Crafting a better work experience

In a recent McKinsey & Company study, customer service leaders were asked:what is your highest priority?

The answer at the top of the list was improving customer experience.

This goal has become the driving change of many aspects of the customer service industry, from the tech we use to how we design omnichannel experiences and even response times.

To highlight the different aspects of customer service and their importance, we have collected 66 key customer service statistics that talk about rapid changes like AI, chatbots, and automation that are helping customer service teams meet these expectations.

These statistics can help you see the direction the customer service industry is heading in—and what you need to do to prepare your business in 2024.

Let’s take a look 👇

Table of Contents

     
• The Evolving Role of AI in Customer Service
     
• The Power of Chatbots in Customer Satisfaction
     
• How Poor Customer Service Drives a Negative Experience
     
• The Positive Impact of Excellent Customer Service
     
• How Omnichannel Customer Service is Evolving
     
• Predictions For The Future of Customer Service
 

The Evolving Role of AI in Customer Service

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing everything we do, from how we write to how we program and yes—how we talk to customers.

Forbes labeled AI as a new industrial revolution, and a 2022 IBM survey found AI adoption rates are steadily increasing across the globe.

For the customer service industry, the emergence of AI has led to some monumental shifts:

 
• Globally, the AI customer service market was worth $308 million in 2022, and that figure is set to explode to $2.8 Billion by 2030. (Generative Research)
 
• 78% of support leaders expect AI to transform customer support careers in the next five years and create new opportunities and job roles. (Intercom)
 
• 79% of customer service professionals say AI and automation tools are important to their overall strategy, while some 49% say these tools will be able to do most customer service-related tasks completely independently. (HubSpot)
 
• 73% of support leaders believe customers will expect AI-assisted customer service within the next five years. (Intercom)
 
• Customer service centers using AI can handle over twice as many calls, and 74% say AI helps save them time. (Dialpad)
 
• Businesses that have invested in AI and automation are beginning to see the benefits. 61% have seen improvements to their customer experience over the past year, while 58% have improved their CSAT scores. (Intercom)

According to HubSpot, AI is making customer service teams more efficient across the board:

But there is a gap in how business leaders are investing in AI, and how much customers want to interact with it.

 
• 56% of customer support leaders are concerned about how to balance investment in AI and existing customer support resources. (Intercom)
 
• 68% of support leaders struggle to implement a baseline report or success metrics to measure cost savings thanks to AI and automation. (Intercom)
 
• 44% of customers still prefer to talk to and interact with a human over AI. (HubSpot)
 
• 53% of support teams are worried about the potential negative impact of AI on the customer service industry. (Intercom)

The worries of such disruptive tech are not new. The same thing happened when computers were put into workplaces in the 1980s—many people feared they would lose their jobs. But just as those computers still require a human to run them, Intercom found AI and automation tools will need people to develop chatbots, design AI conversations, and create strategies.   The future of customer service and AI looks different—but the progression looks promising.

The Power of Chatbots in Customer Satisfaction

Customer demands have changed rapidly as support tech has improved. Gone are the days when businesses can get back to customers in 3-5 working days.

Customers want answers. And they want them quickly.The main driver of this change? Chatbots 🤖

 
• The chatbot market is predicted to grow 23.3% annually and reach a worth of $15.5 billion by 2028. (MarketsandMarkets)
 
• 88% of people had at least one conversation with a chatbot in 2022. (Tidio)
 
• 64% of internet users say 24-hour service is the best feature of chatbots. (Drift)
 
• Chatbots can handle up to 80% of routine customer service tasks. (IBM)
 
• Live chat is used by 67% of B2C businesses solely for customer support. (Source: Finance Online)

The other big bonus of chatbots is they are incredibly beneficial for a company’s budget. Not only can chatbots cut customer service costs by up to 30% (IBM), but:

 
• Chatbot conversion rates in some industries can reach up to 70% (Tidio)
 
• 47% of consumers would happily buy items via a chatbot. (Smart Tribune)
 
• 40% of customers don’t care if they speak to a human or a chatbot—as long as their query gets resolved. (HubSpot)

However, there is also a generational divide around chatbot preferences. While 20% of Gen Z customers want to start a customer service experience with a chatbot, that figure drops to just 4% for Boomers. (Simplr)

It also depends on what type of issue the customer has.

 
• 74% of customers will choose a chatbot over a human to answer simple questions (PSFK).
 
• 60% of consumers prefer to wait in queue for an agent to reply than receive an instant response from a chatbot. (Userlike)
 
• 80% of consumers will talk to a chatbot if there’s an opportunity to quickly switch to an agent. (Simplr)

Chatbot use is definitely increasing, and more customers are happy to use them. But the stats are clear—a large portion of customers out there still want to talk to a real human 🙋

How Poor Customer Service Drives a Negative Experience

In the early 90s, the White House Office of Consumer Affairs commissioned a study into customer service and what made customers tick. As HuffPost reminisced, the results were… humbling.

An unhappy customer doesn’t stay quiet. In fact, they will tell nine to 15 other people about their bad customer service experience with your company. Some customers tell 20 people or more. And for every customer who complained to you, there were another 26 others who kept quiet about their dissatisfaction.

Yikes 🥴

Further research from Qualtrics and ServiceNow found that 80% of customers have switched brands because of a poor customer experience, and US companies risk losing $1.9 trillion in spending because of it.

What’s interesting is just how unwilling customers are to give a business a second chance if they receive poor customer service 👇

 
• An eye-watering 96% of customers will cut ties with a company if they receive bad service (Hyken)
 
• The top reason customers switch companies is because they feel unappreciated.
 
• 64% of customers say they can’t get help or solve their problem through their provider’s customer service. (Airkit)
 
• 65% of customers will go back to a competitor if they have a negative customer experience. (Forrester)
 
• Only 34% of customers felt they were consistently treated with empathy when interacting with customer service. (Qualtrics)
 
• 54% of customers say customer service feels like an afterthought for businesses. (Zendesk)

Interestingly, this sentiment was shared across age brackets. A Propel Software study found a majority of Millennials (57%) will cut ties with a brand after one bad encounter, while 54% of all survey respondents said they would do the same.

What is perhaps most alarming for brands is how unforgiving customers are unless the customer service team can save the day.

 
• Only 15% of consumers will forgive a “very poor” experience with a brand, but almost 80% of consumers will forgive if they rate the service team as “very good.” (Qualtrics XM Institute)

These statistics couldn’t be more clear: customer service teams can not only win people back, but they can do it even if a customer has had a rotten experience.

The Positive Impact of Excellent Customer Service

The goal of any customer service team is to deliver a five-star experience to their users. But what does that look like? 🤔

 
• 90% of customers say issue resolution is their top concern. (KPMG)
 
• Customers want service reps to act quickly. 90% of customers say an "immediate" response to a question is very important to their experience, and 60% say the response time should be 10 minutes or less. (HubSpot)
 
• A third of customers say the most critical aspect of a good customer service experience is for their problem to be solved in one single interaction. They even said it didn’t matter how long it took. (Statista)
 
• An overwhelming 83% of customers feel more loyal to brands that respond to and resolve their complaints. (Forrester)
 
• 94% of American customers will recommend a company if they rate their customer service as “very good.” (Qualtrics XM Institute)

What’s interesting is brand loyalty can be achieved through great customer service. Propel Software found that brands can win over customers for life if they remember their birthday, service reps call customers by their name, and are swift to make changes when complaints are made.

How Omnichannel Customer Service is Evolving

Take a look at these and see if they look familiar:

🤖 Chatbot: “Shoot an email across to the support team so we can get this sorted.”

📞 Phone call: “I will transfer you to another department that can help.”

🐦 Twitter: “Send me a DM so I can get this sorted for you!”

These are all responses from a customer service agent to an angry customer. While there is nothing wrong with each response, there is a risk that when the customer jumps from one channel to another, they will have to repeat their problem to another agent… and that's where the problem begins.

Customers want a painless support experience. In fact, 9 out of 10 customers expect a seamless omnichannel experience no matter what communication method they use. (CX Today)

 
• 76% of customers expect consistent interactions across departments. However, 54% feel like service, marketing and sales teams don’t share information. (Salesforce)
 
• Over 70% of consumers think customer service teams should collaborate so they don't have to repeat information to different representatives. (Zendesk)
 
• Chatbots can play a crucial role in omnichannel support. They have a 75% resolution rate for routine questions and can integrate with other communication channels to connect customers with a live support agent. (Microsoft)

Brands must decide what communication channels to prioritize, depending on customer preferences.

 
• 40% of customers say having multiple communication options is the most important part of a customer service department. (TCN)
 
• Phone and email are still the most preferred customer service options for older generations, while younger customers prefer channels like online chat, social media and text. (Qualtrics)
 
• Despite online chat being ranked the third channel across all age groups, it was the second most effective channel for resolving issues quickly. (Qualtrics)

However, some brands struggle to meet these customer demands.

77% of companies struggle to create a cohesive customer experience across devices and channels, even when 62% of customers say they want to engage over multiple digital channels. The good news is there is a huge opportunity for businesses to let customers self-service a problem 👇

 
• 88% of customers want the option of an online self-service portal. (Statista)
 
• 92% of customers are open to using a knowledge base, with 83% saying they would also use a community forum for help if it was available. (Vanilla Forums)
 
• 39% of customers say resolving issues with a self-service option is quicker than other customer service channels. (Freshdesk)

But be warned—self-service doesn't mean forgetting about your customers. 77% of customers say a poor self-service option is worse than not offering any support at all, as it wastes their time!

Predictions For The Future of Customer Service

There is no doubt the way we approach customer service is changing at a rapid pace.

Gartner predicts that by 2025, customer service teams that use AI in their multichannel customer strategy will boost operational efficiency by 25%. And 84% of companies think AI chatbots will become a crucial communication tool for talking to customers (CCW).

What’s interesting is how these changes will come about. Research by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) predicts generative AI will be embedded and rolled out across customer service functions until it can provide continuous assistance across all customer journeys:

If this predicted rollout becomes a reality, BCG expects Generative AI to increase customer service productivity by anywhere from 30% to 50%.

Gartner also expects that by 2027, chatbots will become the main customer service channel for a quarter of all businesses. If this happens, it will lead to a major shakeup of the entire customer journey, and businesses must start to plan for how AI will work alongside customer service representatives.

According to McKinsey research, an estimated 75% of customers use multiple channels in their ongoing experience. It has offered a vision of what a future customer service model could look like if AI was introduced at every customer touchpoint:

While the statistics we have talked about highlight that customers are not quite all in on AI and automated support experiences, they are getting more comfortable.

The best thing your business can do to prepare for these developments in 2024 is to embrace the new tech in customer service. The bottom line is: customers don’t care how they get good service, but they expect good service. And brands that win in 2024 will leverage every tool in their toolkit to satisfy customers.

Use chatbots to speed up customer service. Share information across your team to improve every omnichannel experience. And use AI to optimize every touchpoint in your customer’s journey.

Follow these trends in 2024—and your customer service team will thrive 🥳

Zendesk is a great product that offers extensive customer service features. But it has a caveat, it’s expensive and complex.

If you’re not a large enterprise, chances are you’ll find Zendesk to be overkill. Especially since there are more user-friendly and affordable Zendesk alternatives that offer a great feature set.

If you’ve faced challenges using Zendesk and need to switch to an alternative, this guide is for you. We did some leg work for you and found the 11 best Zendesk alternatives based on factors like ease of use, feature set, and pricing.

What are the disadvantages of Zendesk?

While it’s hard to argue that Zendesk isn’t a great customer service platform, it does come with disadvantages: High costs and a complex interface.

Here’s a quick overview of Zendesk’s disadvantages as a customer service platform.

Expensive

Zendesk can get quite expensive even if you use its most basic plan. The base plan doesn’t include features like service level agreements (SLA), custom and live analytics, or AI features.

Advanced features are locked behind a paywall. Even essential features like customized support forms are not available on the base plan.

Add-ons with extra cost

Sure, you can buy add-ons to get advanced features on a lower-tier plan. But there is a caveat: Not all add-ons are available on all plans.

If you’re on the base plan (Suite Team) or the next tier (Suite Growth plan), you aren’t eligible for the advanced AI add-on. If you’re eligible, you’ll have to shell out quite a bit for add-ons.

The advanced AI agent, for instance, costs $50 per agent per month.

Complex interface

Zendesk’s extensive onboarding process and complex configurations present a steep learning curve. This can translate to cumbersome onboarding, low employee buy-in, and investments in training.

Even once you’ve dealt with these problems, you might not achieve the same level of efficiency as you would with a more user-friendly platform.

Poor support

Ironically, Zendesk has a reputation for being non-responsive. Don’t take our word for it—here’s a review from a Zendesk user on Capterra:

“If you need support for this software, they take a long, long time to get back to you. You better know what you're doing, because if you need to get a hold of them, I wish you the best of luck.”

Zendesk can be difficult to navigate. The lack of support only exacerbates the problem and leaves teams without dedicated experts on their own.

11 Best Zendesk alternatives for customer service

We’ve compiled the best Zendesk alternatives for customer service below. From basic communication to AI-powered tools, these solutions offer a wide range of features for customer service.

Look for an option that meets your business needs and offers value for money.

1. Missive

Missive is the perfect customer service solution for startups and small businesses. It’s not a full-fledged help desk software, which means you won’t have to spend time navigating through a lot of clutter.

It focuses on features like shared inboxes, live chat, shared labels, flexible email setup, and canned responses.

The platform allows assigning customer conversations to a specific team, person, or multiple people. To automate this process, you can create rules to route conversations to the appropriate location.

Missive integrates with all popular tools like Salesforce, OpenAI, Grammarly, and Aircall. This means you can easily migrate data between Missive and these tools to streamline your workflow.

Built-in email management

Missive offers a comprehensive range of email management capabilities. You can collaborate on customer emails, delegate them to team members, and manage multiple email addresses at once.

Automation features

Missive helps you automate various workflows for incoming and outgoing messages, as well as user actions. There is also an OpenAI integration that acts as an email assistant, helping you be more productive.

Simple and affordable pricing

Missive helps small businesses deliver great customer service without spending a fortune.

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Try Missive today—it’s free. If you want to learn more about how Missive can help your customer service team, you can also book a demo.

2. HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is a help desk platform that helps manage customer inquiries from its feature-loaded interface. It might be a good fit if you’re an enterprise user and require features like video recordings, the option to create a knowledge base, customer satisfaction surveys, and automation.

HubSpot saves plenty of time by helping you automatically assign incoming messages via chat and email to the right person on the team.

Support agents can use one of the 5,000+ email templates available on HubSpot to quickly respond to inquiries—you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you receive a query about your refund policy.

While HubSpot is almost as complex as Zendesk, it does offer a limited free version and better support quality than Zendesk.

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3. Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce’s customer service help desk solution is called Salesforce Service Cloud. It offers features like case management and omnichannel routing.

If you’re already using Salesforce products, Service Cloud would naturally be an ideal Zendesk alternative.

However, Salesforce will leave many of the Zendesk problems unresolved. For example, Salesforce also has a complex pricing structure and expensive add-ons. It’s also one of the more expensive options on the list.

While Salesforce does offer omnichannel routing, users report that case routing often doesn’t work. Users also cite the complex integration and implementation as a concern.

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4. Zoho Desk

Like Salesforce, Zoho Desk is a comprehensive customer support software solution. The ticketing tool enables you to handle customer requests across multiple communication channels, departments, and products.

Zoho Desk offers omnichannel support, so you can handle these customer requests via live chat, phone, email, web forms, and self-service portals.

Speaking of live chat—Zoho Desk’s AI-powered chatbot (called Zia) elevates the customer experience and simplifies processes for agents.

It automatically fields customer queries from customers by generating responses using information in your knowledge base and other sources. This reduces support desk traffic and earns your agents some time. The AI chatbot also helps support agents find information faster during calls.

You can integrate Zoho Desk with various Zoho products, including Zoho CRM, Analytics (business intelligence software), and Cliq (UCaaS platform), as well as third-party tools like Slack, Mailchimp, and Asana.

Zoho Desk is a lot more intuitive than Zendesk and offers better support. However, the base plan doesn’t offer much. You’re compelled to opt for the second tier to increase limits across features.

5. Help Scout

Help Scout gets many things right. It has a clean and intuitive user interface, helps create customer portals for self-service, and offers features like shared inboxes and in-app messages.

The platform brings various AI features to the table, including AI summarize, which translates email threads into bullet points, and AI assist, which checks the text for grammar, tone of voice, and fragmented thoughts.

The setup is simple and quick, and the pricing structure is easy to understand. But it’s still an expensive solution. If you’re looking to switch to a more affordable Zendesk alternative, Help Scout is not it.

It’s also not the most customizable solution out there, though. If you need extensive reports, you might find Help Scout’s reporting features lackluster.

If you’re looking for a general customer service and ticket management platform with automation features, Help Scout is a great pick.

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6. HappyFox

HappyFox allows you to deliver support via channels like email, live chat, social media, and phone. The platform helps create a knowledge base, which integrates with its self-service portal.

HappyFox’s knowledge base and self-service portal functionalities are a great way to reduce support desk traffic—they help your customers find answers by themselves and track ticket status, previous engagements, and other details without having to contact support.

It’s great that Happy Fox doesn’t limit itself to help desk features like a ticketing system, canned replies, and automated workflows. You also get detailed reports, satisfaction surveys, and built-in task management functionalities.

However, HappyFox does make you pay for these features, so only go for HappyFox if you plan to use the majority of its features.In fact, it’s even more expensive than Zendesk. While you won’t save anything by switching to HappyFox, you might want to consider it if you’re a large business that needs an extensive feature set combined with an intuitive interface.

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7. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a multi-channel support platform that helps you build a call center, interact with customers via live chat on your website or social media, and build a knowledge base.

LiveAgent takes a gamified approach to customer service. Agents can earn badges for completing specific customer service tasks. This gamification can instill a competitive spirit that encourages agents and helps you identify areas where training may be necessary.

The live chat widget is fast and easy to implement. It includes access to unlimited chat and ticket history, chat analytics and tracking, and chat invitations with custom design options.

The platform integrates with over 200 tools, including Zapier, WordPress, Mailchimp, and more. Their extensive integration library is a plus since it helps you connect the customer service platform with your entire tech stack.

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8. Gorgias

Gorgias is best suited for ecommerce brands, but you might consider Gorgias if you want access to features like social media sentiment analysis—a feature not commonly found in customer service platforms.

Because Gorgias targets ecommerce businesses, it integrates with all the popular ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce. Their integration with Shopify is especially advanced—it allows agents to edit orders and handle refunds using its own interface.

While Gorgias is a great help desk software solution for ecommerce brands, it’s mostly ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.Large ecommerce businesses that also sell on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay might be better off with a different platform that integrates with these marketplaces.

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9. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a natural alternative to Zendesk since it offers a similar feature set that prioritizes support via multiple channels, AI features, and scalability.

The platform allows you to configure automated workflows to field customer inquiries. The workflows can deliver tickets to the right person on the team and prioritize critical tickets.

The collision detection feature in Freshdesk ensures two agents don’t simultaneously work on the same customer inquiry.Freshdesk is loaded with collaboration features, too. You can use features like team huddle and shared inbox for more effective customer support.

You’re essentially switching to a more affordable version of Zendesk when choosing Freshdesk. It’s also less complex than Zendesk and offers additional features like collision detection.However, Freshdesk lacks customizability. If you’re looking for flexibility, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

10. Intercom

Intercom is a customer messaging platform that enables you to provide multi-channel support via live chat, email, in-app messaging, and push notifications.

At the same time, Intercom helps you build an external knowledge base that allows customers to find answers without speaking to an agent.

Intercom Inbox is a great feature that brings all customer communications to a single interface. It helps you build workflows to automate tasks like routing customers to the right knowledge base content or agent.

You can integrate Intercom with almost any popular app, including WhatsApp, Salesforce, and Facebook.The only downside to Intercom is its steep pricing. If Zendesk’s price is a problem for you, Intercom isn’t the best Zendesk alternative.

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11. Kustomer

Kustomer is known for its ability to tackle a high-traffic support inquiries with ease. It combines robust customer support features with automation to deliver a great customer experience.

While most solutions on the list are standalone solutions, Kustomer is both a CRM (customer relationship management) and a customer support platform. Kustomer’s duality helps you see a complete picture of every customer as well as execute tasks across both systems at once, saving you time.

The AI-powered support platform supports various channels, including email, chat, SMS, social media, and phone.

While Kustomer is a feature-rich Zendesk alternative, it’s far from cheap. It’s significantly more expensive than Zendesk. There are only two pricing plans, so you can’t select a lean basic plan. If you want to use Kustomer, first verify if all the features it offers have value for your customer service processes.

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How to choose the best customer service software for your business

When selecting a customer service platform, here’s what you should consider:

Feature set

Identify your business’s needs—what features do you need in a customer service solution? Do you just need basic ticketing, a chatbot, and social media integration? Or do you need advanced AI features to automate customer support?

This allows you to filter out tools loaded with features you don’t need. When comparing tools, use the features you’ll use regularly as a basis to find the perfect tool.

User-friendliness

Complexity discourages employees from using your software regularly. Ease of use is vital to getting employee buy-in.

When you use complex software, you lose on multiple fronts. You pay a premium for the extensive feature set, and you spend more on training staff.

If a support agent can’t use your customer service solution confidently, they’re more likely to make mistakes. The cost to your reputation in such cases can be rather expensive.

Integrations

Transferring data is easier between integrated software. When your customer service software integrates with CRM like HubSpot, it’s easy for support agents to access customer data and register support tickets and other interactions in the CRM.

Integrations also make automation easier. For example, you could integrate a third-party tool like Asana to automatically create support-related tasks for agents whenever a customer opens a support ticket.

Support quality

A customer service platform’s own customer support team says a lot about the company’s commitment to customer service.

How fast does help come when you need it? Look for answers in user reviews. You can either ask around in your network or explore reviews on websites like Capterra and G2.

There are other ways to assess support quality as well. For example, you can reach out to support yourself to see how quickly they respond.

Read through the SLA to see if the service provider guarantees a resolution or response time.

Customizability

Customizability helps tweak the platform to suit your needs.

For example, not every business has the same escalation procedures for support inquiries. The customer service platform must allow you to configure your process to match your workflow.

Security and compliance

Look for industry-standard encryption protocols like SSL/TLS. Encryption ensures your data remains secure. See if the platform offers role-based access control (RBAC) to limit access to specific functionalities and data based on user roles.

Certifications with regulations and industry standards are a great indicator of a platform’s commitment to data security and compliance.

Look for certifications that confirm compliance with regulations and standards like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), or ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

Reporting and analytics

Reporting and analytics are critical features. It tells you how your current customer service strategy is performing and what you need to change to improve it.

When evaluating a platform’s reporting analytics features, consider the following:

   
• Metrics: See which metrics the platform helps you track. Common examples include resolution time, customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), and agent performance.
   
• Customized reports: Does the platform allow customizing reports according to your needs? You should be able to track the criteria that matter most to your customer service team.
   
• Visualization options: Consider visualization formats available on the platform. Ideally, you want to be able to view data in charts, graphs, and tables.

You might even consider looking for AI features that allow automated reporting and trigger alerts when a specific threshold is met.

For example, when you receive more than 1,000 support tickets per month, the platform could automatically notify the support manager so they can make arrangements to tackle the high volume of queries.

Price

Even if a platform checks all the right boxes, you have a budget to stick to. Steer clear of platforms with a complex pricing structure like Zendesk’s.

Look for a simple pricing structure. Factor in the cost of overages (for exceeding usage limits such as the number of tickets or API calls) and add-ons, if any.

Speak to support to learn about any hidden charges, like data storage fees or charges for accessing historical data.Sum up all the costs to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) and compare that with the value the customer service platform offers.

Zendesk's alternatives to elevate your customer service

Zendesk is a great customer service platform. But its broad feature set, complex user interface, and expensive and confusing pricing can be major problems for small and medium-sized businesses.

The best customer service tool is a combination of three things:

   
1. It has the features you need
   
2. It offers great support
   
3. It’s within your budget

If you’re thinking about moving away from Zendesk, give Missive a try. It’s a team inbox and chat app that allows your team to help customers across all popular channels.

Try Missive for free today, or book a demo to learn how Missive can help you improve customer service.

Everyone has a story about how poor customer service made them never want to engage with the same brand again. On the other hand, excellent customer service makes customers feel appreciated and plays a key role in their buying journeys (alongside factors like quality and price).

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PwC’s research underscores this fact, revealing that 42% of consumers are ready to pay more for friendly, welcoming customer service. That's right – customers are ready to open their wallets if you don’t drop the ball in assisting them.

But recognizing the importance of customer support is just the first step. Without a strategic approach, your valuable time, resources, and energy will get wasted on unnecessary actions and tasks, resulting in a less-than-optimal customer service experience.

To turn customer service into a competitive advantage, you need to act strategically and ensure that your every action contributes to providing excellent customer care.

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What Is a Customer Service Strategy?

Your customer service strategy is the action plan for how your organization will consistently deliver high-quality customer service across your customer base. It’s the roadmap you’ll follow to create satisfied customers and to develop a customer-centric strategy.

At the core of an effective customer service strategy lies a proactive and purposeful approach to meeting customer expectations.

A good strategy outlines specific goals and processes for your customer service team so they can deliver a positive experience to your customers. It helps allocate your company's resources to create an optimal customer experience and service efficiency, ensuring consistently great experiences across all customer support interactions. But it’s not just about the tactical — how you’ll answer customer questions or handle complaints — it's also about maximizing your organization's resources to create a customer-first company culture.

When creating a customer service strategy, start by understanding your customer needs and take into account factors such as market dynamics, competitor research, and your brand’s overall mission and value prop.

The Impact of an Effective Customer Service Strategy

Investing in a strong customer service strategy has hardly any downsides. Instead, it brings a ton of benefits, all of which help maximize the impact of your sales and service efforts, driving long-term growth. The key benefits include:

 
1.    Improved customer relationships.    Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping customers have a good experience, you’re working intentionally to build a positive experience for them across the customer journey.
 
2.    Lower churn and increased customer loyalty. More positive experiences make it more likely    for customers to stick around. They’re also willing to pay more money for those experiences. 
 
3.    Increased operational efficiency.    A customer service strategy keeps your entire team aligned on what’s most important. As your customer service team grows, it gives clear direction and KPIs that show new team members what you value.

You’ve likely heard about tools like Buffer, Zapier or Basecamp — companies that have seen massive growth by placing big bets on great customer service. Why? Because happy, loyal customers tend to have a higher life-time value and become strong brand advocates, spreading the word and driving referrals.

In an era where trust in traditional marketing is declining, satisfied customers advocating for your brand become a powerful force for attracting new customers. According to Hubspot, 75% of consumers don’t trust advertisements, but 90% of people believe the purchase recommendations of their friends.

That’s why acting strategically and consistently elevating your customer service is crucial for sustained business growth.

8 Steps to Create a Customer Service Strategy

If you’re just starting to develop your customer service strategy from scratch, the journey may seem daunting. But fear not. Below, we’ll go over the key components of crafting a winning strategy that drives lasting success.

Each step here is a critical building block toward a customer service culture that stands the test of time, even in the middle of ever-changing market demands.

1. Understand your customers’ needs

Researching and understanding your customers' unique needs is the cornerstone of building a robust customer service strategy. Really knowing your customers — being customer first — is how you take a generic plan and tailor it into something transformational for your business.

Here are key considerations that should guide your research:

 
•    Customer journey: Begin by mapping out the customer journey from the point of sale to onboarding through ongoing usage to potential offboarding. What are the key touchpoints that every customer hits when interacting with your brand? Can customers easily connect with customer service agents, and are self-service resources readily accessible? Assess your customer service offering for each stage of the journey to pinpoint problems and uncover opportunities for improvement.
   
• Recurring themes in support inquiries: Watch out for trends in customer tickets to identify potential pain points and areas causing friction. Understanding frequently asked questions empowers you to plan improvements, whether it's improving confusing product functionality or adding knowledge base resources to enable better customer self-service.
   
• Customer feedback: Customers hate not feeling listened to. Pain points from negative customer feedback highlight areas for immediate improvement and future development opportunities. Positive feedback, on the other hand, sheds light on things that contribute to customer loyalty and satisfaction. Customers may highlight things like quick response times, effective customer issue resolution, personalized interactions, or the availability of omni-channel customer support. Double down on whatever your customers seem to love.
   
• Competitor analysis: Your competitors will have a significant impact on customer expectations. It’s crucial to understand what customers appreciate in competing offers — both the product and the customer experience — and to identify areas where those competitors may fall short.

2. Define your vision

With a deeper understanding of your customer needs, the next step in crafting your customer service strategy is defining your vision. A customer service vision, at its essence, is your team’s shared understanding of what good customer service looks like.

It helps get everyone on the same page and align perspectives.

At this stage, you must clearly articulate how you want your brand to be perceived by customers. Based on that vision, you’ll be able to define key elements of your customer service strategy, such as:

 
•    Team values -    the core qualities you want your organization to uphold.
 
•    Customer service channels    - from email support to social media, your customer service channels should match up well with your customer’s preferred communication channels.
 
•    Operational systems    - across different areas, you’ll define how you want to embrace the efficiency of automation and AI chatbots, and where you want to invest in the warmth of personalized human support as a competitive advantage.
 
•    Service level objectives    - including response and resolution times to manage customer's expectations.

3. Create a playbook

The next step in the process is to create a customer service playbook with guidelines that your support team should follow. It’s where you define what customer interactions should look like and serves as a reference point for your team.

Just like an NFL team uses a playbook to show every player where they should be on the field, your customer service playbook will guide your team’s actions each day.

Your playbook should cover your customer service best practices, and can include things like:

 
• Team objectives, vision and values
 
• Responsibilities and expectations for each role on your team
 
• Communication and service standards, including the tone of voice for customer interactions
 
• Available tools along with instructions on how to use them
 
• Internal resources, reference materials and scripts for managing customer inquiries 
 
• Internal and external communication channels
 
• Escalation and outage handling procedures
 
• Best practices and smart tips

As you work on creating your playbook, avoid complex terminology. Aim to keep it concise and clear, making the document easy for your team to use whenever they need it. You may want to consider using a knowledge base tool like Guru or KnowledgeOwl to make your playbook easily searchable.

4. Build your customer service team

The fourth critical step involves developing a hiring process that ensures the alignment of your new team members with your established vision and values.

A scorecard for rating candidates based on how well they resonate with the values you've defined can be a game-changer during the hiring process. It helps you translate your feelings about candidates into quantified data, which you can use to make better decisions.

This ensures that every addition to your team is not only equipped with the necessary skills but also shares a genuine commitment to the customer-centric vision and culture you aim to create.

By prioritizing cultural fit in the hiring process, you lay the groundwork for a team that can deliver on your strategy. But building your team doesn’t end there when a new employee starts. You’ll also need to coach and train your team to keep people engaged and motivated.

Remember, how you treat your team members shapes how they, in turn, treat your customers.

5. Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

No strategy is complete without defining the KPIs for measuring your team’s success. Based on your vision, identify which metrics will best reflect successful execution.

Common customer service KPIs include:

 
• Customer effort score and customer satisfaction scores (CES and CSAT)
 
• First reply time
 
• Issue resolution time
 
• Escalation rate
 
• QA evaluation score
 
• Retention and churn rates
 
• Net promoter score (NPS)
 
• Self-service score

Remember, if you can measure it, you can manage it. Most customer service tools will include customer service analytics that will help here. Don’t feel tempted to measure every KPI under the sun. Pick a few complementary KPIs — like first reply time, CSAT, and NPS — and optimize around those metrics over time.

6. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

Monitoring your KPIs is important, but you’ll typically improve upon them through executing specific, time-bound projects. That’s where SMART goals come into play.

If you’re not familiar with SMART goals, they’re goals that are:

 
• Specific
 
• Measurable
 
• Achievable
 
• Relevant
 
• Time-bound

Sometimes customer service leaders feel like SMART goals aren’t applicable to their teams (because support tickets never stop coming in and KPIs are ongoing), but they’re actually a helpful tool.

For instance, maybe you’re not happy with your team’s first reply time. Instead of setting a hard-to-action goal like, “Reduce First Reply Time by 10%,” SMART goals help you prioritize and manage projects that are likely to reduce first reply time:

 
• Implement new AI-powered chatbot solution by end of Q2
 
• Revamp existing case routing workflows in June to reduce handoffs by 10%

With SMART goals like these, you’re bound to see a positive impact on your overarching first reply time goal.

7. Establish feedback loops

Your customer support strategy is a dynamic thing. It’s continuously evolving, and you’ll need to make regular process adjustments as your customers’ needs and your company’s strategy shift.

That’s why you need feedback loops.

The two main sources of feedback on your customer service strategy are your customers and your team:

 
•    Create an open channel for feedback within your team. Frontline employees possess valuable insights into actual workflow challenges and customer challenges. Actively listen to their experiences, suggestions, and concerns that may elude higher management. You can solicit feedback through Q&As, brainstorming sessions, or one-on-ones.    
 
•    Develop a process for gathering customer feedback. Customer feedback isn’t just limited to your survey tool. You can learn a ton from routine customer inquiries, call logs, and chat transcripts. You can also conduct customer interviews to dive deep into understanding a customer’s specific use case. Regardless of your preferred methods, it’s crucial to find systematic and regular ways to listen to your customers (and to act on their feedback). Feedback analytics tools like Kapiche or SentiSum can make this analysis far easier.    

When boxer Mike Tyson was interviewed about his fight plan for fighting Evander Holyfield, he famously replied, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Your customer service strategy is going to take punches over time — negative feedback from customers, pivots from your product managers, and budget cuts from your board. Whatever shape those hits might take, the key is building a resilient and flexible strategy that allow for real-time adjustments whenever needed.

8. Cultivate a company-wide commitment to customer happiness

Customer service used to just be a function within a company. You had a customer service team, and they were responsible for solving customer issues.

You probably still have a customer service team, but today’s best organizations are recognizing that customer experience is far bigger than one team’s job. It’s massive and far-reaching. As Harvard Business Review puts it, “To deliver that complete customer experience, organizations must unite around the customer in ways they’ve never had to before.”

Customer-facing teams can only achieve so much in isolation; true success comes when the entire organization rallies behind the goal of making customers happy and successful.

And that means you need to foster an organizational culture where every department understands and prioritizes customer experience. It’s easier said than done, and it’s work that takes time, but your customer service strategy should include details on how you’ll affect this kind of change.

Great places to start include sharing success stories and customer feedback across the organization. It’s also a good idea to cultivate relationships with key decision-makers who impact the customer experience — from product and engineering, to sales and marketing.

The more you can help people at every level of your organization understand what customers need, how they’re feeling, and how they can become more successful, the higher your likelihood of long-term success becomes.

Implementing Your Customer Service Strategy

Providing exceptional service to your customers isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s a strategic business move. A move that will improve your bottom line and lead to better long-term results.

Crafting a beautiful customer service strategy is only the beginning of that journey. A beautiful strategy on paper doesn’t change anything — it’s the implementation and execution that makes all the difference. And it starts with investing in the key tools that your customer service team is using to interact with your customers all day, every day.

That’s where Missive comes into play. Missive is a team inbox and chat app that empowers your whole team to collaborate and help customers effectively across a ton of different channels. If you’re ready to transform your customer conversations and join the ranks of high-growth companies like Buffer, try Missive out for free today.

Nearly 80% of customers say speed, convenience, knowledgeable help and friendly service are the key ingredients to any great buying experience.

But the pressure of delivering that experience usually falls at the feet of your customer service team. The reality is, no matter how well you train a customer service team, sooner or later they will be hit with a scenario they won't know how to deal with.

When it happens, they will either sink or swim… right? Well, there is also a third option—equipping them with a customer service values playbook.

Customer service values are essentially a compass to guide support reps on how to communicate and handle customer interactions. If a customer service representative doesn't know how to deal with conflict or thinks a customer is about to go to a competitor, these values act as a rulebook on how they should interact and react to every situation.

In this guide, we will walk you through why customer service values are so important and how to implement them to keep customers happy.

Let's dive in!

Table of Contents

• What are customer service values
• Why customer service values are important for your business
• Best Practices to Implement Customer Service Values at Your Company
• Excellent Customer Service Values Examples That Won Over Loyal Customers
  • 1. Chewy wins customers over with empathy
  • 2. Nordstrom puts customer satisfaction first
  • 3. LANDR uses consistent communication to educate customers
• Customer Service Values Should Always Be Aligned With Your Company’s Values

What are customer service values

Customer service values are strategies and principles that guide customer service staff to ensure every buying experience is positive, from communication to product satisfaction. In practice, they are words or phrases that encapsulate how support agents should interact with customers.

These core values directly align with a brand's mission statement and act as a benchmark for how your support team should deal with issues, communicate with customers, and talk about the brand publicly. Because of this, customer service values make a huge impact on a company's reputation and bottom line.

Why customer service values are important for your business

Customer service values are a compass for how service representatives should talk to and treat customers.

Essentially, these values are a framework that empower every decision a customer service rep makes, from how they talk to customers to how disputes are resolved and what ethos the company wants to portray.

A customer service team aligned behind core values not only creates a consistent customer experience, but also empowers employees to take charge in handling customer complaints and give customers a better experience.

To really figure out why customer service values are so important, I trawled through Newsweek’s America’s Best Customer Service 2023 report. It surveyed 30,000 U.S. customers over three years to see what made them open their wallets and buy from a company. Scores were based on 5 factors:

And… the winners were a bit of a surprise.

Usually, these types of customer service articles list the same brands, like Zappos or Apple, as benchmarks. But the Newsweek survey had different results. Customers voted for brands like Everlane for best online apparel retailer and Nordstrom Rack for best brick-and-mortar discount clothing outlet.

But why do customers love these brands so much? 🤔

Simple. Most companies have built trust with customers thanks to a solid set of customer service values based around consistent communication, empathy, focus, and satisfaction.

As a discount retailer, Nordstrom Rack has built its reputation on providing Nordstrom-level service at lower price points. Their values around friendliness, individual attention and making every customer feel valued have helped them gain and maintain loyal customers.

As for Everlane, its values of prioritizing transparency in its supply chain and communication offers customer an insight into ethical manufacturing and transparent pricing. Both companies clearly demonstrate how aligning operations with values can help build relationships and drive positive customer experiences.

So, how can you implement customer service values to give every customer the same experience with your brand? 🤔

Best Practices to Implement Customer Service Values at Your Company

Having great customer service require all your customer service employees to follow the same playbook to do their job well.

Defining clear customer values is the most crucial part to set the standard for how employees in the company should interact with customers and with each other. For example, if a core customer service value is integrity and transparency, a team is empowered to admit mistakes and take ownership if there is a problem with a customer's order.

Here are some best practices to follow when you create customer service values:👇

1. Get the Basics Right

Every customer service value strategy should be built from wider company values. Usually, these are taken from key principles like:

• Empathy. Each interaction with a customer should show genuine understanding and compassion while acknowledging and resolving their issues. In short: put yourself in your customer's shoes.
• Reliability. Customers need brands to show up and be dependable when they need them. Good customer service = meeting deadlines and hitting targets around shipping times/refunds.
• Responsiveness. Customers want quick responses and problem-solving. Responsiveness can significantly impact customer experience and can leave a good (or bad) taste in their mouth after dealing with your brand.
• Transparency. Customers expect you to be honest with them about products, services, pricing, and policies. It can build trust in your brand and help resolve conflicts if there are ever any issues.

Once you have laid this foundation, it's time to shape each value so it's unique to your brand.

Let's use Netflix's cultural values set as a hypothetical example.

It's clear the company wants to empower its employees to do great work by using sound judgment, good communication, and treating people with respect. Netflix could use these wider company values to create more direct customer services values for its team, like:

• Inclusion: Treat every customer with respect, no matter how long they have been a customer. Every Netflix customer is important.
• Communication: Remain calm and courteous every time you speak to a customer. Search for the root cause of the problem so you can make an informed decision about how to resolve it.
• Judgment: Always take a customer at their word. If they say their experience is subpar or they have been billed incorrectly, trust them and deal with their complaint immediately.

This example shows just how easy it is for a company already with a solid set of cultural values in place to create specific values for its customer service team. If a Netflix customer service rep faced a problem they weren't trained to deal with, these core values can guide them when handling the issue.

2. Create Concise Values

A common pitfall when creating a customer service value strategy is to go overboard.

The reality is, you don't need 20 customer service values written into a code of ethics for your team to succeed. Choose around 3-5 core values to guide your customer service agents when making decisions.

These may be customer service values like:

• Conflicts: When faced with a problem, treat customers with empathy, respect, and always aim for quick resolution.
• Always be positive: Centre every conversation around positivity and finding a happy resolution with the customer. When our customers are happy, we are happy.
• Authenticity: Good customer service feels fresh and real. Show our customers you can react and communicate in a personal, human way. Don't be afraid to inject your personality into conversations.
• Empowerment: Use your best judgment when speaking to customers. Make a decision based on your intuition and experience at our company.

Your values should also be short and easy for your team to remember. Whatever set of values you decide on will depend on your brand, but just make sure each one is directly tied to your wider values and company culture.

3. Use Values as a Foundation for a Customer Service SOP

Studies show companies that are more focused on solving customer problems grow faster than their competitors. But it's also important to make sure every customer problem is handled consistently.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outline how your team should handle specific situations consistently based on the values you defined.

Let's say a customer's order is lost. An SOP could provide a guideline tailored to your core values on how the agent should respond. Depending on your guiding principles, agent could:

• Option 1: Apologize and give the customer a timeframe on when the issue will be resolved
• Option 2: Immediately post out a new order to keep the customer happy

This SOP should also include finer details like what language the customer service rep should use to keep interactions consistent:

• Will the customer be asked for order/tracking information to confirm a parcel has been lost, or should the customer service rep trust the customer's word?
• Should they focus on being empathetic and authentic? Or is speed and urgency more important?
• Should their goal be to resolve the conflict immediately by sending out a replacement? Or resolve it in a way the customer prefers, like issuing a refund?

These small (yet important) details during a customer interaction could mean the difference between smooth conflict resolution and a bad review on Google. If customer interactions are based around core customer service values like empathy, trust, and respect, they are more likely to end positively.

At the end of the day, a set of customer service values help your support team do its best work and more importantly—keeps customers happy.

Excellent Customer Service Values Examples That Won Over Loyal Customers

Instead of putting a list of generic tips here, I decided to take a look at how real brands use customer service values to keep customers coming back.

What I found wasn't all that surprising. Companies that put customers first and consistently deliver don't just retain customers—they turn them into lifetime brand advocates.

This approach also pays off, a Deloitte study found that customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than competitors that don't prioritize customer experience.

Let's look at how some brands win using customer service values. 👇

1. Chewy wins customers over with empathy

Chewy is an online pet supplies store that sells all the essentials like food, toys, treats, and even medicine.

After taking Newsweek's survey, customers ranked Chewy a whopping 9.16 outta 10 (and nearly .5 points ahead of second place). I looked at what customer service values made Chewy so special, and a few really stood out:

• 🐶 Partnership: One of the brand's taglines is "With Chewy, no one pet-parents alone". It's a promise to customers they will be there for every step of pet parenthood and equip them with everything they need to keep a pet happy and healthy.
• 💰 A customer first philosophy: Chewy has a 100% Unconditional Satisfaction Guaranteed Policy on every order. If a customer doesn't like a product, a customer service rep swiftly triggers a refund.
• ☎️ Availability: Chewy's team is available in the morning, noon, and even at 3 am. Thanks to 24/7 service (365 days a year), customer support is always open.
• 🍋 Understanding: They are experts at turning lemons into lemonade. For example, if an order arrives with the wrong product, the customer service team acts with understanding instead of thinking about lost profits. They ask the customer to donate the wrong items to a local animal shelter while they send out a replacement. This small gesture can help customers feel good and shows Chewy cares more about animals than money.

The one customer service value that stopped me in my tracks was Chewy's empathy towards customers.

Its customer service reps are trained to recognize how attached customers are to their animals—especially when they experience loss. When Anna Brose's beloved dog Gus passed away, she contacted Chewy to return some unopened food. Just look what happened next:

Thank you all for the kind messages and shared stories in the comments 💙 Gus would have been blown away! pic.twitter.com/DiopASuHIi— Anna Brose, MSc (@alcesanna) June 16, 2022

The tweet was flooded with hundreds of thousands of comments. Amazingly, some of them were from other customers saying they received the same empathetic support from Chewy. One customer even said Chewy sent a hand-painted portrait of their pet after she crossed the rainbow bridge. 🥺

These customer service values set brands like Chewy apart—and ensure its customers stick around for life.

2. Nordstrom puts customer satisfaction first

Nordstrom is so well known for its customer service, there has even been a book written about it.

It's easy to see why. If you open up Nordstrom's code of ethics, this ii the first thing you will see:

This core customer service value is a continuous theme for how the brand approaches customer service. It not only empowers employees to take care of customers, but it guides the customer service team on how to approach situations like product returns and conflict resolution.

Just take a look at how the retailer asks its team to use good judgment with its flexible returns policy. Regardless of the reason, Nordstrom allows customers to return products without hassle or time limits, and even without a receipt!

A quick Twitter search comes back with a ton of happy customers who have returned items TWO YEARS later—no questions asked.

Yesterday I returned a bra to @nordstrom that I bought in 2020 (and never used because it didn't fit well) and they gave me a full refund. Nordstrom's #customerservice truly cannot be beat! pic.twitter.com/zXGkhfEEVY— Katie-Rose Watson (@krwatson) February 11, 2022

The bottom line with Nordstrom's customer service values is a simple one: meet and exceed customer expectations—and they will shop with us again.

3. LANDR uses consistent communication to educate customers

You can't keep customers happy if they can only contact you between 9-5or if their only option for a refund is to call you. That strategy may have worked 20 years ago, but today—it's dead in the water.

A customer service department is only as efficient as the tech it uses. To track communications and connect with customers, agents need the right toolkit.

Here's an example:

LANDR is a creative platform that has helped over 2.5 million musicians turn their ideas into real tracks.

But as LANDR grew, its support team struggled to handle customer service queries. The team decided to use these questions as a chance to educate users on how to get the most out of the platform and build trust in the platform.

LANDR used Missive to communicate efficiently with users based on a core set of customer service values:

• Expertise. Each support team member covers one product line. This approach allows each support rep to become an expert in a specific feature and maximize value when they talk to a customer.
• Useful information. Thanks to Missive's collaboration feature, different customer service members can chime in and provide more information to users if needed.
• Quick communication. A lot of questions the customer service team receive are the same, so they use canned responses and templates to answer them in seconds.

LANDR now uses its customer service values around education and quick communication to build trust with customers and grow its brand.

Customer Service Values Should Always Be Aligned With Your Company’s Values

Your company's customer service values should act as the guiding principles to how you treat customers.

With a customer service values playbook, your team can navigate even the toughest scenarios with the right approach. Anchor every value to a wider company goal, like empathy, communication, or authenticity, to help set your service apart and empower your team to handle every situation with confidence.

Most importantly, a solid customer service values strategy will keep your team on the same page and ensure every customer has the same great experience with your brand.

Think about what your company stands for and build your customer service values from the ground up. As long as every value puts your customers first and follow customer service best practices—trust and customer loyalty will always follow. 🙌

It’s Monday 9 AM. You have a coffee in hand, ready to tackle the day. You open your laptop and bam! Your inbox looks like it threw a wild party over the weekend.

There you are, navigating the sea of emails, replying, deleting, flagging––the whole shebang. Before you know it, it's lunchtime, and you're wondering, ‘Where did half my day just go?’

Welcome to the world of email overload, where spending hours on emails feels like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon.

But here's the kicker––email doesn't have to be the black hole of your workday. With a few smart strategies, you can turn the tide and have enough time left for your most important tasks.

In this article, we’ll share how you can reclaim your time from the clutches of the relentless inbox.

What is the average time to write an email?

The average time to write an email is around five minutes. This time depends on factors including the email's complexity and the writer's skill. The purpose of the email, the need for research, and the level of detail required also influence the time taken.

Research by OnePoll and Slack shows that the average employee drafts an average of 112 emails a week, spending just over five-and-a-half minutes on each. That amounts to around eleven hours a week writing work emails.

What is the average time spent on email per day?

The average person spends just under two hours per day checking and responding to emails. That's a big chunk of the workday. It's surprising how quickly those quick email checks add up, turning into a significant part of our daily routine.

According to a study from Microsoft, office workers can spend up to 8.8 hours a week on email, or just under two hours per day. Imagine two hours––that's like watching a movie or cooking a fancy dinner! And it's not just typing out responses; it involves sorting through the inbox, reading through email threads, and sometimes, getting lost in the email rabbit hole. This number can even shoot up for those in roles heavy on communication or management.

What factors affect email writing time?

Ever wondered why some long emails take just a minute to whip up, while other shorter emails have you staring at your screen for an eternity? It turns out, the time it takes to craft that perfect email isn't just about your typing speed or email length.

From the complexity of your message to who's on the receiving end, a variety of elements come into play:

• Purpose and content complexity: The more complex the subject matter, the longer it typically takes to compose an email. For instance, an in-depth email detailing a project plan or presenting a proposal requires more time than a simple follow-up.
• Research and reference requirements: If the email requires referencing data, facts, or external sources, additional time is needed for research and ensuring accuracy.
• Personal writing skills: Individuals with strong writing skills spend less time composing emails.
• Distractions and multitasking: Frequent interruptions or multitasking during email composition can prolong the process, as refocusing takes time.
• Format: Types of emails requiring a specific format, like reports or formal requests, take longer to organize and write compared to informal, free-form emails.
• Attachment and supplementary material inclusion: Preparing and attaching documents, images, or other files can add to the overall time spent on an email.
• Review and editing: The need for careful proofreading and editing, especially for critical communications, can add to the time spent on email writing.

How to spend less time on email

The secret to breaking free from the endless cycle of send and receive lies in a few clever strategies. You need to work smarter, not harder when managing your digital correspondence.

Here are six tips to make email work for you, not against you.

1. Set specific times for email checking

Ah, the ping of an inbox notification––it’s irresistible. But you don't have to be at its beck and call. Imagine if you checked your mailbox on the street every five minutes; it would be excessive, but that's what constant email checking is like.

So here's what I do:

I set specific times for diving into my emails. Once in the morning, post-lunch, and an hour before I call it a day. It's like having appointments with my inbox.

This way, I'm not a slave to every ‘ping’ and can focus on my work.

As a result, my productivity shot up, and the world didn't end because I didn't reply to an email in nanoseconds. So give it a try––schedule mini-email dates, and you may find yourself getting more done (and maybe even enjoying a peaceful coffee without the constant pings).

2. Use templates and canned responses

Have you ever felt like you're typing the same email for the millionth time? It's like déjà vu but with your keyboard. My lifesavers are templates and canned responses. I used to spend ages crafting responses to the usual ‘Can you send me the report?’ or ‘What's the status of our project?’

Then, a friend introduced me to the magic of email templates. It was like finding a secret shortcut in a maze. Now, I have several pre-written responses for these common queries. It's like having a personal assistant who knows exactly what to say. Just a couple of clicks, and voilà, the email is done.

‍

Insert a response by typing the # character anywhere in the draft.

3. Prioritize your emails

Ever feel like every email is shouting ‘urgent’ at you? I used to think the same until I realized it's all about prioritizing. Not all emails are born equal.

Sorting emails is similar to creating a VIP list for a party. The high-priority ones–– urgent client queries – they're on the A-list and get the first pass. The less critical messages, like email newsletters and FYI emails, they're like party crashers; they  can wait. This way, I tackle the urgent messages first and don't get bogged down by the small fry.

4. Leverage email tools and extensions

My email secret weapons are tools and extensions. I used to think I could manage my inbox with sheer willpower. Spoiler alert: I couldn't. But then, I discovered these little helpers.

Take the Missive app, for instance. It's like having a super assistant for your email. You can snooze emails (so they pop back up when you're ready to deal with them), block read trackers, create and save canned responses, and even collaborate with your team in the app. It's like turning your inbox into mission control.

Need more convincing? Sarah Hum, the co-founder of the feedback management tool Canny, says:

Missive helps our team make sure emails are handled quickly and effortlessly.

5. Use AI to streamline your workflow  

AI integrations can be a game changer in improving your email workflow. The AI understands the context of your conversation and suggests relevant replies, making you an email speed demon.

Translating emails can feel like a chore. Well, not anymore. Missive's AI integration can translate messages, so you're basically a multilingual wizard now without the hassle of toggling between email and translation apps.

The best part is it’s customizable. You can use the ‘Prompt’ feature to guide the AI, making your emails spot-on every time. Plus, setting it up is a breeze––just get an OpenAI account, generate an API key, and you're set to integrate AI into your Missive experience.

You can save your most-used prompts, making repetitive tasks a walk in the park. So, whether it's fixing grammar, changing the tone, or even translating––it's all at your fingertips. The AI assistant can also craft custom email replies automatically based on your saved canned responses.

6. Use filters and folders

Ever felt like you're on a never-ending scavenger hunt trying to find that one important email buried under a mountain of others? Well, filters and folders are your treasure map. I started using them, and it's like night and day. Setting up filters is like having a personal assistant who knows exactly where everything should go.

I remember the time I was looking for an urgent contract email amidst a sea of newsletters. I was searching for the word ‘contract’ in the subject line, and it was like finding a needle in a haystack. But then, I created a ‘Contracts’ folder and set up a filter to send all contract-related emails there. The next time I needed one, it was right there waiting for me, no digging required.

Labels are similar to post-it notes for your emails. Label it, and you'll find it in a second.

Improve your inbox management and save eight hours each week

Taming your inbox isn’t a pipe dream, it’s totally doable. With the right tools and know-how, incoming emails won’t take over your workday. It’s simply a case of setting dedicated times for email checks, using AI-powered email tools, and creating an organized filters and labels system.

So don’t be another employee slogging through 2 hours of daily inbox management. Instead, take advantage of an email tool and optimize your inbox management using the strategies we explored. You’ll then have more time for your most important tasks.

Some hate them, and some praise them, but no matter how we feel about them, emails are the pillar of how most of us communicate in business.

As any entrepreneur knows, email is integral to running a business. But overflowing inboxes can grind productivity to a halt.

But overloaded inboxes can take a hit on our productivity.

In this guide, we'll explore the best email management software options available to help you gain back control over your emails.

From tools that declutter your inbox to those that help you better organize your communication and collaborate with others, you’ll find the one that suits your needs.

Some of these will be standalone email providers, while others will be email clients or email management software that sits on top of your existing email provider.

What Is an Email Management Software

An email management software is a tool that helps you organize and manage your email inbox. It's designed to make email more manageable whatever you're a user dealing with personal emails or a business.

From better organization to automation, email management solutions go beyond what your typical email client can do. Key features like folders, rules, calendars and shared inboxes bring order to chaos and can even in some cases enable collaboration. Integrations also offer context by connecting communications to CRM and project data. They also help you take advantage of the email management best practices.

Plus, they can be used for many use cases like customer support, employee support, sales, and marketing.

11 Best Email Management Software

The best email management application depends on your specific need. Here's our list of tools that cover the most common email management use cases.

We reviewed the best email solutions with a focus on important characteristics including scalability, pricing, integrations, and ease of use.

1. Missive

For small to medium teams looking for the best email client for collaboration.

Missive is an intuitive and powerfulemail management software that's uniquely built for teams. It comes with standard features that you would expect from anemail management tool like snoozing, multiple account support, and filters.

But more importantly, it allows teams to collaborate from within their email inboxes with features like team inboxes, collaborative writing, mentions, assignments, calendar, different watch statuses, and so much more.

In addition, you’ll gain access to automations that will save you and your team an incredible amount of time.

Rules let you automate your team workflow by triggering actions when certain conditions are met. The number of conditions and actions that you can trigger are endless—you can schedule emails to have automatic follow up, if they're not opened or replied to in a certain timeframe, you can create service level agreements to make sure emails are responded to in a timely manner, you can automatically funnel emails to certain people or teams if they meet specific conditions. And you can power it even further with AI.

You can also share canned responses or email templates with a team or everyone at your company, so they can reply to common questions with little to no time. To make sure you avoid email overload you can merge two related conversations into a single one.

We know we are biased toward Missive. So here's an in-depth review from an actual user.

Missive is probably the best solution out of all the tools on the list for small businesses that live in their inbox.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Intuitive interface for easy collaboration
• Can support multiple email accounts
• Flexible automations and workflows leveraging AI
• Has a free plan
• Affordable pricing starting at $18/user

Cons:

• May have a learning curve compared to basic clients
• Analytics are only included in the top tier plan

2. Microsoft Outlook

For teams using Microsoft and looking for integration with Microsoft 365 (Office).

Microsoft Outlook is probably one of the most well known email management tools out there. It comes with all the basic features you would expect from software to manage your emails like snoozing, calendar, tasks, team inbox, and contacts.

It has a clean interface that everyone knows and can easily start using. The email client is web-based and is available on the web, on a standalone desktop app, and on mobile.

Another advantage of Microsoft Outlook is the integration with other tools from the Microsoft 365 suite like Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

Outlook is included in Microsoft 365 subscription, which makes it a great option for businesses already using Microsoft 365 and needing a basic email manager.

Outlook for business is intended to be the best email provider for enterprises, so it offers the highest standards for security, privacy, and fine tuned user permissions. 

However, the free version of the software for personal use is supported by ads, which can add some clutter to your experience. There are dedicated email clients that support Outlook, if you want more functionality with the security of Outlook.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Interface that most are familiar with
• Seamless integrations with MS Office suite
• Included with many business Microsoft 365 plans

Cons:

• Not as collaborative focused as some others
• Basic version includes ads

3. Gmail

For individuals already using the Google suite and don't need collaboration or advanced features.

Gmail is the default email client for Google Workspace users. While compared to email management apps like Missive or Help Scout, Gmail might look limited in terms of team collaboration, it offers the basic features you would be looking for in a tool to help you manage emails.

Gmail is probably the most popular and used email client out there. It offers a simple and clean user interface that is easy to use for everyone. Plus, similar to Outlook, it integrates with other tools from the Google Suite like Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Drive.

It has features like labels to organize your emails, spam protection, and filters to help you manage your email.

Gmail is available via a web browser on desktops and an app on mobiles.

However, if you're looking for an email management software to collaborate with your team, Google Groups and Gmail might not be the best solution for you. However, there are third-party email clients that support Gmail. 

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Personal option is a free plan
• Clean interface works well for individuals
• Integrates seamlessly with Google Drive/Calendar

Cons:

• Limited collaborative features for teams
• Limited organization features

4. Shared Inbox by Canary

For teams that want AI-powered collaboration.

As we’ve seen, a lot of email management software let you manage shared email aliases. Canary is no exception. Just like Missive, lets you manage shared inboxes as well as your personal inbox.

On the collaboration front, Canary makes it easy for teams to manage a unified inbox where emails can be assigned and commented on internally. You can tag and categorize conversations, and merge related threads tokeep a clear record of who’s handling what.

Canary's AI functionality offers context-aware reply suggestions, automatic highlighting of recurring issues, and an AI chatbot that can deflect repetitive queries before they ever reach your team. This can help reduce workload and speed up resolution times.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Centralized inbox with clear assignments and internal comment
• AI-assisted replies and top-issue insights
• Familar email interface
  

Cons:

• No free plan beyond the trial
• Limited third-party integrations

5. Clean Email

For individuals and teams overwhelmed by inbox clutter.

If your inbox is filled with years of unread and unnecessary emails, Clean Email helps you bulk-organize and delete them fast. It’s not built for real time communication or shared inboxes, but it shines when it comes to cleaning up and automating inbox organization.

Clean Email sorts your emails into smart labels like Travel, Online Shopping, Top Senders, Seasonal Sales, and more. You can unsubscribe from all unwanted newsletters in one place, auto-delete old messages, and set up rules to manage future emails automatically. 

It’s a solid option for anyone trying to get to inbox zero without doing it all manually.

Pros and Cons

• Pros
  
  • Bulk cleans thousands of emails quickly
  • Smart filters and automation rules
  • Accessible across platforms: web and mobile
  • Doesn't read or store email content

‍
• Cons: 
  
  • Lacks team features with shared inboxes and internal notes
  • No desktop app for Windows

6. Spike

For people looking for email collaboration in a chat-like package.

Spike is a collaborative email management platform. It has a different approach than traditional email applications, since it organizes messages in a conversation that resembles chat. It helps you to manage your emails by offering a way to unify your emails in one inbox and to collaborate with other people on conversations, tasks, and notes.

Another key differentiator of Spike is that you create groups where you can chat with all the members. It feels more like Facebook Messenger than your typical email client. Email threads are also presented as chat conversations.

Spike also offers a feature that uses AI to categorize your emails and prioritize them based on relevance. This can be useful to help you focus on important messages.

If you're coming from Outlook or Gmail, you'll certainly have to adapt to their unique UI.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Unique chat-based interface for collaborative workflows
• AI features like auto-categorization are helpful

Cons:

• Learning curve to adapt to chat interface
• Fewer integrations than some alternatives

7. Superhuman

For individuals who power through their inbox using keyboard shortcuts.

Most email management platform offers some sort of collaboration and team features to help you and your business be more productive with emails. Superhuman has a teams product but it is primarily for individual email users who are big fans of using keyboard shortcuts to manage emails.

While Superhuman started off with only Gmail and Google Workspace support, it has added Outlook in recent years. It offers features to ensure you are efficient and productive with your individual email like automatic email triage with AI, snooze, schedule emails to send at a later time, and follow-up reminders. 

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• AI-powered filtering helps focus on priority emails
• Simple interface tailored for individual productivity

Cons:

• Pricey at $30/user compared to other options

8. SaneBox

For individuals looking for an AI solution to sort their emails.

If you don’t need email collaboration features or use a shared inbox, and you just want a handle on all the incoming emails into your inbox—then SaneBox might be a solution for you.

This email manager works with most email providers and uses AI to sort and categorize your emails in folders. SaneBox also offers a feature to filter out distractions by automatically putting them into a separate folder.

If you have thousands of unread emails that you need to clean up, SaneBox can be a great email tool to help you get to inbox zero, or at least inbox zero-ish. 

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Your email client interface stays the same
• Dedicated to filtering emails before they land in your inbox

Cons:

• No free plan
• A lot of this filtering is built into apps like Missive (via AI rules) or Superhuman

9. Helpwise

For teams looking for a web-based customer service platform.

Helpwise is a helpdesk that also offers tools for managing customer service emails. It is designed to help businesses with their customer service operations.

Helpwise offers a variety of features to help you manage emails, including email templates, shared inboxes, notes, rules, and assignments.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Simple interface requires little customization

Cons:

• Not as customizable as other solutions

10. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

For teams looking for an all-in-one platform for managing emails and email marketing.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is an all-in-one marketing platform offering email management tools built for marketers and salespeople. The platform makes it easy to create, send, and analyze email marketing campaigns. Their tool lets you send emails to a huge number of recipients.

The tool offers an automation to send emails at the right moment. You’ll also get access to features like A/B testing, metrics tracking, segmentation, and a shared inbox.

Brevo is more for teams that send out a lot of emails at once, versus businesses who have workflows that just involve a lot of emails. More marketing newsletters than law firm, even though both send a lot of email!

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• All-in-one platform for both marketing and support
• Analytics offer insights to improve future outreach
• Offers a free plan if you send less than 300 emails/day

Cons:

• Learning curve bigger than basic email clients
• Does not look or feel like an email client for day-to-day emails

11. Help Scout

For teams looking for a customer service platform with a knowledge-based tool.

Help Scout is an email-based customer support platform and knowledge-based tool that can also be used as an email management software.

It offers a suite of tools to help businesses manage their customer support operations, including a knowledge base, a ticketing system, and a CRM system. Help Scout also offers a variety of integrations with third-party applications, shared inboxes, rules, and other collaboration tools.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Feature-rich customer service platform
• Knowledge articles can help reduce emails

Cons:

• Learning curve for agents and admins

Summary

Essential Features to Look for in Email Management Tool

Managing emails is a lot easy with the proper tool. However, to ensure you choose the right one for the job, you should be looking out for these essential features:

Folders

Folders will help you organize your emails into categories, so you can find them more easily later on.

Labels

Just like folders, labels are a great way to organize emails. They can be used to track the progress of customer inquiries or categorize priorities. Platforms like Missive can even let you share those labels with your whole organization.

Rules

Rules are a great way to automize your workflow with a multitude of actions that are triggered when an event occurs. These actions can range from simply organizing incoming emails into folders or labels to automatically sending an automatic reply when certain conditions are met.

Snooze

Snooze is a neat feature that lets you set a date and time to remind you about an email. It’s a great way to clean up your inbox from emails that don’t require immediate action.

Integrations

Integrations are another essential feature of an email management tool. It can help you connect with other apps that you use like CRM, project management software, or other communications software to receive calls or SMS. These integrations are great for those who have a lot of different tasks and projects going on at the same time.

Saved responses

Canned responses are a time saver when you often need to reply to similar inquiries via emails. It’s especially useful for customer services teams that are used to getting the same questions over and over, as they can quickly select a pre-written answer and reply in no time.

Multi-accounts

Multi-accounts support is a great way to manage all your communications in one place. Depending on the tool you use, you can connect your personal email, work email, and shared account all in the same software. This makes organizing and handling emails a breeze.

Rich contacts information

Handling thousands of communications can quickly become a hassle when you need to research information about your correspondents. Rich contact information gives you context about the sender, like in the previous discussion, directly in a conversation.

Other features made for collaboration are really useful when choosing an email management tool. It makes dealing with customer service and teamwork a breeze.

Shared inbox

A shared inbox will let you collaborate on shared email addresses with your team. Customer support teams or sales teams will benefit a lot from software that can handle shared inboxes, since it will make teamwork more productive by enabling better collaboration.

Chat

Chat is another really useful feature for team collaboration and better email management. Instead of using an email thread to communicate with your colleagues about a particular email, you’ll be able to send messages directly in the conversation to the people you need input.

Choosing the Right Email Management Tool

When it comes to choosing an email management tool, there are a few things you need to take into account.

First and foremost, you need to decide what your needs are:

Do you need a tool that can help you organize your personal inbox, a team inbox for customer service, one that can help you automate your email marketing or a mix of all?

Once you know what you need, you can start looking at different tools and comparing them. Make sure to read reviews and compare pricing before making your final decision.

The last step is to take the time to try out the tool yourself to see if it's a good fit for you.

Benefits of Using Email Management Software

With better management of your inbox, you'll save hours each week.

Here are the benefits you can expect by starting to use one.

Better Productivity

With automated workflows to handle repetitive tasks and better organization, you'll be able to spend less time dealing with emails.

For examples, you could route messages to the right team members based on tags and keywords. Plus, canned replies mean common questions are addressed with a single click.

Better Scalability

Collaboration tools like chat and shared inbox keep everyone on the loop and makes it easy to grow your team without having to worry about forwarding an email to the right person and fragmenting discussion in several tools.

Plus, with rules and integrations it's easy to maintain your high standards for responsiveness, even with larger volumes of emails.

Think about a brand you love.

I don't mean a store you buy from every now and then. I mean a company you hold a freakin' torch for. You are loyal to them. And it'll take a lot for you to change to a competitor.

For me, it's Apple.

Cliché, I know. But that company has always been there for me. When I dropped my laptop on my way to a lecture at University a couple (okay, more like 15) years ago. When I email them. When I drop into a Genius Bar because my phone is glitching and I need to get on a flight. When a new product feature drops that improves my working day. They are there.

In my mind, Apple is the perfect example of a customer-first company. Every product they have produced has been for its customers, from iPods to watches. Heck, even Steve Jobs said it was his job to figure out what we want before we do.

This is the epitome of a customer-first approach. It's a brand that puts customers' needs first and fulfills them so well, they never shop anywhere else.

So, how does a customer-first strategy like this work?

Let's take a look 👇

Table of Contents

• What does Customer First Mean?
• Benefits of Adopting a Customer-First Strategy
• 4 Steps to Implement a Customer First Approachsome text
  • Step 1: Figure Out What Your Customers (Actually) Want
  • Step 2: Listen To Customer Feedback and Input
  • Step 3: Talk to Customers 1-on-1 Whenever You Can
  • Step 4: Give Your Team The Tools to Serve Customers First
• Real-World Examples of Customer First Businesses

What does Customer First Mean?

A customer-first culture means a company puts their customer base at the center of every decision—from product design to initiatives, marketing campaigns and support.

With a customer-first approach, every product, service, conversation, campaign, and interaction is designed around what the customer wants. By listening, taking on feedback, and putting customers first, you lay the foundation for long-term partnerships with your customers so they stick around.

The tough reality about a customer-first approach is to achieve it, your productivity or even your bottom line might take a hit. However, with 65% of customers surveyed in a Khoros study admitting poor customer experience caused them to switch brands—putting customers first is a strategy worth pursuing.

To figure out what this really meant and what a customer-first company really had to do to succeed, I dug a little deeper.

That's when I found Bloomberg's Customer Centricity Index. It rates the world's leading brands on their customer-centric approaches. You might just recognize some of the names that made the leaderboard:

So, how did they crack the top 100? 🤔

Well, each company was tested on eight factors:

• ✓If they anticipate customer needs
• ✓How much they care about customers
• ✓If they manage to deliver exceptional customer service
• ✓How easy it is to do business with them
• ✓If their leadership is ethical
• ✓How honest are they with the public
• ✓If their products/services are relevant with customer's needs
• ✓If they respect customer privacy

Ticking all these boxes will score a company a slot at the top of the leaderboard. This checklist is a great foundation for what you should aim for if you want to turn your company into a customer-centric machine.

But before we dive into how to do that, let's take a detour and look at why a customer-first approach doesn't mean you should hand over control to customers.

"Customer First" vs. "The Customer is Always Right"—What's the Difference?

Don't confuse a customer first strategy with a customer is always right strategy.

A customer-first strategy will build a bridge between what a customer needs and what your company can achieve. On the flip side, following a "customer is always right" strategy can lead you down a garden path where you try to meet every customer demand, even if it hurts your business.

Build a strategy to strike a balance between meeting customer needs and maintaining your own business objectives.

Benefits of Adopting a Customer-First Strategy

A customer-first strategy helps a business truly see its target customers and allows them to build out products and services they really need. It also helps improve customer retention and employee satisfaction because both parties are satisfied.

Let's break that down a little.

Great service can mold how customers spend money. A recent Zendesk study found a whopping 87% of customers changed their future buying behavior thanks to a good customer service experience.

It found they were more likely to purchase more products, recommend the company to other people, or even switch who they shopped with. Forbes also found brands that give customers a "super experience" reap the (cash) benefits and bring in 5.7x more revenue than competitors.

Apart from increased sales, a customer-first strategy can also:

• Bring repeat business.
  Satisfied customers stick around. It's not rocket science. 89% of companies say an excellent customer experience plays a huge role in customer retention, which helps lower acquisition costs and keep more money in your pocket.
• Give you a competitive advantage.
  Industries get crowded. Putting your customer first helps you truly understand them and tailor solutions that fit their specific needs. Your company can create a unique selling proposition around this solution instead of just marketing a generic solution to your customer's problem.
• Consistently grow your company.
  Brands need consistency to grow. I don't just mean consistent revenue—I'm talking regular referrals for other customers and more awareness about your products. Happy customers aren't just a buffer against economic downturns, they help grow your business through word of mouth.

A lot of these benefits are down to one thing: customer satisfaction. And most customers will pay more for an exceptional customer experience.

4 Steps to Implement a Customer First Approach

Step 1: Figure Out What Your Customers (Actually) Want

The days of closed-door innovation—when teams got in a room and figured out what to build or supply next—are over.

That's not a bad thing. Today's customers are more vocal and tell you exactly what they want from a product or service. All you have to do is listen. Monitor your social media channels and check online reviews to see what customers are saying and if they are asking for a product or upgrade they need.

Oh, and don't forget about asking your employees on the front line (like those in the customer support team) what they hear on the ground. Any nagging issues or suggestions from customers should be put into an internal shared document to follow up on. The sooner you act, the better.

This brings us to step two—getting feedback.

Step 2: Listen To Customer Feedback and Input

The most loyal customers aren't just happy—they've got their skin in the game.

Asking customers for feedback and acting on it is the best way to prove to customers that their voices are being heard. Set up feedback loops through surveys using tools like Tally, or trawl through customer reviews or social media posts to understand how your customers perceive your brand.

Maxie Schmidt is a Principal Analyst at Forrester. She recommends taking a look at whether this process is measurement-obsessed or customer experience-obsessed using this chart:

Obviously, you want to be on the right side of the chart (no pun intended.)

Just look at how Starbucks gets feedback from customers.

Ever tried a pumpkin spice latte? If so, you have mystarbucksidea.com to thank. The site was launched over 15 years ago to give customers a platform to share and vote on ideas to improve their Starbucks experience. It wasn't pretty, but it worked:

Customers posted over 150,000 ideas on how to improve Starbucks on the platform, and nearly 300 of them were brought to life. And even though the mystarbucksidea.com site has been wound down, it showed thousands of customers the brand wasn't just willing to listen, but their ideas were good enough to use in-store.

The takeaway here is simple. Actively address customer feedback and use it to drive trust in your brand.

Step 3: Talk to Customers 1-on-1 Whenever You Can

A good product fit can only get you so far. If your post-sale support sucks or customers don't feel appreciated, there's a risk they will churn to a competitor.

Make the effort to connect with customers on a 1-on-1 basis whenever you get the chance. Whether it's replying to an email or a comment on social media, a personal interaction will always score points. It also shortens the feedback loop and you can instantly solve a problem or take a great idea back to your team instead of wading through surveys.

He may be controversial, but Elon Musk is (very) visible on social media and makes the effort to reply to customers about concerns they have with Tesla. Look at how he replied to this comment about electric vehicle charging stations:

You're right, this is becoming an issue. Supercharger spots are meant for charging, not parking. Will take action.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 11, 2016

This showed the customer that his feedback mattered and action would be taken immediately. It's a great example of showing your customer you care.

Step 4: Give Your Team The Tools to Serve Customers First

Finally, equip your team with the tools they need to successfully implement a customer-first strategy.

Talk about what a customer-first culture will look like at your company and make sure your team is on the same page. Then, set some goals for them to hit:

• Set metrics for response times.
  Don't leave customers in the dark. Create a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for when emails, text messages, and social media comments will get a reply. Use shortcuts like canned responses or automated replies if your team is short on time.
• Share communication responsibilities.
  Encourage your team to share the customer load. Use a tool like Missive to create shared inbox and chat channels so everyone can jump in and talk to customers. If each department (e.g. sales, support team) has its own inbox, teams can collaborate on emails and stay on top of messages so no customers slip through the cracks.

It's also a good idea to put all your data under one roof. Use a customer relationship management (CRM) software to collect and store customer data. That way, if your team needs to get up to speed on a customer or look at recent feedback—it's all in one place.

Real-World Examples of Customer First Businesses

Not all companies are customer first. But those who have adopted this strategy have learnt how listening to what their customers want can pay off.

Here are two examples of companies that have used this strategy to improve customer experience. 👇

1. Uber Changed How it Catered for Its (Furrier) Customers

You may have to pay an extra couple of bucks, but you can now take your pet in an Uber.

Before the feature launch, individual drivers could decide whether or not a cat, dog, bird, or any non-human was allowed in their car. For customers with pets, this led to an awkward (and sometimes heated) standoff where they had to message their Uber driver to make sure the ride would be accepted.

After a ton of feedback from customers in certain areas like Hong Kong and Germany, Uber decided to launch a dedicated option to order a pet-friendly ride.

This change accomplished two goals. It gave a subsection of Uber customers a feature they asked for. Plus, it cut out the annoying (and awkward) messages between customers and drivers about whether a pet was allowed in the vehicle or not.

Talk about a win-win!

2. Lionize Retooled its Tech Stack to Reply to Thousands of People Every Day

Lionize is a SaaS software platform built to simplify the lives of marketers. It serves thousands of influencers every day along with the brands that work directly with the company.

But there was a problem. The Lionize team was juggling a ton of influencer and client communications and its team… couldn't keep up. Influencers were left hanging and waiting for a reply, and Lionize's brand partners were also leaving money on the table.

Eddie Dalrymple, Senior Account Executive at Lionize, said it was really difficult to organize communication channels as they were all over the place. For example, the team is sending emails to influencers, but they might get a reply via text.

"It was really difficult for us to manage a Gmail inbox, and also manage a Twilio number which was what we were doing originally. We needed a way to group all communication together to be more organized when reaching out to these influencers", he said.

"It's difficult to check that a person emailed us but we sent them a text an hour ago, and you get these mismatches in communication."

Lionize knew it wasn't replying to its influencers' emails and texts quickly enough. So, the company set a goal to reply to each influencer within 48 hours. And they hit it.

The company started using Missive (our team inbox and chat app) to keep communications under one roof and reply strategically. The best part is anyone can reply to an influencer when an email lands in an inbox, as they can see the last 10 conversations and get up to speed on where they are at.

Since Lionize prioritized putting its customers first and (dramatically) improving its communication, it has cut response times and most importantly given its clients a better service. 🥳

Want to join Lionize (and 3000+ businesses) and put your customers first? Missive is a team inbox and chat app rolled into one to help your team truly collaborate. Take it for a free test drive here!

If you’ve ever worked the customer service desk at any time in your career, you know running into an angry customer is inevitable and can be tricky to navigate—especially if there is no official guidance from management on handling the situation.

Do you just let the customer walk away angry and run the risk of them telling other people about your “bad service”? Or do you do whatever you can to make the customer happy?

In situations like these, it helps to have a service recovery plan in place to help deescalate tensions and make things right with the customer.

If you don’t already have a customer service recovery plan in place (or you’re looking for tips to improve yours), this article is for you.

Table of Contents

• What is Customer Service Recovery?
• 8 Steps to Customer Service Recoverysome text
  • 1. Listen to the customer
  • 2. Apologize to the customer
  • 3. Take ownership of the problem
  • 4. Identify and clarify the problem
  • 5. Solve the problem
  • 6. End on a positive note
  • 7. Follow up with the customer
  • 8. Learn from the recovery experience
• Service Recovery Email Free Templates
• Improve Customer Satisfaction with Service Recovery

What is Customer Service Recovery?

Customer service recovery is a company’s steps to solve an unhappy customer’s issue through excellent customer service. When customer service blunders happen, it can feel like a mark against your business, but it doesn’t have to be—you just need the right systems to fix the issue.

In a perfect world, customers would be delighted with the service they receive 100% of the time. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, and when customers receive lousy service, nearly 80% of those customers will take their business elsewhere, especially if they feel their complaints are unheard. That’s when customer service recovery should come into play.

Here’s how to handle complaints effectively:

1. Identify the service complaint
2. Work with the client to resolve the issue
3. Learn from the experience
4. Implement necessary process changes 

While it may seem that customers with a bad experience will be hesitant to continue doing business with your company, that’s not the case.

According to the Service Recovery Paradox, when your employees go above and beyond to solve an unhappy customer’s issue, they’re helping to increase the customer’s brand loyalty even more than if no issue had arised.

Clearly, service recovery should be a priority for your business and employees. Let’s look at the eight steps to create a service recovery plan to ensure your employees knock it out of the park when issues arise.

8 Steps to Customer Service Recovery

1. Listen to the customer

As a customer, there is no worse experience than not being heard when you have an issue with a product or service.

Recently, I experienced this with my Internet service provider.  After days of trying to get help from customer service and multiple transfers to various departments, my issue was solved with a straightforward click of a button. The entire experience was frustrating, and as a result, I would not recommend their service.

It could have easily been solved if customer service had taken the time to listen to my concerns and identify my problem. The point of this story is simple: take the time to listen to your customers and understand their issue.

Encourage your reps to use specific phrases to show customers that they are heard. Train your employees to use terms like:

“I understand how this is upsetting.”

“I will work to resolve this issue.”

“I understand your concerns.”

2. Apologize to the customer

Along with listening to the customer’s concerns, the next step in customer service recovery is apologizing for the mishap.

Appropriate apologies never pass the blame on someone else or another department. Instead, they are genuinely heartfelt to help customers understand their needs and issues matter. Usually, a sincere apology helps to calm a customer, too. And when customers are cool and collected, it becomes easier to work with them to resolve the issue.

3. Take ownership of the problem

Part of a good recovery service plan is allowing your employees the authority and resources to resolve customer issues.

The goal is to avoid making customers wait a long time for answers, or make them repeat the issue to multiple people. Bouncing your customers from one department to the next only increases their frustration.

Although a breakdown in service may have happened for various reasons outside your control, it is your customer care team’s responsibility to own and fix the problem.

Research about service recovery through empowerment shows that it’s an  effective way to improve service recovery performance and service team’ job satisfaction. 

4. Identify and clarify the problem

Before your customer service reps attempt to resolve anything, the customer’s issue should be clearly understood. Learning to ask appropriate questions is vital to providing excellent customer service and resolving a problem.

Sometimes, getting to the root of an issue is as easy as asking clarifying questions like, “I understand this is the problem. Is this correct?” Other times, your reps might have to play the role of a detective and ask, “Can you walk me through the steps you took with our product that led you to this issue?

It’s crucial that your customer service representatives do not attempt to solve a problem without understanding it. Attempts to solve an unknown problem will only lead to more frustration for your customers and employees. 

Show your customers you care by seeking to understand their issues.

5. Solve the problem

The customer care team members are expert detectives and problem-solvers. Their job is troubleshooting the customer’s problem and finding an appropriate solution. Armed with the knowledge of the issue, your customer service reps can now do what they do best: solve the problem.

At this stage in the customer service recovery process, your reps should be focused on solving the customer’s issue and actively working to maintain the customer relationship. Maintaining customer relationships while solving a problem sometimes involve offering a refund. Other times, it’s fixing a broken product or upgrading a service. It should always include the company covering all costs associated with the fix. Research shows that when companies overcompensate for service failure, customers are more likely to accept the fix as fair and satisfactory.

It’s important to note that a problem is not solved until the customer is completely satisfied. Be sure not to make assumptions about customer satisfaction. Instead, ask them if they are satisfied with the solution and the service they have received.

6. End on a positive note

The service recovery process isn’t over when the customer is satisfied with the solution. Remember, customer service recovery is also about enhancing brand loyalty.

It’s often not enough that an unpleasant situation has been made right. After all, that’s the service or product your customer should have received in the first place.

Instead, show your customers you care and offer them a token of appreciation. If you’re a subscription service, think about offering a free month of service or waiving shipping fees for delivery. Or, offer a 15% discount for the next purchase. Come up with offers that make sense for your company and offer those to your customers in appreciation for sticking with you through their bad experience.

By doing this, you’ll be sure to end the interaction on a positive note and keep a loyal customer.

7. Follow up with the customer

Want to score extra points in the brand loyalty department? Follow up with the customer to ensure complete satisfaction.

Good customer service recovery continues well after the initial conversation with the customer ends. Ask them if they are still satisfied with the solution and service you provided with a follow-up email, a simple phone call, or take it a step further and mail a handwritten note. Consider asking the customer to respond to a satisfaction survey, too.

It’s also a good idea to keep a record of customer interactions for future reference or analysis.

8. Learn from the recovery experience

While service recovery might seem like it only benefits the customer, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Service recovery is just as much for your team as it is for customers because it helps your team identify lapses in service or defects in your product line. You’re missing out if you’re not using it as a learning opportunity.

With the information your customer service team gathers from troubleshooting with customers and responses from the customer satisfaction survey, you and your team have the tools to ensure a bad customer experience doesn’t happen again.

Continuously improving and tweaking your products or services based on what you learn makes for a better experience for all, including your customers and employees.

Service Recovery Email Free Templates

Implementing a service recovery plan for your business doesn’t have to be complicated. If your business operates online, you can use these service recovery email templates as a guide to writing your own emails.

Apology Template

Hello [Customer]-

Thank you for emailing us about your concerns with our product line. I’m sorry to hear you are experiencing an issue with our product.

I apologize for the inconvenience, and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We stand behind our promise of guaranteeing the best product on the market, and we’ve failed. This one’s on us. 

To clarify, you are experiencing [describe the issue in detail]. We want to make this right for you, and we have a couple of options.

We can offer you a full refund of your order or replace the defective product entirely at no extra cost to you.

Please let us know which option you prefer.

On another note, as a valued customer, we are offering you 20% off your next order. 

Thank you for being with us! 

[Your Company]

Follow-up Template

Hello [Customer]-

I hope this email finds you well!

I just wanted to follow up with you about your product replacement. I see that it was delivered to your address yesterday.

Please let me know if you experience any issues with your replacement product. Y

If you have a minute, we’d love if you took a second to complete a short survey about your experience. We’d greatly appreciate your responses to help us continue to improve.

Don’t forget to use your 20% discount for being such a valued customer! 

Thanks for being awesome!

[Your Company]

Improve Customer Satisfaction with Service Recovery

If you provide a product or service, encountering an angry or rude customer is bound to happen. It’s almost inevitable. But with the proper service recovery plan in place, your customer service team has the power to calm your customers and do right by them.

When mistakes happen, don’t squander an opportunity. Use it as a chance to show your customers you care and build lifelong business relationships.

As a small business owner, you know that excellent customer support is essential for customer satisfaction and success in today's competitive business environment.

However, with limited resources and personnel, managing many customer inquiries and support requests at the same time can quickly become overwhelming.

That’s where a help desk software can be a real asset. The tool that can help you master your support game.

In this guide, we'll help you choose the best customer service software for your needs and by giving you a list of the best ticket management software on the market today.

Most of these tools are meant for the support use case only (like Freshdesk) while we included a few more flexible email tools that can do support ticketing and be your daily inbox (like Missive).

The 11 Best Help Desk Software for Small Business

‍We reviewed the best solutions with a focus on important characteristics including scalability, pricing, integrations, and ease of use.

1. Missive

Best ticket management for companies that want collaborative support function, in a regular email client.

While Missive might not be the typical help desk, it’s a wonderful tool for companies with limited resources. It provides great features like shared inboxes, archive/close functionality, analytics, livechat, AI automations, multiple communication channels, shared labels, canned responses, and a wide range of integrations with other tools like CRMs.

Missive also gives you the ability to assign conversations to a whole team, a specific person, or multiple people. With rules, you can decide how support conversations are routed to each team member—round-robin assignment, least busy assignment, or anything you can dream up.

Unlike other solutions on the list, Missive isn’tticket based. It works like a regular email client would. This makes it easier to be used for more than customer service, it is also a Team Inbox and team collaboration tool, enabling all your teams to work together and collaborate on almost any communication they receive.

Pricing

Missive pricing starts at $14/user/month (on a yearly plan) and goes up to $36/user/month. Missive offers a free trial as well.

2. Help Scout

Best help desk system for companies using email primarily and in need of aknowledge base.

Help Scout is an email-based help desk that also offers some email management software functionalities. It can help you simplify your communications and manage your client service operations.

Help Scout offers features like a knowledge base (self-service portal), ticketing system, and live chat. It also offers integrations with external tools, shared inboxes, and rules.

Just like Missive, Help Scout has a shared inbox, which allows your team to manage shared emails, assign co-members to conversations, chat with teammates, and tag conversations for easy organization. The platform also includes live chat support.

Overall, Help Scout provides companies with a complete solution for their customer service needs.

Pricing

Help Scout pricing starts at $25 per month per user for their basic plan. They also offer a free 15-day trial.

3. Helpwise

Best help desk software for companies that need to integrate a Twillio number.

Helpwise is a user-friendly help desk aiming at simplifying customer service email management for small businesses. It offers features like shared inboxes, email templates, notes, rules, and assignments to make email collaboration easier and improve customer support.

Similar to Missive, Helpwise provides a shared inbox platform that allows teams to collaborate on SMS, social media, and live chat accounts. It also offers functionalities like assigning team members to conversations, tagging, and internal chatting for better communication.

With Helpwise, you can manage support requests, prioritize them, and respond to them in a timely manner.

In summary, Helpwise is a good helpdesk solution that combines shared inboxes, email management, and live chat in one place, making it a great option for small businesses to provide customer service.

Pricing

Helpwise pricing starts at $15 per month per user for their standard plan. They also a free 7-day trial.

4. Zendesk

Best help desk for companies that are using Zendesk CRM.

Zendesk is a popular tool used by businesses to provide customer service. It's a cloud-based solution that can help your small business efficiently manage and resolve customer inquiries and support tickets across different channels.

It offers features like ticketing, a knowledge base, live chat, and reporting. Zendesk makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to interact with customers and deliver great support. Plus, it integrates nicely with their CRM to seamlessly manage customers across their whole journey.

Overall, Zendesk is a good support platform that offers businesses everything they need to provide customer service.

Pricing

Zendesk pricing is for an annual plan billed on a monthly basis. They also offer a free 14-day trial.

5. Front

Best ticket management for enterprise companies looking for an alternative to Missive.

Front is similar to Missive in the sense that it’s a platform that helps teams manage shared email aliases, SMS, social media, and live chat all in one place.

While it’s not a help desk platform, it centralizes customer requests in one place. Front also provides automation capabilities like rules to make everything run smoothly. It is a good solution for businesses looking to efficiently manage their customer support operations.

Front also offers advanced features like CRM and analytics to help you go deeper in metrics. However, as we’ll see below, those features come with a hefty price tag.

Pricing

Front pricing starts at $19/user/month (billed annually) and jumps up to $99/user/month.

6. Gmelius

Best help desk system for companies that want to keep using Gmail.

Gmelius is a helpdesk platform that transforms email into a collaborative and efficient tool for customer support. This Gmail add-on offers features like shared inboxes, team collaboration, and workflow automation.

Gmelius makes managing customer inquiries and tickets easier for your team if you’re already using Gmail. Since it adds itself on top of the Google email client, it has an intuitive interface that will help your team resolve customer issues in a timely manner.

Gmelius also offers project management capabilities. It also comes with features like chats with your coworkers in an email thread, adding labels, and assigning team members to an email.

On the downside, Gmelius only support emails as a communication channel and is only an option for Gmail users.

Pricing

Gmelius pricing starts at $15 per month for 10 users on a pay-per-usage plan. They also offer a free 7-day trial.

7. Hiver

Best help desk system for companies looking for an alternative to Gmelius.

Hiver is a help desk add-on for your Gmail account. It helps you assign emails to team members, set up reminders, track email threads, and tag emails to keep things organized and efficient.

Some key features of Hiver include shared inbox management, email delegation and assignment, email notes and comments, and email templates for standardized responses. Hiver also offers real-time collaboration features such as internal chat, making it easy for teams to work together on shared emails and tasks.

Hiver makes it easy for teams to manage their help desk operations and improve customer support processes, however it only supports emails and live chat as communication channels. You'll also need to be a Gmail user to take advantage of Hiver.

Pricing

Hiver pricing starts at $19 per month per user for 2 shared email inboxes. They also offer a free 7-day trial.

8. Groove

Best help desk system for companies looking for a cheaper alternative to Help Scout.

Groove offers a unified inbox for managing your customer communications in one place. It provides features like ticketing, knowledge base, email automation, and reporting improving your customer support processes.

Groove also offers integrations with popular tools, so you can incorporate it into your existing workflow.

Groove is similar to Missive since it is built as an email client and works in the same fashion. It's designed to help businesses deliver exceptional customer service and support through efficient and organized communication management.

You can also assign the conversation to a team member, leave notes in a conversation and mention someone in the conversation just like Missive.

Pricing

Groove pricing starts at $25 per month per user for one mailbox. They also offer a free 30-day free trial.

9. Freshdesk

Best help desk software for companies using the Freshworks suite.

Freshdesk is a help desk software that helps small businesses manage customer interactions across multiple channels such as email, phone, chat, and social media.

Some of its key features include multichannel support, automation, and collaboration options for team members to work together on resolving support tickets.

With Freshdesk, businesses can improve their support operations, save time with automation, and provide a great experience for their customers.

Unlike Missive, which has a more “human” approach to support requests, Freshdesk uses a ticketing system for customer inquiries. It also offers additional features such as a support desk, contact center, and customer feedback management.

Pricing

Freshdesk offers a free option with basic features, and paid plans starting at $18 per person per month, which increase based on the number of agents and features needed. However, to access live chat functionality, a subscription to their Freshchat tool may be required.

10. Crisp

Best help desk for companies looking for real-time shared browsing.

Crisp is a messaging platform that can be used as a help desk. It provides businesses with features to improve their communications with customers. These features include shared inbox, live chat, CRM, and email marketing campaigns. While Crisp does offer a free plan, its features are limited and do not include support for emails or social media.

Crisp's paid plans unlock advanced features and functionalities that can help your customer service team when interacting with customers, improve team collaboration, and improve customer engagement.

Pricing

Crisp offers a free plan with basic features, and paid plans starting at $25 per person per month.

10. Zoho Desk

Best help desk software for enterprise customers.

Zoho Desk has a very robust feature set and goes well beyond ticketing systems. They mostly support larger customers that have various teams within support (call center, email tickets, etc). Much like Salesforce, Zoho Desk is only one small function of the Zoho family which offers tools from marketing to finance. 

If you're already a Zoho customer and you have very particular, enterprise-like needs. Then Zoho Desk might be a great, natural fit. 

Pricing

Zoho Desk starts at $9/user/month and goes up to $50/user/month.

What is the difference between Help Desk and Service Desk Software?

Although functionally similar, these two pieces of software serve historically served different audiences. 

Help desk software is primarily used for processing support requests for external parties (prospects, customers, users). 

Service desk software is primarily used for processing support requests (typically IT related) for internal parties like employees and vendors.

Nowadays, most help desk software can be used as service desk software, and vice versa. 

What Is Help Desk Management Software?

A help desk software is a specialized tool that helps you organize, manage and respond to customer requests.It makes it easy to receive, track, prioritize, and resolve customer requests and issues by assigning anyone in your team to a specific inquiry.

Help desk software typically includes features such as customer request management, automation, and integration with other tools and communication channels such as email, chat, and social media.

Some help desk management software can also be used to provide self-service options for customers, such as a knowledge base or live chat widget.

Why Do Small Businesses Need a Help Desk Software?

Small businesses often face unique challenges when it comes to managing customer support. Limited resources, small teams, and high customer expectations can make it difficult to provide efficient and effective support. 

Considering that nearly 33% of customers consider switching brand after only one bad interaction with customer service, it's more important than ever to provide good support.

That's where help desk software can come to the rescue!

Using help desk software can help centralize all customer support in one place, making your entire support team more efficient.

Benefits of Using Help Desk Software for Small Businesses

Here are some reasons why it can be beneficial for your business:

 
• Centralized communication: Help desk software provides a single platform to manage all customer requests in one place, making it easier to streamline your customer interactions and respond promptly to important requests.
 
• Improved productivity: Some help desk software comes with automation features that can handle tasks such as assignment and categorization, saving you and your team time and allowing you to handle a higher volume of requests more efficiently.
 
• Improved customer experience: With features like automated responses and live chat, help desk software enables you to provide quick solutions, resulting in a seamless support experience for your customers.

Give your small business the support it needs with help desk software and enjoy the benefits of streamlined communication, increased productivity, and improved customer satisfaction.

How to Choose a Help Desk Software for Your Small Business

Choosing a help desk software for your small business might not be rocket science, but with so many options out there, it can be hard to choose the right one.

Before digging into the features of each platform, you should ask yourself some questions:

 
• Management system: What type of ticketing/management system do you need? At the very least, the solution should allow you to create conversations, assign them to a team member, and track their progress.
 
• Communication channels: What are the communication channels that need to be supported? Are you using email, social media, SMS, live chat?
 
• Integrations: Do you need to integrate other software you’re using like a CRM?
 
• Mobile app: Do you need it to work while on the go? Is being able to view and manage customer inquiries from anywhere important to you?
 
• Pricing: What is your budget? Does the pricing make sense with all the features and seats you need? There are many free and affordable options that can be great alternatives to Intercom hefty price tag.

While features are an important aspect of the tool you’ll choose, you should also consider other things:

 
• Think big: Your business may grow fast, so choose a solution that can keep up and scale with you.
 
• User-friendly: Complicated software that requires your time and money to learn are not a good option. Do you really want to train employees on new software for multiple days? Find a help desk that's easy to set up, configure, and use.
 
• Support that got your back: The solution you choose should have your back, and that includes customer support. Look for  reliable and responsive support.
 
• Learn from others: Chances are, other customers of the tools we have shared in this list have shared their positive and negative opinion about it. Read reviews and testimonials from other business owners to get insights into the pros and cons of your different options.
 
• Test drive it: Don't commit without trying it out first. Take advantage of free trials or demos offered by the different help desk to see if they suit your needs.

By keeping these tips in mind and choosing the right help desk software, you'll be able to level up your customer support game and keep your customers happy. After all, satisfied customers are the secret sauce to your success.

Have you ever tried a new app or software and felt instantly ‘at home’? Or the opposite, where everything just felt... off? 

That's the power of customer perception at work.

Top-notch features are merely part of the formula. The positive feeling users get while using a product or contacting customer support is what truly sets a brand apart. 

In this article, we’ll share how to measure customer perception and proven strategies for improving it. 

Here is the table of contents for the article you provided:

Table of Contents

• What is customer perception?
• Why is customer perception important?
• How to measure customer perception
• 7 ways to improve customer perception
• How customer perception helps your brand stand out

What is customer perception?

Customer perception is how a person thinks and feels about a product, service, or company. Also known as consumer perception, it’s formed by a person’s direct experiences. These may include using a product or talking with the business’s customer support team. 

It’s also indirectly shaped by the price and quality of the product as well as what customers see in ads or hear from friends. Online reviews and social media also influence customer perception. 

Why is customer perception important?

Customer perception is important because if customers feel positive about your business, they're more likely to buy again and recommend it to others. When people shop, they don’t just buy products or services. They also buy what they believe or feel about them.

Here’s why it matters so much:

• Brand reputation: A brand's reputation isn't built overnight. When customers have a positive perception, they associate the brand with good qualities like reliability, trustworthiness, or value for money. But if the perception is negative? The opposite can happen. People may associate the brand with poor quality, dishonesty, or a waste of money.
• Customer loyalty: Loyal customers are like gold. They not only buy repeatedly but also recommend the brand to others. They trust the company to deliver consistent value and meet their expectations. How do businesses earn this valuable loyalty? A big part of it is positive customer perception. 
• Word-of-mouth recommendations: People talk. If they have a fantastic experience with a brand, they might tell their friends and family. But the reverse is also true. A poor perception can lead to negative word-of-mouth, which is harmful. Personal recommendations often carry more weight than ads––88% of consumers worldwide most trust recommendations from people they know.
• Business growth: Positive customer perception can lead to increased sales, repeat business, and long-term growth. On the other hand, negative perception can result in fewer sales, loss of valuable customers, and a slower growth.

How to measure customer perception

Measuring customer perception doesn’t need to be complex. It’s all about being a good listener, tune into customer signals, and, most importantly, be ready to evolve.

Here are six ways to measure customer perception of your brand:

1. Collect customer feedback through surveys and forms

Understanding your customers' opinions and feelings about your product or service is key. There’s no better way to do this than directly asking. 

Use customer satisfaction surveys (CSAT) to gather specific information. Surveys give you quantifiable insights that guide improvements, whether it's about a new feature, overall user experience, or service quality.

Tools like Tally or Typeform let you gather customer opinions easily.

While surveys often have set questions, feedback forms offer users the chance to freely express their experiences. Place these forms on your platform or website, and give customers an opportunity to share their thoughts when they're most relevant.

Here’s how to use feedback to understand customer perception:

• Analyze data for common themes
• Implement changes based on constructive feedback
• Acknowledge positive feedback and identify areas of excellence

2. Net promoter score (NPS) 

You can understand how customers feel by asking, “Would you recommend our product to a friend?” Their answer, on a scale from 0 to 10, gives you a score that tells you how they feel about your product.

The answers offer insight into how customers perceive your brand's value.

Here’s how to interpret the scores: 

• Promoters (9-10): These are your brand champions! They love your product and will likely recommend it to other potential customers.
• Passives (7-8): These customers are satisfied but not enthusiastic. They might switch to a competitor if given a reason.
• Detractors (0-6): These users had a less than stellar experience and might spread negative feedback.

NPS provides a clear picture of your customer's loyalty, which often correlates with retention, growth, and profitability. 

3. Online reviews and ratings

We all know the power of customer reviews and ratings. Review sites like G2 or Trustpilot offer a goldmine of customer insights. Are folks singing your praises or pointing out issues?

Bad experiences described in frequent negative reviews give you a good insight in what could be improved in your product or interactions. While positive reviews describing customer success stories highlight a stronger perception. 

4. Social media mentions

Social media posts and mentions can tell you a lot about how your customers feel. Whether your users spend time on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, or another platform, you should monitor what they say about you.

5. Customer support interactions

Your customer support team is on the frontline. They deal with the complaints and issues of long-term and new customers. 

So dive into their chats, emails, and call logs. You'll be surprised how much you can learn about perception just by seeing what issues pop up frequently or what features users rave about.

To go a step further, choose a couple of recent customer interactions to follow up on. Ask each customer in-depth questions about their personal experience with your business and product. 

6. Usage and retention data

While surveys and feedback methods capture the voice of the customer, observing consumer behavior is often more revealing. Enter usage and retention data. 

If you have access to it, usage data provides insights into how customers engage with your product. Key metrics to consider include:

• Frequency: How often are users accessing your product?
• Duration: How long are they spending each time they log in or use the product?
• Feature usage: Which parts of your product are customers using the most or least?

High usage often indicates that customers value your product, signaling a positive perception. Conversely, infrequent usage or neglect of key features might highlight improvement areas.

7 ways to improve customer perception

1. Provide robust customer support

When customers have questions or run into problems, they want help quickly–72% of customers say they want immediate service.

Imagine you’ve just subscribed to a new CRM. But you can’t figure out how to import your existing data. Now imagine calling up the company and getting the solution in minutes. Instead of the issue ruining your day, the company resolves it so you can start using the CRM.

Quick responses and friendly help can turn a frustrated customer into a super fan.

Aim to offer great customer service experience through: 

• Emails
• Live chat
• Phone calls
• Video tutorials
• User-friendly documentation
• Comprehensive written FAQs 

For best results, ensure your support team is well-trained and has the tools to address issues quickly.

Take Dropbox for example, a cloud storage solution. The brand offers detailed help articles, community forums, and direct support channels. By providing easy-to-understand resources, their users can quickly resolve most issues. For larger problems, it’s easy to contact Dropbox support and get a quick solution. 

Suraj Nair, a senior digital marketer at SocialPilot, a B2B social media management tool, explains how a more proactive approach to customer support boosted customer perception. 

“Our support team reached out to customers, offering personalized assistance and suggesting features to meet their specific needs,” he says. “This improved customer satisfaction and changed their perception of us as a customer-centric company.”

2. Create an intuitive user interface (UI) and experience (UX)

Remember when you tried to use that one app and got lost five seconds in? We've all been there. Making your product easy and fun to use is key.

Your platform or website should be user-friendly. A well-organized dashboard, for example, can make navigation a breeze. 

For example, Linear, a developer tool platform, became popular partly because of its clean, user-friendly interface. It’s easy for new users to understand and navigate, enhancing their perception of the brand.

3. Roll out regular feature updates

By continually releasing new features or refining existing ones, you demonstrate commitment to your product's evolution. It’s important to regularly introduce improvements based on user feedback and market demand. Whenever you release an update, communicate it to your user base. 

For example, Notion, a productivity tool, frequently releases updates and new features based on what users are asking for, helping to cement their reputation as a responsive and innovative brand.

4. Use transparent pricing

No one likes unexpected billing surprises. Offering clear pricing tiers that detail what each entails can instill confidence in potential clients. 

Provide clear, upfront pricing without hidden costs. Offer scalable solutions for different business sizes.Trello, the task management tool, uses a transparent tiered pricing model where users can easily see what they're getting at each level.

5. Engage with your community 

Engage with the user community through forums, webinars, workshops, and social media. These mediums can provide valuable customer feedback and are a great way to connect with your customers. 

For example, Atlassian has a vibrant community forum where users can share tips, ask questions, and provide feedback.

6. Prioritize security and privacy

Data breaches can be catastrophic to your bottom line and customer perception. Once you lose trust, it’s hard to win it back. So make sure your data is secure and you comply with all relevant data protection regulations. Then, clearly communicate your security measures to your users.

For example, Salesforce heavily emphasizes its security measures, reinforcing the trust businesses place in them to handle sensitive data.

7. Share educational content

Produce content that educates users about your product and the broader industry issues. This could be through blog posts, webinars, or ebooks.

Onboarding tutorials, webinars, and knowledge bases can make the adoption of your product smoother.

For example, the ecommerce platform Shopify offers free resources for its users. There are online courses and blogs on everything from how to set up an online store to advanced ecommerce strategies, cementing its brand image as an industry leader and a helpful partner for businesses.

How customer perception helps your brand stand out

Customer perception is often the defining factor between thriving and surviving.

But a positive perception doesn’t just happen. It's cultivated through attentive customer support, user-friendly products, transparent pricing, and more. 

Businesses can boost relationships and their bottom line by placing the user at the heart of all decisions and constantly refining customer experience. 

Ultimately, improving customer perception is not just a nice-to-have bonus—it's a fundamental pillar of business success.