Community support options

[Kerwin]

I'm playing on starting a very small tech company (can provide details if it helps) and I want technical support to be handled mainly by other users so I can lower prices. I was thinking of a forum so something like PHPbb or Xenforo. I have an old license for Xenforo which I haven't used in years and will cost $75 to renew for a year or use PHPbb which is free but not as nice to use.

Another option is Google Groups which would be good as I use Google Workspace for my office suite but I'm curious if there are any other options out there which I don't know about?

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

How will a forum manage what you want to achieve?

 

[Kerwin]

How will a forum manage what you want to achieve?

It'll be a public way for customers to communicate with each other as well as myself being able to get involved. The way it'll help is that hopefully customers will be able to help one another rather than having to contact tech support directly although that'll still be an option.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Ahh, ok, just a general support forum.

Any of the packages you mention would work, but, if you are using something like WP or Joomla, they have forum plugins.

BTW, if I am paying you for support, why would I go to a forum for free advice? I understand this if it is a software package or SAAS, but not sure if this works together.

 

[Kerwin]

Ahh, ok, just a general support forum.

Any of the packages you mention would work, but, if you are using something like WP or Joomla, they have forum plugins.

BTW, if I am paying you for support, why would I go to a forum for free advice? I understand this if it is a software package or SAAS, but not sure if this works together.

Thank you for the reply.

You won't technically be paying for support. It'll be made very clear before a customer purchases that only critical support will be included. Obviously I'll be flexible on that but in terms of the contract it'll be community support.

I'm custom building this software so I'll have to use something standalone.