Many householders are already familiar with the potential for a wide variety of problems to develop quickly, so they are often unlikely to want to have to wait weeks (or even months) for the completion of a longer service process. Instead, in such situations as these; they would much rather be able to receive timely, on-demand assistance which provides rapid response, clearly understands their requirements and fulfills them efficiently – so that what may otherwise become an arduous, time-consuming and possibly costly series of events can instead be completed simply and quickly.
What on demand support means in practice
On demand service is often too broadly defined. On demand service works best when it is tied to execution. The customer has a need; the provider responds quickly; and the project progresses with little back-and-forth.
It could be assistance with a time sensitive errand, setting up a new device, light operational support, moving objects from one location to another, or handling those small jobs that keep getting put off until tomorrow. The common thread between these services is simple: the customer does not want to spend hours coordinating, comparing and waiting for what they need.
For homeowners and renters this usually means help with everyday tasks that restore order fast. For small business owners, this usually means preventing small issues from turning into lost time, missed appointments and disrupted flow. In both cases the value of the service is reduced fricition.
Why demand for on demand support keeps growing
bombarded by service jargon. What they really want is fewer things to have to deal with. This is one reason why on demand support keeps gaining popularity among professionals, property managers, founders, and all the families juggling so much.
A lot of the old service model was created based upon provider convenience (i.e., how easy it is for you) versus customer urgency (how fast you want something). You leave your name and number, then wait for them to call back. Then, you receive quotes in days if you’re lucky. Maybe you’ll actually schedule something next week. It may be good enough for big planned projects but doesn’t fit very well into day-to-day tasks that require action right away.
It’s not simply speed as the shift here. There is also mental load. The more a service reduces the space between the issue and the resolution (the faster), the more valuable it will be. When someone can ask for assistance quickly; receive a clear answer as to what their options are; and understand exactly where they stand, the service has resolved at least some portion of their problem before anything else has happened.
This matter is especially important in busy cities like Metro Vancouver. In these locations traffic, scheduling pressures, and full work days create inefficiency in services to feel much worse than they did in the past. When a provider responds promptly and communicates effectively, there is immediate value.
The difference between fast support and useful support
Getting speedy service will get you noticed; getting useful service is what makes customers come back for repeat business. Providers may be able to provide speedy service yet have the potential to make their customers unhappy by making it difficult to navigate the process or handling the tasks poorly.
Typically good on-demand support shares four characteristics. Support that is on-demand typically is responsive, clear, realistic, and focused on execution. Responsive means they respond quickly to your questions or concerns. Clear means you know exactly what was offered, when it can occur, and what it most likely cost. Realistic means the provider does not over promise simply to win the job. Execution-focused means the provider completes the job correctly and efficiently.
Some services fall short of this standard. Services advertise themselves as providing immediate help. Once the request arrives the customer must continue to follow-up and/or obtain further instruction from the service provider regarding their progress. This is not support. This is merely coordinating an outsource service.
A much simpler model exists. The customer describes the task(s) to the provider. The provider confirms the parameters of the job and then proceeds to complete the job with as little friction as possible. For those individuals who are already overburdened, this difference is significant. This is why there is value in this.
Where on demand support delivers the most value
While not all services are needed immediately (and similarly not all jobs will require equal treatment), on-demand support is most effective in situations where both the job and the time frame are practical, time sensitive, and would take too long to get done by pulling other things off your plate.
Households can use on-demand support for errands, picking up items, light moving, general task assistance, etc., as a means of helping manage daily activities when they become unexpected. Small business owners find on-demand support particularly valuable. This could mean on-site delivery personnel, setting up equipment, managing overloads of tasks, etc. Many times an employer does not want to hire full-time employees to perform tasks that vary each week.
On-demand support is very effective when there is a high cost associated with delay versus a low cost associated with acquiring immediate help. The cost associated with delay is sometimes financial but many times it is related to stress, distraction, missing a meeting/client opportunity, etc., and spending a whole day performing tasks that you could have assigned to others.
However, there is an obvious trade-off. In some cases on-demand support will appear to be less expensive on paper than completing all of these types of tasks individually. However, the “cost” of completing these tasks individually may be higher than the cost of utilizing on-demand support. An example of this could be a business owner spending two hours performing a non-revenue generating activity and a working parent spending their one available hour of free time resolving logistical issues.
How to tell if a provider is worth using
Companies should provide good clarity into their services and how they operate. It may seem obvious; however, many don’t.
Firstly, responsiveness is a great place to begin. If there’s an extended amount of time before receiving your first question prior to scheduling, it typically will not impact the quality of service after that initial point. Second, consider how well the company defines their service. Vague service definitions tend to lead to poor handoff situations. A helpful company will ask you the correct questions, confirm what they are doing for you, and give you a reasonable estimate for the project’s timeline.
Additionally, consider if the service appears to be centered upon “action” versus being “administrative.” Some organizations implement additional barriers (forms, callback requests, confirmation calls etc.) to simply add confusion to an otherwise simple process. Other companies will streamline and simplify the process. Typically, when a customer hires an on-demand service they want the second option.
Reliability is almost as important as speed. If a service claims to provide rapid support (i.e., “same day,” “next business day”) then it must have some form of organization to back up its promise. This includes effective and timely communication with all parties involved, reliable follow-up actions, and honest communication regarding availability. Providing the truth as quickly as possible is better than providing a speedy yet empty service.
QuickHands is most successful when it operates within these parameters – rapid assistance, practical assistance, and effective execution for those busy individuals who don’t have time to babysit a project.
Why this matters for small businesses
Smaller organizations usually have less “slack” than bigger firms. They will normally experience less delay, use less resources in terms of administrative time, and generally there are fewer employees who can be used to absorb random operational disruptions.
On demand support is particularly well-suited for these types of situations; not necessarily as an alternative to your existing staff, but rather as a flexible resource when it becomes necessary. For example, if a company owner needs to do something, but cannot find the time due to their current workload, or if their deadlines become tighter than expected, or if they suddenly require someone to assist them with some type of unanticipated issue (ie. equipment failure), then they can call upon on-demand support as needed.
This type of support can also help protect momentum by allowing you to continue working through the project without having to put your own projects on hold, pull one of your employees away from more critical responsibilities, or try to figure out how to complete all of the tasks yourself. In addition to saving your organization time, this type of support also minimizes the disruption caused by issues such as those listed above.
The real standard customers should expect
Customers don’t need to choose between being fast or good. They should be able to get both. Therefore, the best services will make it as simple as possible to ask for them, explain them easily, and complete their tasks effectively.
In order to provide strong on demand support, one does not have to be fancy. One has to provide consistent support by respecting the customers time, communicating in an open way, and completing practical work without unnecessary drama. That is what makes great on demand support helpful in actual use, especially when using that type of support from individuals who have very busy lives and do not want to waste time or experience frustration from the “friction” caused by bad services.
If you are looking into utilizing on demand help, the decision is based on two major criteria. The first criteria is if anyone is available to take the job. However, the most important criteria is if he/she can remove the task from your plate. This is the level of service that you should pay for, and once you find it; it becomes apparent how much less complicated everything else seems.