Support volume became the growth constraint
A next-day perishables retailer grew into a support problem. Inquiries arrived across more channels than the team could watch, responses fell through, and sentiment started to turn.
The brief
A sales spike the support desk could not absorb
The client is an online retailer specializing in next-day delivery of perishables and grocery items direct to consumers, a category where a service failure is not recoverable. The order either arrives fresh and on time or it does not.
A spike in sales volume brought an influx of customer service inquiries across multiple channels at once. The existing processes and infrastructure were not built for that volume.
Responses were falling through the cracks, and overall sentiment toward customer support was trending downward. In a repeat-purchase category, that is a growth problem rather than a service problem.
What we did
One portal, and answers written before the question
A comprehensive software and process overhaul inside the support function: a new management platform identified, vetted and implemented, with new processes built around it.
- Identified, vetted and implemented an optimized customer service platform
- Funnelled communication from all channels and social media into a single management portal
- Curated response categories built from the questions customers actually asked most
- Established a consistent voice across all customer-facing communication
- Analyzed customer sentiment and adjusted site messaging to intercept inquiries before they were sent
The numbers
After the overhaul
| Metric | Change | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat customer rate | +275% | Result |
| Customer sentiment | Improved | Corroboration |
About Gild
Gild Group is a fractional ecommerce team for mid-market Shopify brands. Performance, retention and storefront operations run by one embedded group of senior operators on a fixed monthly retainer. Charleston, South Carolina, since 2014.