Product Support vs. Customer Support: What Are the Differences?

Product support and customer support are two important functions in any business. Both departments work to ensure that customers are satisfied and that they continue to use the product or service. Though there are similarities between these positions, there are also several key differences. In this article, we discuss the similarities and differences between product support and customer support, and we offer tips for pursuing a career in either field.

What is a Product Support?

Product Support is responsible for providing assistance and troubleshooting to customers who have purchased a company’s products or services. They work to resolve customer issues and ensure that they are satisfied with the product or service. Product Support Representatives may work in a call center environment or be responsible for handling customer inquiries through email, chat or social media. They may also provide support in person. In some cases, Product Support Representatives may escalate customer issues to higher levels of support or management.

What is a Customer Support?

Customer Support Representatives are responsible for assisting customers with questions, concerns or problems they have with a company’s products or services. They work in a variety of industries, including retail, technology and healthcare. They may work in a call center environment or in a face-to-face setting. Customer Support Representatives use their customer service skills to build rapport with customers and resolve issues in a timely and efficient manner. They may also provide product or service recommendations to customers.

Product Support vs. Customer Support

Here are the main differences between a product support and a customer support.

Job Duties

Customer support representatives focus on the technical aspects of a product. They troubleshoot issues that customers have with a product and provide solutions to those problems. Customer support professionals may communicate directly with customers to resolve issues or they may work within their organization to find solutions internally before reaching out to a customer.

Product support representatives are more focused on finding solutions for product development teams. These employees report any issues that arise while a product is in use and track the frequency of these incidents to determine if there’s a larger issue at play. Product support representatives also document feedback from customers who’ve received support regarding a product. This information can help product support representatives make recommendations about potential product changes.

Job Requirements

Product support and customer support representatives typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the field. However, some employers prefer candidates who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in business administration, computer science or another related field. Additionally, product support and customer support representatives must have excellent communication skills and be able to resolve customer issues in a timely manner. They also need to be familiar with the products they are supporting and be able to use basic troubleshooting techniques.

Work Environment

Customer support professionals often work in call centers or other locations where they can receive calls from customers. They may also work remotely, depending on the company and their role. Customer support representatives typically work during regular business hours, but some companies offer 24-hour customer support to ensure that customers have access to assistance at any time of day.

Product support professionals usually work in an office setting with other product support employees. Depending on the size of the company, they may work closely with engineers and developers to troubleshoot issues with products. Product support professionals may also work overtime when necessary to address a major issue with a product.

Skills

The specific skills used on the job between Product Support vs. Customer Support can vary depending on the company and position. However, there are some similarities and differences in the skills that are typically required for each role.

Product support representatives need to have a strong understanding of the products they are supporting. They also need to be able to troubleshoot issues and provide solutions to customers. Customer support representatives need to have excellent customer service skills. They need to be able to build relationships with customers, understand their needs, and provide solutions to their problems. Both product support and customer support representatives need to have good communication skills.

Salary

The average salary for a product support specialist is $59,877 per year, while the average salary for a customer support specialist is $69,089 per year. Both of these salaries can vary depending on the company you work for, your level of experience and your location.