Hey guys, I wanted to reach out to the community and see how you guys look at phone support vs. no phone support on site. We’ve always just handled customer service via email/social media since we started, but year after year we’re getting more requests around phone support. Our client base is a bit older so it makes sense, but I’m hesitant to offer phone support due to bandwidth. I don’t think our existing CS rep has the capacity to handle more than what she’s doing right now. Anybody have any thoughts on this or any suggestions on how to handle phone without destroying our cs reps already stretched bandwith?
Topic summary
Whether to add phone support amid rising customer requests and limited staffing capacity. Current service channels are email and social; an older customer base is driving demand for phone support, but the team’s single CS (customer service) rep is at capacity.
- Pro-phone perspective: Phone support is highly valuable for businesses selling custom goods. Calls differ from email/social and require strong soft skills and problem-solving to deliver better CX (customer experience) and encourage repeat business.
- Staffing implications: Expect to add dedicated personnel; handling calls is a distinct workflow and skill set.
- Outsourcing option: A cited example uses an external provider (TalentPop.co) to manage all support, including phone, with two call-focused reps functioning like sales representatives.
- Potential upside: Live calls create opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
Outcome: No decision reached. Next steps suggested include assessing staffing needs, training for phone-specific skills, or partnering with a specialized support service. Discussion remains open.
Phone support is huge for us as we sell custom goods, but can be hard to get off the ground. What I find is that you really need to bring on some extra hands to take on the task. Handling calls in comparison to just email and social media can really be a whole different ball game and requires a different skill set. On point soft skills and great problem solving skills to provide the CX with an overall experience that makes them want to come back. We have TalentPop.cohandle all of our customer support including our phone calls, and they do such a good job. The 2 reps that handle calls are pretty much sales reps for our team. Also, opportunity for up-selling and cross-selling with the right skills on the call 