How Important Are Helpdesks for Banking Information Products?
Jinfo Blog

By Sophie Alexander

Abstract

Find out why the support function offered by information vendors in the banking and financial sector is so important and how researcher Eileen Steer puts four key vendors under her scrutiny.

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With so many information products on the market in the banking and financial services sector offering similar functionality, it can be difficult deciding which product to opt for. Price and range of content are both important factors but the customer support function is increasingly of paramount importance to information managers.

Many information providers claim to offer 24/7 support but do they deliver? This is a question that Eileen Steer sets out to answer in her article "Determining the Value of Information Products for the Banking Sector - the Impact of Helpdesks" (subscription required). 

As a specialist freelance researcher for corporate finance and investment management companies, Eileen was able to draw on her own extensive experience supported by interviews with FreePint clients working for some of the major banks and financial institutions.  

Eileen explains "Information managers place a great deal of emphasis on this support role when considering products for their organisations. If providers have a reputation for having an ineffective support service, then managers take this into consideration when buying in new products or renewing contracts."

In her article she identifies essential criteria for support functions as and takes a look at the support function of four leading providers of information in the banking and financial services sector:

• FactSet
• Bloomberg
• S&P Capital IQ
• Thomson Reuters.

Vendors have begun to recognise the vital role of the support function and have invested heavily in the technology needed along with other measures such as staff training. Eileen comments, "The banking and financial services industry is fast moving, and most end-users need a quick and accurate response to their questions. If these basic needs are not being met, then the end-user will go to another product to get the answer".

FreePint Subscribers can login now to read the article "Determining the Value of Information Products for the Banking Sector - the Impact of Helpdesks" where Eileen draws on her experience as a researcher using these products, feedback from other FreePint customers and vendor responses.

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