IT Service Strategies for Proactive Customer Success

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Meet the Experts

Photo of Elaina Stergiades
Elaina Stergiades

Research Director, IT Service Strategies for Proactive Customer Success

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Rob Brothers

Program Vice President, Datacenter and Support Services



IDC's IT Service Strategies for Proactive Customer Success research assists software and hardware vendors and providers in developing, marketing, and delivering success, support, and deployment services. For most providers, recurring revenue represents some of the most profitable and sought-after dollars. By subscribing to this service, clients will gain greater insight into best practices for operational efficiencies, competitive positioning, and delivery strategies so that their services can drive revenue growth and improve the customer experience, whether in as-a-service models or through traditional IT sales.


Markets and Subjects Analyzed


  • Software and hardware support offerings
  • Channel and partnering strategies for success and support
  • Multivendor support services
  • Electronic/esupport strategies for internal and external efficiencies
  • Advice for hardware vendors transitioning to software support
  • AR/VR and its impact on support and deployment
  • How success, support, and deployment services can elevate the customer experience
  • Trends in AI and machine learning driving automation in preventive/proactive maintenance and support
  • Edge deployments and the impact to support organizations
  • The impact of new technologies such as generative AI, serverless, and increased automation on support services requirements
  • Customer experience that is product, SLA and KPI driven
  • Vendor strategies and best practices for support
  • Service models for premium and multivendor support
  • Trends in consumer support services

Core Research


  • Worldwide Software Support Services Forecast and Analysis
  • Worldwide Hardware Support Services Forecast and Analysis
  • Success, Support, and Deployment Services in As-a-Service Offerings
  • Support for and the Rise of Customer Success/Customer Experience
  • Consumer Support Analysis
  • Edge and DC support and Deployment Strategies
  • Impact of Automation and AI on Enterprise Support
  • How to Manage Success and Support Delivery

In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct research on specific topics or emerging market segments via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment.


Key Questions Answered


  1. What are the best-in-class elements of success and support programs?
  2. What will be the critical skills, systems and tools, organizational structures, and marketing strategies for delivering superior software and hardware success and support services?
  3. How will new technologies such as AI, machine learning, AR/VR, and increased automation affect the software and hardware support market?
  4. How are proactive and predictive analytics changing the services industry?
  5. How can technology providers use success and support services as a competitive differentiator?
  6. What are the key drivers for improving and maintaining customer satisfaction over time?
  7. What does "customer success" really look like in hardware and software support services delivery?
  8. How will the market for consumer support services evolve?
  9. What are the key market opportunities?
  10. What do cloud and as-a-service offerings mean for support?