What Does a Product Support Specialist Do?

A product support specialist works closely with customers to keep them satisfied with a company’s offerings. Representatives can assist people with purchase decisions, installation, and troubleshooting. They also participate in public relations activities for their employers and may develop documentation and manuals. Excellent communication skills are usually required, and some industries also expect college degrees. For highly specialized products, it may be necessary to have a degree and training in the relevant field.

Customers looking for information may meet with a product support specialist. This representative can talk about the products and services the company offers and help the client select the best choice for the situation. These specialists may also help with installation and training. This can involve traveling to a client’s facility to install the product and meet with personnel. For software, for instance, the support specialist might want to work with people in the setting where they will actually use the product.

If a problem arises, a product support specialist provides assistance. This can include troubleshooting with customers, applying patches, or replacing products that are clearly defective. The company may set specific goals like minimizing downtime as a result of product failures or resolving most problems within two business days. These specialists may need to keep logs on their activities to track progress and allow supervisors to audit the quality of their work.

Some product support specialists may be involved in the production of documentation for a company. They can release news and information that may be important for customers, including press releases, user manuals, and so forth. Support specialists may have a unique perspective they can bring to the development of resources like troubleshooting guides. Their experience with customers in the field can inform the design of self-service prompts and suggestions to help customers help themselves.

In an industry where a product support specialist handles a complex product such as specialty software for investors, it may be necessary to understand the industry as well as the product. When customers call for support, they expect the representative to understand what they are talking about when they discuss how they use the software. Thus, training in the terms and principles of the industry, or direct experience in the field, may be a job requirement for a support specialist in some companies. This can increase customer satisfaction by speeding resolutions and making customers feel comfortable with company representatives.