a long line? Even though you have just one item and know your checkout will be swift, you still have to stand there and wait patiently. 

How often have you left the item in the store and walked out because you did not want to waste all that time? And you figured that buying it from the corner store at the end of the street would be much faster? 

Your customers have a similar experience when they reach out to your help desk with a simple problem that requires a quick fix. __If you give them a ticket and ask them to wait their turn patiently, they might just leave and never do business with you again__.

Since most algorithms running the ticket system aren’t smart enough to distinguish a simple problem from a complex one, it puts all the tickets in the same queue, which causes unnecessary frustration for the customer. 

### 7. Ticket systems are impersonal 
Most ticket systems are designed so the customer knows they are interacting with an automated system instead of the person who can help them. But that’s not what they need when they are anxious about a problem and need a quick response. 

You might be surprised to learn that [70%](https://www.helpscout.com/75-customer-service-facts-quotes-statistics/#:~:text=27%25%20of%20Americans%20report%20that,people%20is%20poor%20customer%20service.) of your customer’s journey or experience with your company is based on how they feel about your treatment of them. Unfortunately, __the ticket system is impersonal and does not make people feel important__, which reflects badly on your brand. 

__Some ticket systems use language too technical for the customers to understand__. That makes raising a ticket difficult for your customers. Since they cannot talk to anyone to ask for clarification or explain their issue in their own terms, it makes the experience even more impersonal.  

The issues faced by customers don’t reach teams that can fix them. This drawback of the ticket system is more important for your internal teams than your customers. 

__The focus of the customer support personnel who are dealing with the tickets is to resolve issues as quickly as they can__. That is why most of them do not ask customers to provide suggestions or recommendations for improving the product or service, which [90% of customers](https://info.microsoft.com/rs/157-GQE-382/images/2018StateofGlobalCustomerServiceReport.pdf) want from you. 

Even if your help desk staff collects this data, they may or may not forward your customer’s frustrations to the executives or, more specifically, to the decision-makers who can make long-term improvements that offer a [better customer experience](https://www.layerise.com/resources/blog/post/how-to-measure-customer-experience-success). 

That creates a __disconnection between the help desk and the other departments__. This leads to a bad customer experience because the individuals communicating with the customers don’t have a full grasp of the problem or the solution since they are customer support experts and don’t have the expertise of every department. 

They can provide band-aids but cannot help your business solve the root of the problem. That’s bad because [36% of customers](https://info.microsoft.com/rs/157-GQE-382/images/2018StateofGlobalCustomerServiceReport.pdf) surveyed by Microsoft Dynamic said that the biggest point of frustration for them is dealing with a customer service rep who’s not knowledgeable enough to resolve their issue.

## How to handle customer support better: Layerise 
[72% of customers](https://www.slideshare.net/ekolsky/cx-for-executives) recommend an excellent brand to six people on average. But they will talk about a bad experience with nearly 15 people. 

Given these numbers, it is no wonder that brands focus on making customer experience a top priority for most businesses worldwide. And it should be your focus as well. 

At Layerise, we have various [service and support alternatives](https://www.layerise.com/service-and-support) for the traditional ticket system. For example, we offer the feature to create a __playlist of video demonstrations__, share __video demos in chat__, __support your customers in real time__, and answer to __FAQs__ in video or audio format. 

According to a 2018 survey, [88% of customers](https://info.microsoft.com/rs/157-GQE-382/images/2018StateofGlobalCustomerServiceReport.pdf) expect today’s brands to offer detailed self-service support portals, just like the one you get with Layersie, where they can find answers to common problems. 

In the modern world, speed is everything. __Quick response times are an essential factor for customer retention__. You’ll be successful if you can offer your customers solutions before they even have to ask questions. 

You cannot get that from the ticket system. The biggest market companies, such as Netflix, Uber, and Zoom, didn’t reinvent the wheel. They just made things easier and gained customers. 

It is time for you to do the same and give a good customer experience the attention it deserves. [Book a demo](https://www.layerise.com/) to see how you can benefit from our tools. 

It’s Time to Ditch the Ticket System

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