7 Reasons to Prioritize Customer Support When Evaluating Edtech Solutions

Educational technology tools are now a mainstay in K-12 classrooms. Between digital instructional materials, school-issued devices, and student safety and wellness tools, IT teams are faced with the task of evaluating edtech solutions for suitability more now than ever before.

As the field of options grows, selecting the best edtech tools for your district or school can feel overwhelming. If you find that several providers offer the same core functionality and at a similar price, how do you know which one is the right choice for you?

While factors such as cost, features, and compatibility routinely top requirement lists, they aren’t the only things you should be evaluating when making edtech purchases. An edtech provider’s ability to back up their technology solutions with exceptional customer support is equally worthy of prioritization.

Here are 7 reasons why the teams involved in evaluating edtech solutions should be focusing on providers known for their outstanding support and high customer satisfaction (CSAT).

1 | Smoother Edtech Implementation

Implementing new technology is rarely a slam dunk. Even with the best laid plans, a software implementation can be derailed by many factors, some of which are predictable and others that aren’t. Navigating these challenges is much easier when your edtech provider has your back.

Ensuring your edtech provider supplies easily accessible self-service materials—such as set-up guides, how-to articles, and troubleshooting tips—is a great start. But some problems aren’t solved easily or quickly enough on your own. When evaluating edtech solutions, be sure to also consider a provider’s reputation for supporting customers through implementation and helping to get the software up and running quickly.

2 | Quicker Response and Resolution of Issues

Even the most reliable technology tools have issues from time to time. Whether the problem is on the vendor’s side or yours, when problems do arise, you want to feel confident that your provider will prioritize resolving them.

When your edtech provider is known for their responsiveness, you can rest easier knowing that you’ll receive prompt technical support to address any issues that may arise. Whether a connectivity problem, a bug fix, or a user error, having access to knowledgeable and dedicated support staff who can quickly diagnose and resolve issues will ensure both your downtime and frustration levels are minimized.

3 | Greater Flexibility and Customization Options

A one-size-fits-all approach to edtech is rarely effective. Regardless of how comprehensive a software tool claims to be, you want it to be flexible to adapt to your specific needs today, as well as in the future. The presence of this flexibility can have a dramatic impact on the long-term effectiveness of an edtech tool, as well as your return on investment in it.

Edtech providers with a strong customer-service ethos are more likely to offer customizable solutions that can be tailored to a school’s unique requirements. Because they view their success as being dependent on their customers’ success, they work closely with their customers to understand their specific challenges and then provide flexible tools that address them.

4 | Longer-term Investment in New Features

An edtech provider’s commitment to customer service doesn’t just reflect their desire to help you solve problems today; it’s also an indicator of their dedication to support you down the road.

Said another way, the same values that drive an edtech provider to ensure they’re addressing your immediate needs will drive them to invest in continuous innovation so they can remain just as helpful as and when your needs evolve or change.

When evaluating edtech solutions, be sure to choose a provider that has strong customer service ratings and is tirelessly improving their products; that way, you’ll know you’ve found a true partner that you can rely on to help you overcome current challenges – and future ones.

5 | More Training and Professional Development Offerings

Educational technology is continually evolving. You need to make sure you and your end users are staying current on the latest features and best practices to also make sure that your edtech investment is paying off. Providers who are known for their customer service understand this need, and they respond by providing ample training and PD opportunities for their customers.

When you find an edtech provider with a high customer-service rating, you’ll also find one who prioritizes continuous learning for their customers. Be sure they provide both asynchronous self-service training and interactive live training to support diverse learner needs and schedules. That way, you get the most bang for your buck.

6 | Lower Total Cost of Ownership

If you’re primarily focused on the cost of an edtech tool, the provider’s customer satisfaction rating may not be top of mind. However, it can make a huge difference in terms of the overall “investment” you’ll need to make. If you’ve ever experienced poor technical support, you know that the “soft” costs associated with delayed implementations, troubleshooting issues, and orchestrating complex workarounds add up quickly.

When considering how much an edtech tool actually costs, don’t overlook the time, energy, and human resources it could actually end up costing you. By choosing an edtech provider with a high customer-satisfaction rating, you can avoid these hidden costs and ensure that your technology investment delivers maximum value and longevity.

7 | Better Student Outcomes from Your Edtech Investment

Ultimately, the goal of integrating edtech in K-12 education is to enhance student outcomes. Exceptional customer support plays a crucial role in achieving this goal.

When you receive reliable and responsive support from your edtech provider, including comprehensive training and prompt technical assistance, your teachers can fully experience the benefits of the technology to engage students more deeply, making lessons more relevant and stimulating. You can feel confident that instructional time and resources are maximized, which is essential to improving academic outcomes.

Tips for Evaluating Edtech Solutions & Customer Support

If it wasn’t already, it should now be clear that choosing edtech tools that are backed by exceptional customer support makes all the difference for busy K-12 IT teams. But how can you tell how strong a provider’s support really is before you’ve experienced it first-hand?

Here are some ways to evaluate how well an edtech provider supports its customers:

Read Case Studies and Reviews

Look for feedback and stories from actual customers. Customer case studies and reviews on sites like G2 often provide insights into how well a provider supports their customers.

Check Their CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) Score

Providers who prioritize customer support ask their customers to rate them so they can ensure they’re living up to their responsibilities. They should share this score transparently, so ask if you can’t find it on your own.

Request References

Ask for references from current customers who can share their experiences with the provider’s support services during implementation and afterward.

Review Support Resources

Ask the provider for access to self-serve support materials, such as their knowledge base and user manuals, to ensure they are comprehensive and user-friendly.

Assess Training Offerings

Inquire about the training and professional development opportunities provided to ensure they offer adequate preparation for you and your staff.

Check Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Review the SLAs to understand the provider’s commitment to response times and issue resolution.

Participate in Demos

Register for no-obligation product demos to observe how the support team interacts with potential customers and handles questions or concerns.

Curious how Securly’s customer support measures up? Get started here: