Customer Engagement & Support

1. Useful Resources

To dive deeper into customer engagement and support, explore these valuable resources:

  • Books: The Customer Rules by Lee Cockerell, Never Lose a Customer Again by Joey Coleman, Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer
  • Case Studies: Improving Response Time with AI Chatbots, How a Small Business Increased Retention by 40%

2. Recommended Tools

Here are some tools that can enhance customer engagement and support:

  • Zendesk - A comprehensive customer service platform for managing support tickets and live chat.
  • Intercom - A messaging-first support tool that integrates automation and chatbots.
  • HubSpot CRM - Helps businesses manage customer relationships and engagement in one place.
  • SurveyMonkey - Gathers valuable customer feedback through customizable surveys.
  • Gorgias - A customer support helpdesk designed for eCommerce businesses to centralize support.
  • Freshdesk - An intuitive support platform offering automation and omnichannel support.
  • Tidio - A live chat and chatbot solution to enhance real-time customer support.

3. Founded Outdoors Community Tips and Insights

Founders and business leaders from the community have shared valuable insights on improving customer engagement and support. Below are anonymized and paraphrased tips:

  • Be Proactive: Don't wait for customers to ask for help—anticipate their needs and reach out with solutions.
  • Balance Automation and Human Interaction: While AI chatbots and automation speed up response times, ensure that complex issues are handled by real human agents for a more personalized touch.
  • Engage Through Multiple Channels: Customers prefer different ways to communicate—whether via email, social media, or live chat. Offering omnichannel support ensures accessibility.
  • Empower Customers with Self-Service Options: A well-structured FAQ or knowledge base allows customers to find answers without needing to contact support.
  • Act on Customer Feedback: Consistently collect feedback via surveys or NPS scores and actively make changes based on recurring themes.
  • Train Support Teams in Customer Empathy: Technical skills are important, but support teams that show genuine empathy and patience improve the overall experience.
  • Leverage Community Engagement: Some businesses have found success in building online communities where customers can interact, share tips, and offer peer support.
  • Provide Clear and Transparent Communication: Set expectations around response times and resolution processes so customers feel informed and valued.
  • Surprise and Delight Customers: A personalized thank-you note, unexpected discount, or proactive service check-in can turn a regular customer into a loyal advocate.
  • Measure and Improve Response Time: Fast support response times directly impact customer satisfaction, so tracking response efficiency and optimizing workflows is essential.

4. Vendors

For businesses looking to outsource or partner with customer engagement and support solutions, here are some reliable vendors:

  • SupportNinja - Provides outsourced customer support solutions.
  • TaskUs - Specializes in digital customer experience and AI-powered support.
  • Helpshift - An AI-driven customer service platform for mobile-first businesses.
  • Toptal - Connects businesses with top-tier customer experience professionals.
  • Simplr - A scalable customer support outsourcing solution that integrates AI and human agents.
  • Uplift CX - A boutique customer support agency focused on high-touch customer interactions.
 

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