Implementing an enterprise-grade headless content management system requires a 360º understanding of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – the hidden expenses beyond initial investments. 

With personalized assistance and proactive maintenance, choosing white glove support can mitigate hidden costs and unlock sustainable growth, sharply reducing the total cost of operation.

We'll delve into how adding white glove support to your CMS implementation can lead to optimized resource utilization, enhanced operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making, all contributing to a substantial reduction in TCO. 

What Does White Glove Service Mean?

White glove service is a premium and high-touch customer support and engagement approach.  It’s often deeply personalized and hands-on nature. It provides top-tier care and attention beyond the conventional customer service model.

Unlike standardized support, this approach treats each business as unique and tailors solutions to their requirements. 

Dedicated professionals work closely with enterprise clients to understand their goals, challenges, and workflows. This personalized approach ensures that every aspect of the CMS implementation, management, and optimization aligns perfectly with the company’s objectives.

Benefits of Choosing White Glove Support for Headless CMS

Transitioning to a headless CMS with white glove services can impact your operations and bottom line. Here’s how.

Better Use of Product

Choosing a white-glove service for your headless CMS is like getting a personal guide to maximize your product's potential. You'll make the most of your investment by learning all the tricks and tips to manage your content and streamline your workflows effectively. 

It's like having a roadmap that ensures you're headed in the right direction, saving time and resources.

Access to Expert Insights for Other Vendors

With white glove customer service, you're not just getting support for your headless CMS – you're opening doors to a world of expertise. You'll have direct access to experts well-versed in other platforms. 

This means you're not just limited to one tool; you're gaining insider knowledge that can boost your overall digital strategy. It's pretty much like having a well-connected friend who knows all the best spots in town and is willing to share their secrets with you.

Maximized ROI

With White glove support, your investment goes beyond software purchase; it becomes a comprehensive solution that guarantees a lower TCO. This translates into a higher return on investment as your content management becomes more efficient and effective.

Smooth Onboarding

The support you receive during onboarding ensures a seamless transition to a headless CMS and composable architecture. Hands-on guidance minimizes the learning curve, and potential roadblocks are smoothed out, making your CMS adoption a hassle-free experience.

Superior Support

White-glove service goes the extra mile with timely troubleshooting and proactive maintenance. This approach prevents potential issues from spiralling out of control, effectively minimizing disruptions and the risk of downtime, resulting in a smoother and more reliable CMS experience.

The dark side of CMS “Support”

Implementing a headless CMS with white-glove service can be accompanied by certain challenges that businesses should be aware of. These challenges might include:

Lots of Variation; It Comes with Support, But to What Extent?

Indeed, the level of support can vary widely among headless CMS vendors. Some vendors offer comprehensive white-glove service with dedicated assistance, while others provide limited support but neglect to disclose it in their sales pitch. Businesses must carefully review each vendor's service offerings to ensure that the level of support aligns with their requirements.

Monoliths: Huge Cost but Notoriously Poor Support

Traditional monolithic CMS can be expensive to maintain, and their support may only sometimes be sufficient to address evolving business needs. This is where the appeal of headless CMS with robust white-glove service comes into play, providing a more agile and customized solution with premium support.

Deceptive Support Costs and Limited SLAs

Be advised when considering headless CMS vendors that cater to enterprises. Some vendors neglect to provide transparent support cost information, and their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) could be limited to higher-tier plans. This makes it crucial for businesses to thoroughly examine the details of the support packages offered by vendors and ensure they align with their expectations.

Agility White Glove Service

Agility's white glove service providers collaborate closely with enterprise companies to design content management solutions catering to their needs, ensuring optimal functionality and efficiency.

Here’s what we offer to our top-tier customers: 

• Technical Assistance: Businesses benefit from expert-level technical guidance to navigate intricate challenges, such as integrations, API setups, and troubleshooting. This proactive approach reduces potential roadblocks and enhances the system's performance.
• Training: white-glove service includes personalized training sessions tailored to the business's needs. These sessions equip teams with the knowledge and skills to efficiently manage and utilize the CMS, leading to increased self-sufficiency.
• Ongoing Support: The consistent availability of support ensures that businesses can address concerns as they arise, minimizing disruptions and downtime. This timely assistance maintains the system's stability and operational continuity.
• Troubleshooting: white-glove service identifies potential issues before they escalate, preventing significant disruptions. Rapid diagnosis and resolution of problems minimize the impact on the business's operations.

Questions to Ask When Approaching an Enterprise Vendor

Selecting a vendor that truly advocates for white-glove service involves a careful evaluation process to ensure you're partnering with the right provider. Here are some quickfire questions you can ask your vendor.:

• What services are included in your support offering? Understand their comprehensive services, such as onboarding, training, and ongoing support.
• Do you assign a dedicated account/customer success manager? Inquire about having a dedicated point of contact who understands your business needs. How do you handle technical issues and ensure prompt response?
• How do you handle technical issues and ensure prompt response? Understand their approach to addressing technical challenges and their average response time.
• Can you share success stories or references from clients who've benefited from your support?
• Can you share success stories or references from clients who've benefited from your support? Request real-world examples to gauge the effectiveness of their white-glove Service.
• How do you balance premium support with maintaining our autonomy over the CMS?
• How do you balance support with maintaining our autonomy over the CMS? Discuss how they provide assistance while ensuring your team retains control and independence.
• How does your support maintain our autonomy? Discuss how their support aligns with your desire to remain in control of your CMS operations. Inquire about their approach to empowering your team with the skills and knowledge needed to manage the system independently.
• What's the process for scaling support as we grow? Explore how their support adapts to accommodate your evolving requirements. Discuss their strategy for seamlessly integrating additional support or resources as your business expands.

Scotiabank: Á la carte support

An Agility customer since 2008, Scotiabank is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company with the highest requirements for security and reliability. As one of Canada's Big Five banks and the third-largest Canadian bank by deposits and market capitalization, Scotiabank was looking for an enterprise-grade partner to help.

Here are some reasons why Scotiabank has stayed with Agility for 15 years: 

• No hand-holding, just freedom of choice. Each development team can add functionalities and onboard international implementation partners independently.
• They keep 100% control of the website code. Agility's support team is always there to guide you, but the code is entirely theirs.
• Agility CMS offers enterprise security and reliability to ensure the websites are always up and running. 

Scotiabank: Delivering Exceptional and Secure Content Experience

Closing thoughts

By teaming up the adaptability of Agility with a premium approach to support, businesses gain more than just technology –they gain a holistic solution that simplifies processes and adds value.

From smoother implementation and ongoing assistance to reducing costs and boosting efficiency, investing in better support has much to offer, but remember that it's not just about the tools but the partnership that powers your growth, innovation, and digital dreams.