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Linda Leon, Sr. Director of Customer Support, recently shared her thoughts and gave an insider's perspective on what's important to ask when looking for a CAM software partner. Read her LinkedIn article below or click here to connect and join the conversation.

When you’re in the market for a new community association management (CAM) software partner, it’s easy to focus on numbers like ticket response times, resolution rates, average handle time, or user satisfaction scores. Yet, as someone who has led tech support teams for decades—and currently oversees a 27-person team here at CINC Systems—I’ve learned that these quantitative benchmarks only tell part of the story.

What matters just as much is the quality of the relationship. Are they committed to genuinely solving your problems or just checking boxes to close out tickets? Can they align with your long-term business goals? Will they provide the flexibility and consultative approach you need to grow and adapt?

Below are four questions you might not have thought to ask when evaluating a CAM software partner—questions that go beyond the standard “How quickly do you fix issues?” and dig deeper into the heart of what a meaningful partnership looks like.

#1: How Do You Balance Quality and Quantity in Your Support Metrics?

It’s easy to measure how fast a support team can close tickets. Speed is important, but it’s not everything. A singular focus on closing tickets can lead to unintended consequences like gamification—teams rushing to resolve issues on paper rather than genuinely solving the underlying problem.

What to look for:

• A Consultative Approach: A good support partner will spend the extra time ensuring the response aligns with your business goals.
• Long-Term Value: Find out if the solutions provided today will help you avoid the same problems tomorrow. Metrics should reveal how well they solve problems and prevent future issues, not just how rapidly they handle tickets.

If your tech partner isn’t investigating why issues arise, you’ll end up treating symptoms instead of curing the disease. At CINC, we do measure efficiency KPIs, but we also prioritize a consultative approach. Our customer satisfaction consistently scores 4.7 out of 5 or higher, indicating that thorough problem-solving trumps mere speed in building long-term trust.

#2: How Closely Does Your Support Team Collaborate with Product Development?

In many organizations, the support and product development teams operate in silos. Support fields the complaints; product builds new features. But true innovation—and real solutions—happen when these teams collaborate seamlessly.

What to look for:

• Regular Communication: Is there a process for regular meetings between support and product? How do they exchange feedback?
• Customer-Centric Focus: Ask if customer suggestions are taken seriously and incorporated into the product roadmap. Have they ever launched product updates based on user requests?
• Deeper Product Mastery: The best support teams not only troubleshoot bugs but also influence the design of the software to prevent future problems.

Strong partnerships within the vendor’s organization lead to stronger outcomes for you. At CINC, our support team holds daily debriefs with product teams to review new releases, discuss recurring issues, and share user feedback. This alignment ensures that when you contact us about a feature or enhancement you need, you’re not just met with a quick workaround. We can shape the product to meet your long-term needs.

#3: What Real Support Resources Are Behind the Screen?

Automation and AI have transformed customer support. According to a 2023 study by Gartner, 75% of organizations (including many CINC customers taking advantage of our industry-leading AI solution, Cephai!) use some form of AI-based support tool. While these can improve efficiency, the human element remains irreplaceable for complex or nuanced challenges.

What to look for:

• Dedicated Customer Success Managers: Having a single point of contact who understands your business is invaluable. Ask if the vendor provides a named representative or team specifically for your account.
• Human Accessibility: Is there a way to connect with a real person? Ask about escalation paths for urgent issues.?

Software support can’t be one-size-fits-all. There’s no substitute for an actual human who understands your unique context and can think critically about solutions.

#4:  Are the People Helping Me Passionate and Invested?

A less obvious but critical question: Are the vendor’s support employees actually invested in your success? Happy, engaged employees tend to deliver better service. If the vendor’s support culture is strong, you’ll feel that energy in your interactions.

What to look for:

• A Culture of Continuous Learning: Do Support Analysts have ongoing training opportunities? Are they encouraged to develop deeper technical expertise or move on to the next ticket?
  
  
• Authentic Enthusiasm: Don’t be afraid to ask for references or case studies. Current customers can attest to whether they see passion and genuine care in their support interactions.

At CINC, we’ve cultivated a culture where people love coming to work every day. When your support team genuinely enjoys what they do, they show up for you in every sense—faster problem resolution, more thorough follow-up, and more innovative solutions. You’re not just getting answers; you’re getting partnership from professionals excited about your success.

Looking Forward

Evaluating a CAM software partner isn’t just about finding a quick fix for today’s problems. It’s about identifying an ally who will help you grow and adapt for years to come. The questions above highlight qualitative factors—collaboration, culture, and commitment—that can make all the difference in your long-term success.

When you find that kind of partner, you’ll not only solve the problems on your plate today. You’ll be equipped for what tomorrow brings.

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