Customer Engagement & Support

Useful Resources

• Articles: How to Build a Customer-Centric Business, Engaging Customers Effectively, Customer Support Trends in 2024, The Power of Personalized Engagement

• Videos: Mastering Customer Support, The Future of Customer Engagement, How AI is Transforming Customer Service

• Podcasts: Customer Success Stories, Building Long-Term Customer Loyalty, Customer Experience Leadership

• 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%

Recommended Tools

• 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.

Founded Outdoors Community Tips and Insights

• 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.

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.