Helping people use the product.
WHY IT AFFECTS REVENUE DIRECTLY
Support quality influences renewal, and renewal is the business.
WHAT TO PROVIDE
A clear route to ask Prompt acknowledgement Resolution, or honest status
WHAT RESPONSE TIME TO COMMIT TO
Whatever you can consistently achieve.
WHY
Missed commitments damage more than modest ones met.
WHAT TO TRACK
Time to first response Time to resolution Repeat contacts about the same issue What people contact about
WHY THAT LAST ONE MATTERS MOST
Support volume is a measure of product quality.
WHAT TO DO WITH IT
Fix the product, rather than answering faster.
WHAT SELF-SERVICE REQUIRES
Documentation written from actual questions Searchable, and current Linked from where the confusion occurs
WHAT IN-PRODUCT HELP PROVIDES
Answers at the moment of confusion, which is when they are wanted.
WHAT TO AUTOMATE CAUTIOUSLY
First-line responses.
WHY CAUTIOUSLY
A wrong automated answer costs more than a delayed human one.
WHAT FOUNDERS SHOULD DO EARLY
Answer support themselves.
WHY
It is the fastest route to understanding the product's real weaknesses.
WHAT TO ESCALATE
Anything indicating data loss, security, or billing error.
WHAT TO RECORD
Every issue, so patterns become visible.
