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Software Help and Assistance Comes in Four Levels

Aptora puts a lot of resources into training its employees on its products. There are basically four levels of software knowledge. We want to share these levels with you. We believe it will be helpful to know what to expect from the people you are speaking with at Aptora.

Account Managers

Account Managers typically have four-year college degrees or higher. They typically do not come from a bookkeeping, accounting, or business background. They have good written and verbal communication skills. They have good knowledge of the various features found in our software programs. They can show people how the features generally work. They answer questions like “can the software do. . .”. Account Managers are very comfortable giving public presentations. They receive at least one hour of organized product training each week. They are not qualified to be bookkeepers, accountants, teachers, or consultants. They do not necessarily have extensive knowledge of bookkeeping procedures or understand mid-level accounting concepts.

Software Technical Support Agents

Most of our have college degrees. Many have worked in the field of bookkeeping. They have gone through no less than 240 hours of training before taking support issues. They receive at least one hour of organized training each week and attend Aptora University annually. Technical Support Agents often have areas of specialization. For example, they may know one software program far better than others, or an agent may have specialized knowledge regarding payroll, flat rate pricing, and performance-based compensation. Technical Support Agents have the knowledge to explain the basic purpose of each form and all the controls on that form. They can explain the fundamental purpose of each report and generally where the information is coming from.  They can provide documentation and help users understand that documentation.

Technical Support Agents do not necessarily understand business processes found in real-world situations. They cannot address questions that would be best answered by an IT professional, accountant, or business consultant. A Technical Support Agent can tell you how to create a new Chart of Account.  They cannot advise you on if you should create a COA, what to call it, or what type of account to use. Please see this article for more information: https://www.aptora.com/tips/scope-of-technical-support/

Software System Trainers

A trainer is a top-level Technical Support Agent with knowledge of bookkeeping best practices and basic accounting. Trainers are considered “Full-Charge Bookkeepers”. They typically have several areas of software specialization. Trainers can deliver effective public presentations.

They are not able to answer questions that would be best answered by an IT professional, business consultant, or accountant. Trainers don’t address questions that are specific to how the software could be used for a user’s particular business processes. Trainers teach software and bookkeeping fundamentals of the software and the students use that information to determine how they will use the software for their way of doing business. Trainers provide the same type of teaching that you might expect from a college level professor.

Software and Business Consultants

They have advanced support and teaching capabilities. They can deliver individual and group presentations at the highest level. They have the communications skills, knowledge, and assertiveness to act as a business coach or consultant. Consultants have good knowledge of how contracting businesses are managed. They understand bookkeeping best practices as well as basic accounting. Consultants can work through a client’s businesses processes and create specific procedures for using Aptora’s software. Consultants can help users with advanced software setup and financial controls. Consultants can resolve data issues and complex problems. They can identify software features and abilities that need to be added or modified and discuss those options with the client.

Consultants do not have every answer, but they are capable of getting any answer.

Related Software Support Topics

Scope of Software Technical Support