Customer support remains the cornerstone of any successful business.
When running a solo venture, there’s one person to do it all and with limited resources. There is also the pressure of decision-making, proper work-life balance, and constant upskilling to stay abreast of trends.
But things changed a lot in the last six months.
I started using email to assist my customers. More people stuck around — well, 37% more. This was a significant moment for World of Card Games since it showed me that using email for support resulted in customer satisfaction, community connection, and retention.
So, today, I’m sharing how this strategic approach brought about a dynamic shift in my business.
The Crucial Connection Between Customer Support and Revenue
The way you treat your customers has a direct link to your earnings. But why? You’re basically planting the seeds of loyalty. If your customers feel heard and valued, they will stay longer.
Also, with loyal customers comes a higher lifetime value. Since they are not one-off buyers, they boost the value of your business and keep bringing in a steady stream of revenue.
So, to compound the value of these transactions, you must repeatedly provide stellar customer support.
The Struggles of Wearing Multiple Hats
As a solopreneur, I’m a team of one.
Apart from designing and developing, I also had to work on marketing, managing finances, and tackling customer queries. It gets a tad overwhelming since I’m stretching myself so thin. Sometimes, I’ve even dropped the ball and had to act fast to ensure I don’t lose the customer.
While I could pick up “tips and tricks” for marketing and finances, customer support pushed me to my limits. I believe it’s mostly because, with other areas, I was working solo. But, with customer support, you must dive deep into the problems. In this stage, you need to ask yourself the right questions —
Was it a one-off issue?
Is there a larger underlying problem I need to tackle?
Have I satisfactorily addressed the customer’s concern?
What can I do to ensure a consistently superior experience?
Still, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything since it helped me grow faster and truly understand what my user expects from me.
The Old Ways: Why Live Chat Wasn’t Cutting It
Adding the Live Chat feature felt like the perfect ally for real-time customer support earlier. However, with time, I ran into a few problems with it. Out of those, these challenges were of the utmost significance-
Limited Engagement Depth
In 2022, while my users were doubling rapidly, the retention rates remained stagnant at roughly 41%.
Why weren’t more users sticking around? I pinned it down to the shallow interactions on Live Chat. While it provided super quick assistance, it lacked depth. Customers look for more substantial engagements and resolutions that go above the superficial.
The Chaos of Multitasking
Multitasking can be quite exhilarating. You’re managing multiple responsibilities like programming, game updates, server maintenance, live chat, and marketing. Sadly, it brings with it an unintended consequence: a spike in customer support-related errors. In my case, a significant 31%.
Tackling Live Chat optimally while managing other duties felt like juggling on a tightrope. I wasn’t always fully present, leading to less than satisfactory customer conversations.
Time-Suck and Burnout
Consider the hours dedicated to Live Chat support. Late nights and extensive screen time became the norm. Plus, wearing multiple hats meant I was bound to drop the ball at some point.
This led to fatigue that bordered on professional burnout. It not only affected my well-being but also had a ripple effect on other crucial aspects of my business, like bringing new games, user experience, decreased ROI and a decline in customer retention rates.
The Email Epiphany: A Strategic Pivot
One day, it hit me — email could be a better way to help our customers.
Efficiency and Depth
With email, I could be more thoughtful while helping customers.
Instead of a quick chat, I could take my time to really understand and fix underlying problems. Emails didn't rush me; they let me dig deep. Plus, it made my customers feel heard and happy. And because email is not like a live chat, I could think and craft better solutions.
Streamlining Support: The Organizational Perks of Email
But it wasn't just about my customers. Email made my work easier, too.
I could sort, tag, and schedule emails to stay organized. That meant I could deal with important stuff first. No more multitasking chaos. I had a system, and it worked.
I now use email to solve problems and help the customers better. And you know what? It works like a charm. The customers are happier, and they stick around longer.
And that’s why I call it the “Email epiphany.”
The Six-Month Experiment: A Review
Email support was a pivotal shift. Here’s what happened after 6 months of implementing it:
A Remarkable Spike in Customer Retention
The numbers don’t lie. Customer satisfaction rates took a huge leap — from 41% to a whopping 56% during these six months.
People were happier with the assistance, and that’s a big deal. But it’s not just about numbers; it’s about people’s voices. I got loads of messages from the users telling me how much they liked the change.
Sam, a long-time user, shared, “Ever since World of Card Games switched to email support, my issues are resolved so much faster. Plus, they actually read my concerns and gave detailed solutions. It feels personalized, making all the difference.”
While the initial focus was to increase the numbers, I became more focused on hearing my customers and letting them know I value their opinions. This approach started paying off big time.
The Revenue Revolution
My revenue saw an extraordinary shift of 23% in 2023 since my customers were now happy with the product and service.
With this newfound revenue, I decided not to slow down. Instead, I decided to reinvest it for further business growth. Here’s what I did:
Worked on enhancing my games
Improve customer support
Expand my reach via organic marketing
Upskill
Lessons Learned and Advice for Fellow Entrepreneurs
During this transformative stage for the business, I learned a few key lessons. Here they are:
Being customer-centric matters: Always prioritize your customer’s experience. Listen, adapt, and engage. They are the key to your success.
Efficiency is key: Streamline your processes. Efficiency not only saves time but also boosts customer satisfaction.
Embrace change: Don’t fear change; embrace it. Sometimes, the most unexpected shifts bring the best results.
Data is gold: Analyze data rigorously. It acts as your compass while navigating new territories.
Invest wisely: When revenue grows, reinvest thoughtfully. It is the basis for continuous growth.
In entrepreneurship, adaptability is the bottom line. So, to navigate the journey with finesse, you must be ready to adapt and pivot.
Conclusion
The switch to email support was nothing short of life-changing.
My customer retention rates rose from 41% to 56%, and revenue surged by 23% in 2023.
But it wasn’t just about the numbers. It was about the profound impact on the users. The real triumph was making them feel heard, valued, and satisfied.
It taught me that being customer-centric lays the foundation for success. As I move forward, I’ll embrace change, invest wisely, and uphold my commitment to delivering exceptional experiences.
Ultimately, it’s not just about revenue and retention; it’s about the community I’m trying to build and the exciting future.