Stakeholder relationship management system support
When selecting a Stakeholder Relationship Management (SRM) system, it’s easy to focus on features, pricing, functionality and integrations.
However, one critical factor that often gets overlooked is support availability - specifically, the time zones and working hours of your provider’s technical and account management teams.
If your SRM provider’s support team operates in a different time zone, you may face frustrating delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. Whether it’s a technical issue that needs urgent resolution or a training session with your account manager, misaligned support hours can cause significant disruptions.
The impact of time zones on technical support
Every organisation relies on its SRM system to streamline stakeholder engagement, manage communications, and track interactions. But what happens when something goes wrong?
Imagine encountering a system issue at 9 a.m., only to find that your provider’s support team will not be available until late afternoon. A simple fix that should take minutes could stretch into hours or even days, affecting productivity and potentially damaging stakeholder relationships.
This is why real-time technical support matters. When you deal with an SRM provider in your time zone, you benefit from a dedicated support team working within the same business hours. When your team is online, so are they - ensuring prompt resolution of issues without waiting for an overseas team to start their day.
The pitfalls of misaligned working hours for client success
Beyond technical support, your SRM provider’s account management and training services are equally important. Regular check-ins, system training, and performance reviews help you get the most value out of your system.
Many international SRM providers operate in regions where their business hours fall outside of your typical working day. Working with an international SRM provider might mean:
- Training sessions scheduled at inconvenient hours, leading to reduced engagement;
- Delays in onboarding new team members because account managers aren’t available when needed;
- Missed strategy discussions due to time zone conflicts.
Having technical support and client success teams available during your working hours means you’re not only assured prompt resolution of system issues, but you can also schedule training, performance reviews, and consultations at times that work for you, not when it’s convenient for an overseas team.
The hidden costs of delayed support
Delays in resolving system issues or receiving critical guidance can have significant hidden costs. When support isn’t available when you need it, these costs go beyond just frustration -they can impact productivity, efficiency, and even stakeholder relationships.
For instance, if you’re running an important stakeholder engagement campaign, and your SRM system goes down for several hours due to a technical problem, this can result in missed deadlines, project delays, frustrated stakeholders, and a loss of momentum.
Waiting for support reduces your team efficiency - it slows down workflows, leaving teams unable to complete tasks or access critical information.
Similarly, attending training or performance reviews outside of your normal working hours can lead to fatigue and a diminished ability to absorb critical information, reducing the effectiveness of these sessions.
It's essential to do your research and ensure you will get the proper support at the time your team needs it. This allows your organisation to focus on engaging stakeholders effectively rather than dealing with inconvenient support delays.
Best practices for ensuring aligned support hours
If your organisation operates across different regions, here are a few ways to ensure smooth collaboration with your SRM provider:
- Choose a provider with regional support - Opt for an SRM system with support teams operating in your time zone for real-time assistance;
- Define response time expectations - Make sure your service-level agreement (SLA) includes clear response time commitments that align with your working hours;
- Schedule regular check-ins - Establish consistent account management meetings at times that work for your team;
- Utilise shared communication tools - Using collaborative platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack can help bridge the gap when working with providers in different time zones.
Real-time collaboration: the key to seamless operations
Having an SRM provider that operates in the same time zone doesn’t just mean better support - it also enables real-time collaboration. This ensures:
- Faster problem-solving – Technical issues are fixed quickly, preventing unnecessary downtime;
- Better engagement with account managers – System training, onboarding, and strategy discussions happen at times that suit your schedule;
- A smoother user experience – You get the help you need, exactly when you need it, without time zone-related disruptions.
Conclusion
Selecting an SRM system is about more than just functionality and price. The availability and accessibility of support services should be a key part of your decision-making process.
Choosing an SRM system provider that operates within your time zone ensures faster technical assistance, better client success services, and a more efficient, stress-free experience.
With UK-based support and account management teams, Tractivity helps organisations like yours stay on track, reduce downtime, and maximise the value of your SRM system.
Find out how Tractivity's stakeholder engagement and management system can support your organisation - check our features here.
