Choosing the right help desk software isn’t a decision you make lightly — and the product demo is one of your best opportunities to evaluate whether a solution fits your needs. But if you’re like most teams, you’re busy. It’s easy to sit through a demo, take a few notes, and move on — only to realize later you didn’t get the insights you really needed.

This guide is designed to help you take full advantage of your help desk demo. Whether you're comparing tools or just starting your search, a little preparation can go a long way toward making the right choice.

Before the Demo: Set Yourself Up for Success

Define What You Actually Need

A good demo should be tailored to your use case — not just a tour of every button and feature. Before the meeting, make a short list of what really matters to your team. This might include:

• Smart ticket routing or escalation workflows
• Microsoft Teams integration
• Self-service portals or internal knowledge bases
• SLA tracking and reporting tools
• Ease of use for non-technical users

Prioritize what will make the biggest difference to your support operations.

Bring the Right People to the Table

It’s not just about IT leaders — get input from support agents, team leads, or even non-technical staff who’ll be using the system day to day. Their questions and concerns can reveal friction points that the demo should address.

Prepare Real-Life Scenarios

Vendors love scripted demos. But your world isn’t scripted. Give your sales rep a few real-world examples — like “a password reset request from an exec,” or “an urgent outage report from a remote employee.” Ask to see how the system would handle your common requests.

During the Demo: What to Watch and What to Ask

Is the Interface Actually Usable?

Can a new user pick it up quickly? Is ticket creation straightforward? Look for red flags like too many clicks, hard-to-find features, or a UI that feels outdated.

How Does It Handle Communication?

Modern help desks should support multi-channel communication — including chat, email, web forms, and collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams. Bonus points if all of it lands in the same queue without the chaos.

What About Automation?

Ask how workflows are set up. Can the system assign tickets based on category or urgency? Can you create rules for things like time-based escalations or auto-closing stale tickets?

Can It Deflect Tickets With a Knowledge Base?

Self-service is a time-saver — but only if it’s easy to manage. Check how the system supports knowledge base creation, organization, and search. Bonus: Can agents link articles directly in responses?

What Metrics Can You Track?

Every help desk promises “better visibility.” Ask to see actual dashboards. Can you track:

• First-response time?
• Resolution time?
• SLA compliance?
• Backlogged tickets?

Make sure reporting is both meaningful and accessible.

Questions You Should Ask the Vendor

Don’t leave without clarity on:

• Onboarding: How long does it take to get up and running?
• Customization: Can you modify forms, fields, workflows without development work?
• Support: What’s the post-sale support experience like?
• Integration: How well does it work with your existing tools — especially Microsoft 365?

Red Flags to Look Out For

Some demos try to impress rather than inform. Be cautious if:

• You get vague or overly scripted answers
• They can’t show how it would handle your real-life examples
• Everything requires custom development
• They push add-ons you don’t need right away

After the Demo: Evaluate with Confidence

Use a Comparison Matrix

Create a simple scoring table: features, ease of use, integration, price, support. Rank each tool side by side while the demo is still fresh.

Debrief With Your Team

What stood out? What felt clunky? Did it match your expectations? This feedback is gold when it comes time to make the final call.

Consider a Follow-Up or Trial

If the tool looks promising, ask for sandbox access or a second session focused on admin setup or deeper testing. Your future self will thank you.

Make the Demo Work for You

The best demos aren’t about seeing everything — they’re about seeing what matters. With some upfront prep and the right questions, you can walk away knowing whether a tool will truly support your team’s needs.

Want to see how Revelation helpdesk handles your real-life use cases? Book a tailored demo with us today.