Support? You Are On Your Own.
You rarely reach out to support when things are going well. Sometimes it is in a moment of question, confusion, or sheer panic. In these moments, all previous effort put into an account by the company can be forgotten and hinge on how this one interaction goes. Yet, this is the moment many organizations neglect first. They won’t let a sale or collections issue go without attention and scrutiny, but the moment where value is realized or lost is often when customers are left in the cold.
Facebook is particularly egregious when it comes to this. Someone I know had their account hacked and stolen. Nearly 20 years of generating revenue for Facebook through high engagement and purchases from their ad partners, and who knows how much mining from images and checkins was now in the hands of some hacker. Reaching out to support, they were met with a help article with the steps to reset the password and turn on authentication. Except that before they could finalize, the hacker struck again. Verify your face for ID? Fine. Hacker bypassed it still. A few more help articles later, they found themselves in a process loop that couldn’t be closed. Live support? “We don’t offer that.” Open a case? “Those are merely a formality; we don’t do anything with those.” Legal action since their likeness is being stolen and used to scam others? “In your agreement, you said everything uploaded to the platform is the property of Facebook.” Outside forums full of posts recounting exactly the same experience confirm that Facebook does not have support, and they will never regain access again because the engineered solution to help without human intervention never actually worked. It hasn’t been updated in years.
I am sorry, but for one of the largest tech companies in the world to not have support for the users who are the product that holds so much data on you is more than annoying; it is dangerous. The people who use these platforms place a lot of trust in the company to at least protect them when criminal activity is directly impacting them. To leave them with only an outdated chatbot, hooked up to obsolete help articles that walk you through known, broken processes, is irresponsible and reiterates how you are not a person to anyone in the entire organization, and you are overtly not valued at all. If you don’t view others as people, you don’t waste time trying to improve their experience. One of many side effects of a platform is that the majority of its users are actually bots.
This is more than bad for Facebook users; it is bad for us all. Not just because most people have a Facebook account and are exposed to such negligence, but it sets a precedent that spreads through the tech world that this is an acceptable way to treat customers.
Somewhere along the way, companies, especially in software, decided that their products were so intuitive that anyone should be able to use them with little guidance. In that arrogant stance, it is baked in that there can’t possibly be an issue because they have the most technologically advanced Quality Assurance bot that catches 25 errors on all updates, and those are fixed before going out. Besides, they are the best at what they do, so they never make mistakes. The issue is immediately framed as a user error, and they are directed to the 10-page help article that outlines the proper process to complete the task. When people need support, telling them to “educate themselves” is not only condescending, but it lowers the impression that the product in question is a good fit.
Users are left in a place of doubt. They are left asking questions about themselves rather than the product. They start to wonder if they went through the steps correctly, if they missed something critical, or even if they are tech-savvy enough to make this system work for them. In the world of Errors and Omissions (E&O), the software company wins. They have shifted the alleged issue to the customer and removed the risk of being at fault. If enough people complain in a uniform way, the company may push a stealth fix or an update where they can pass that fix off as a feature improvement. As if fixing issues is something that adds value instead of standard practice.
This is where we are in Tech Customer Support. It is also where companies can stand out and differentiate themselves immediately in a meaningful way.
Why We Accept This
The problem I am describing is something everyone has dealt with. Hundreds of companies claim to have the technology-based fix. It is also so commonplace that any founder or business owner can implement this and save a few bucks when it comes to headcount. That is precisely the problem and the opportunity: How commonplace it is.
In my decade of working in software implementation and support, I have noticed something about User Interfaces (UI). I have watched them all converge into a unified definition of what is an “intuitive format.” That is to say that software becomes more intuitive through widespread adoption of standard functionality.
Think of the hamburger menu. We all know what those horizontal lines mean without description. We don’t need the words “Main Menu” to discern that function any longer. We know that if we click on that icon, it brings up a menu. Nothing really leads that icon to be intuitive aside from the fact that we have seen it in so many other places. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of these little things that exist on every website and in each software platform that help users navigate a site without guidance. Because of this adoption of features, most users can open most any modern software and click around, making good assumptions of how things are used.
Standard UI is one thing, but true functionality is completely different. However, the people who have lived and breathed the program through all phases of its creation forget this. They move through it quickly, they know how to troubleshoot, and in demos, all their prospective customers nod their heads and feign keeping up, because “it is that simple.” We associate speed with ease, lack of questions with understanding, and the ability to reproduce steps with aptitude. It looks and feels like it is going well, and asking basic questions feels like a weakness. No one wants to feel like they should understand something, and they don’t.
Software companies, many times through convenient ignorance, lean into this sentiment, unable to relate to customers without the in-depth product, technological, and industry knowledge that their products are built on. All their biased competitor reviews and super-user feedback sessions leave them with the impression that users simply understand the basics, when the fact is, they don’t.
Now, mix that with the widespread adoption of automated support and the explosion of robust help centers, created with significant AI assistance. Everyone expects some sort of help to be embedded in a platform. Traditionally, resources were built by a collaborative effort of product teams for reasoning and positioning, developers for technical insight, support teams for customer insight, and maybe even educators to ensure the content is received effectively. Creating these resources properly meant real time, effort, and expertise to ensure users of all levels could find answers and inspiration about the product within the product. Sounds expensive, doesn’t it? Well, so did all the disconnected executives.
AI has proven to be extremely effective in creating knowledge bases for software. Built on previous material, internal project info, customer notes, and even backend access, and the fact that AI can produce answers instantly in short or long-form text, it only makes sense to delegate this task. It saves significant human work-hours that could be repurposed or done away with. It can be set to automatically update so that an entire help center can be run by one or a few AI agents. With that reasoning, what executive could pass up the chance to choose AI over humans, even if the end product was 70% as effective? So they don’t, and customers can’t blame them, wishing they could do the same. Hell, some do, using their own agents to call the AI-created help centers to return customized answers. This sounds like an AI utopian use case delivered.
So many companies implement these practices, offload the headcount, and mark support resources off the to-do list. The more of these types of systems we as users encounter, the more we learn to use them, the more we trust them, and the more we accept them as the norm. If they don’t work, we simply move on, giving the excuse that it is AI-created and not helpful. No further thought given. Something I find consistently amazing is the number of times I hear that the available help resources are outdated, not useful, unused, or are just plain wrong, and it is talked about like the help resources are not a part of the overall software. Collectively, most have accepted that help resources are not a place to go to gain insight and information about how a system works.
So we accept it, not because it is good or it is the way things have to be, but because we are broadly accustomed to sub-par experiences that we do not feel like we can expect more. This same sentiment that we have broadly applied to help resources is now engulfing live support models. With each chatbot that doesn’t answer questions adequately or phone tree that leaves us screaming, “speak to a representative!”, we are slowly resetting our expectations of being helped. We expect poor, inadequate assistance on the surface, while the software continues to run in the back of our minds that we deserve better service.
The overwhelming prevalence creates a sense of hopelessness that leaves us no choice but to adapt to the state of the norm.
What Good Support Looks Like
We cannot ignore the vulnerability that comes with admitting that we don’t know something or when we need the help of others enough to ask. This is not a software problem, knowledge transfer, or user problem; it is a human problem. It is a human problem wrapped up in pride, anxiety, fear, and desperation. Asking for help, at the heart of it, is admitting that we do not possess the ability to do something alone.
When people break down and reach out for help, only to be met with condescension, blame, and self-help resources that were not assembled with knowledge and care, it triggers a significant amount of frustration and even low-level trauma. Think about the psychology of a child who cries out for help, and no one comes. They learn unhealthy types of resilience. They are more prone to lash out. They also develop strong attachments quickly to others who can give them the attention and help they need and want. Your customers are subject to this same psychology.
Good support knows this and acknowledges its role in this process. Teams may not say it explicitly, but they can recount relationships that were forged through helping customers navigate issues with attention, patience, and care. Most of all, good support wraps customers in the security blanket of truly helpful resources.
Here are just a few elements of good support:
Process Predictability
Does the customer know your support process? Sometimes training on this one item can be more impactful than actual product training. No one expects to fully grasp product usage right away. One thing is for sure, though: there will be questions.
When those come up, do they know how to get answers? Knowing how to self-serve as well as channels and SOPs to get more personized help reduces a lot of support anxiety out of the gate. If you have hours, reiterate them (Few people get mad that no one will help when the business is closed). If you lead with AI, but have human options, emphasize it. If your search bar in the help center is wonky, show them how it works.
Most importantly, be consistent with these processes. No surprises or failures in times of need.
Rapid Understanding
Whether it is an AI agent or a human, quickly getting to the question is key. There is nothing more frustrating to a customer in crisis than having to repeat the question or issue. Whether it is because the thing they need help with isn’t on the phone tree options list, blind transfers internally, or even language barriers, every time the customer repeats the issue, it grows in their mind along with frustration.
Being understood is not just the question, but a request for credentials. They want to know that the person they are asking for help is, in fact, more capable than they are. Support must instill confidence in language and aptitude. Don’t know what is going on, but you have a hunch based on your experience? Say that! The customer likely has no idea or experience. At least you can show that you have a place to start when it comes to resolution.
Responsiveness
Customers want to see progress as fast as possible when it comes to their issues. They want to watch someone working on it, even if it means standing over someone. If it was important enough to reach out about, it is important enough to them to see immediate attention. In these cases, being told that something is being worked on or there is a delay is never the issue. They understand work takes time to fix things, but they are listening closely for a timeline. If you give a timeline, don’t go over it without giving them an update well in advance. Calling to say there is no news beats them finding out the hard way. At least then they know someone is looking out for them.
Human Acknowledgement
Most do not put enough stock in the fact that humans want and need to be seen and heard, especially in times of need, stress, or confusion. What builds a memorable support experience and real business relationships is not simply solving a problem, but how you make people feel while you are working together. The sound of a smile through a phone call, a genuine acknowledgement of frustration, or a celebration of wins not tied directly to a business transaction. People will pay for this kind of partnership. It is critical to remember that businesses aren’t loyal to businesses; people are loyal to other people. Times of need are when loyalty is forged.
The Money Left On The Table
I remain astonished by how many organizations I come into contact with that will brag about their sales numbers, but never mention their churn rate, either out of shame or the fact that they really don’t know it. I met with one CEO whom I was able to ask, “Would you rather have $100 for a year, or $70 a year for 3 years?” That plain and simple. They quickly responded, “I would be stoked to get $100 for a year.”
There is nothing wrong with their answer, but it does tell you where priorities are, and to me, it signals that they are operating on the type of data they have: current sales numbers and expenses, most likely. Sometimes that is where priorities lie, but that also signals the real timeline of that company. No investments, no thought of the future, just a job, checking account, and bills to pay.
The cold truth is that companies work way less on sales when they retain the majority of customers. Not only are most new sales adding to the bottom line, but at some point, retention is a sales tool. Not through customer testimonials or case studies, but word of mouth, or better, unstated proof of value. When customers succeed, people search for what they do and which tools they use. Your entire organization, not just your product, should be one of those tools helping them succeed. That doesn’t happen through a base understanding of a generic piece of software. That happens when a partnership blooms and there is a clear understanding of needs and full offerings.
I have been on both sides of the sales contract, myself. I have seen promises made and kept, informed decisions and blind gambles, and a decent amount of reproducible successes and failures. A sure way to fail early is to give a customer a tool and not make sure they know how to use it. When a salesperson says, “The product will do ABC,” but fails to mention that you must do XYZ. This is when good support is crucial. Someone must step in to listen to how the customer feels deceived and reinforce the integrity of not only the sales team, but also the product.
This is when your value could be double or nothing. Humans partnering to solve problems creates camaraderie. It gives you invaluable insight into that customer’s business to better tailor your positioning. Most of all, it gives you the first story of when you came through for them, being a partner they can’t do without.
These partners, maybe just the people and not businesses, develop a sense of loyalty. They will share secrets and insight not normally discussed with more transactional partners. Not only does this partnership strengthen your renewal case, but it can also give you early warning signs of issues, a fleeting courtesy for those responsible for renewals. Moreover, these partners are the best to offer real feedback. Once they have successfully overcome a hurdle and come out better, they feel a sense of belonging that allows them to be candid with feedback. The kind of customer who will give you a 7 out of 10 on a survey, but paragraphs of usable feedback to improve and call your team out by name.
Sure, it could be as simple as renewals reducing the stress of a CRO in growing overall revenue, but supporting customers well reinforces the value of your product to everyone who touches it. For me, it separates the products just out for the money from the ones that actually want to do impactful things. I say constantly, your investment in customer relations shows if you really value them. Not investing in good service or gatekeeping it enforces the transactional nature of your business, and transactional partners are quickly undercut by newer or cheaper competitors.
Path To Better
Can AI tools create great resources and even a positive customer experience? Absolutely! They can’t do it alone, though. The days of generic products with poor service are numbered. As new technology continues to get better at creating (or recreating) software, what will set organizations apart are the human touches.
Whether that is humans guiding and vetting the resources to be more useful, or when someone yells, “speak to a representative,” they are quickly connected to someone who is knowledgeable and helpful, the humans will be what makes the future of solutions. We have to demand and reward it, though.
If you want tools that are better supported, be willing to pay for that and factor the support piece in whenever you are considering moving to a cheaper option. If you are looking to offer service worth selling, view it as an investment, not a cost. Great support is a feature of your product and a PR function all its own. That means investing in teams that are staffed, trained, and appreciated so they can transfer positive energy straight to your customers in an infectious manner. We cannot afford to become complacent by expecting poor service or contributing to it. The costs are too great when the payoffs could be much greater.
If you are considering the first or next steps in enhancing your Customer Experience, we would love to be a part of that conversation. Reach out to us today to schedule an introductory call.
https://retrospectiveforward.co/contact/
Joshua Phillips
Fractional Customer Experience Lead For Hire
Retrospectiveforward.co