When purchasing an online mentoring software system, not only should you, the Mentoring Program Manager, be concerned about whether the software is comprehensive and adaptable to your specific needs, but also who will service the contract once you sign on the dotted line.
Technical support is critical and should be provided by all companies that offer an online mentoring system.
But what about mentoring expertise as a support to the Mentoring Program Manager? Does that come with your package?
Since mentoring is about establishing relationships to help employees to develop, it is critical that you have access to a mentoring expert: someone who is knowledgeable about mentoring dynamics. Instead, mentoring support is sometimes handled by an administrative person who may have very little mentoring experience or knowledge. Providing bad advice on mentoring due to a lack of experience or knowledge can derail relationships and ultimately ruin the mentoring program.
So when exploring an online mentoring system, don’t just ask about technical support, but ask who will be the mentoring expert you can call upon when you need help.