Most industrial businesses put all their budget into production—better machines, faster processes, higher output. But once the product leaves your factory, what happens? When customers don’t use it properly, your support team takes the hit. Unclear instructions turn into a call, a site visit, or even a warranty claim.
I know YOUR company doesn’t do this – do they?
I remember my first Amazon furniture delivery in Canada. I expected furniture and I got a flat-pack box of wood. 😖 … SERIOUSLY!
I unfolded the instructions – semi-translated, ambiguous, and designed for default situations. I had bits left over. On Google – the instructions that popped up weren’t for my model, and some turned out not to be for my supplier at all!
An hour later I was angry, and sorry I ever bought it. Luckily with Amazon, it’s easy to return it.
Is does good after-sales support build your reputation and sales?
- Fewer calls
Customers solve basic issues themselves with step-by-step guides. - Shorter calls
When they do call, support teams work from the same instructions, cutting time. - Fewer visits
Clear troubleshooting helps customers avoid expensive on-site service. - Less downtime
Equipment is used correctly, preventing misuse and damage. - Lower training spend
Manuals double as training tools for both customers and staff.
Good after-sales support means a leaner support team AND happier customers.
Documentation doesn’t need to be costly or complicated. If it’s easy to update, easy to access, and affordable to produce, it quickly pays for itself in reduced support overhead and stronger customer loyalty.
For an industrial business focused on production, good technical documentation is a smart long-term investment.
The benefit for RFPs and bids: Government tenders now demand to see proof of training procedures. Companies who can provide proof of polished, professional online and print manuals to make their product look easier to use, have a competitive edge.
InTouch24-7 provides technical publishing services that include assessing and improving documentation. We uniquely support industrial companies by being able to publish both online and print manuals. You have the option to distribute “print-on-demand” professionally bound books to distributors, agents, resellers, wherever they are, or deliver directly to VIP customers across multiple locations.
How to assess and improve your user support documentation
Collect and Audit Existing Materials
- Gather all manuals, guides, quick-start sheets, training docs, and service bulletins.
- Check for duplicates, inconsistencies, or outdated information.
- Identify missing content (e.g., troubleshooting, safety steps, diagrams).
Evaluate Against Key Criteria
Review each manual with these questions:
- Clarity
is the language simple and direct? Would a non-expert understand it? - Structure
are steps easy to follow, with clear headings and numbering? Is there a table of contents? - Consistency
do terms, symbols, and layouts look and read the same across all documents? Are there indexes? - Visuals
are diagrams, photos, and icons accurate and easy to interpret? - Accessibility
Can customers easily find, download, or print the most recent version? Is there a QR code on the product label? - Professionalism
does it look polished, branded, and aligned with the company’s quality standards?
Gather Feedback from the Field
- Ask service teams: What questions do customers call about most?
- Ask customers: Which parts of the manual helped, and which caused confusion?
- Review support tickets or warranty claims for patterns.
Benchmark Against Competitors
Look at manuals from top competitors or leading manufacturers in other industries and identify best practices (visual style, troubleshooting guides, training integration).
Prioritize Improvements
Start with quick wins: consistent formatting, clear headings, updated safety notes. Then invest in bigger upgrades: visuals, modular digital publishing, QR codes. Look at how your support is presented online. Review printing and logistics if your product would be served better with paper documentation.
Maintain a Continuous Process
- Choose a format that has an easy update process, that can be done in-house
- Set up a regular review cycles.
- Use modular content so one update flows through all manuals.
- Track improvements by monitoring support calls and warranty claims.
