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November 19, 2024
Salesforce

Improving customer support with proper Salesforce setup: our insights and strategies based on a real-life project

Do you use Salesforce but struggle to improve customer support? Check out our real-life insights on optimizing Salesforce setup and discover our strategies.
customer support

Customer support is one of those things that’s invisible when it works well and painfully obvious when it doesn’t. If you’ve ever tried to get help only to be put on hold, bounced between departments, or given vague responses, you know exactly how frustrating poor support can be. This frustration isn’t just bad for customers—it’s a huge risk to your reputation and profits. In fact, studies show that poorly designed customer experiences cost companies an incredible $4.7 trillion annually in lost revenue.

At Noltic, we saw how a smartly configured Salesforce setup could make a difference when we teamed up with eManualOnline, an e-commerce company offering downloadable repair manuals for various vehicles. They came to us with a familiar challenge: improving support response times, making processes more efficient, and ultimately giving their customers a better experience.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your support or just curious about what a customized Salesforce setup can do, we’re here to share our experience with you.

How we cut our client’s support team response time by 50%

eManualOnline, a digital retailer with over 2.5 million repair manuals across categories from cars to watches, had been in business for 13 years when they came to us for help with their Salesforce setup. While they already had Salesforce Experience Cloud, Sales Cloud, and Service Cloud in place, they needed a reliable partner to refine their system, add new features, and reduce operational costs without sacrificing quality.

The challenge

eManualOnline’s support operations were weighed down by slow response times and redundant inquiries. Most customer interactions came through email and contact forms, making it hard for agents to address issues quickly. They wanted faster service, optimized workflows, and a more affordable way to maintain high-quality support.

After reviewing several vendors, eManualOnline selected us based on our expertise, efficient project timelines, and cost-effectiveness. Our shared Ukrainian roots and familiarity with their project tools made communication easy and smooth from the start.

Our solution: making support fast and easy

When we took on this project, we focused on three main goals: streamline response channels, reduce response times, and make life easier for support agents. Here’s how we tackled each part of the challenge:

Shifting inquiries to live chat

We noticed that emails and contact forms were slowing down responses. So, we worked with eManualOnline to steer more customers toward the live chat. By the end of our project, live chat was handling more inquiries, and email and contact form inquiries dropped by 38%. These improvements made it much easier for agents to respond faster, with fewer delays and less back-and-forth.

Revising workflows

We dove into Salesforce and optimized eManualOnline’s support workflows, ensuring agents had the right information at the right time. By cutting down extra steps and connecting systems more effectively, we brought average response times down to 6 hours—a 50% improvement.

Integrating Magento

Since eManualOnline also relied on Magento, we made sure Salesforce and Magento could exchange data seamlessly. Hence, when customers reached out, agents had full order details in Salesforce without having to dig around or toggle between platforms. It saved everyone time and sped up resolutions.

Prioritizing quick responses to unhappy customers

We also helped eManualOnline set up a system to immediately catch and respond to negative reviews. If a customer left a 1-3 star review, a support agent could reach out within an hour, giving them a chance to resolve the issue on the spot. This simple step turned potential complaints into chances to improve and rebuild customer trust.

Results that made a difference

By the end, eManualOnline saw real results from our changes:

  • 38% drop in email and form inquiries with integrating the live chat;
  • 50% faster response times with optimized workflows;
  • Happier agents — happier customers.

For us, this project was about more than customer service optimization; it was about building a support setup that actually worked for eManualOnline’s team and their customers. In our experience, customer support is only as good as the tools and systems behind it, and we’re proud to have given eManualOnline the setup they needed to keep customers happy and engaged.

Get Salesforce solutions that can help you cut response times and boost satisfaction.

As you can see from eManualOnline’s case, using Salesforce as-is often isn’t enough, especially as your customer base grows and needs change. To get the best results, you need a partner who not only knows Salesforce but understands how to shape it for your unique challenges and goals.

Choosing a Salesforce partner isn’t just about finding someone who “gets” the platform. You need someone to shape it to fit your unique needs so you’re not stuck with a one-size-fits-all solution.” — says our CEO Igor Petrovych.

Here are a few things to look for:

  • Relevant expertise

Does your partner have experience in your industry? Understanding the challenges specific to your sector—whether it’s retail, healthcare, or something else—makes all the difference.

  • Custom solutions

Salesforce is a powerful tool, but you need more than the basics to stand out. A good partner will tailor Salesforce to handle your specific processes and customer needs.

  • Solid integration skills

Your partner should be comfortable integrating Salesforce with other platforms, whether that’s your e-commerce system, like Magento, or a chatbot. Integration ensures seamless data flow, which is essential for efficient support.

  • Responsive and adaptable support

Your needs will evolve, and you want a partner who can adjust as you go. Look for a team who’s there to support you long-term, not just at launch.

Customer support insights that can be learned from this project

For eManualOnline, our goal was to transform Salesforce into a system that not only helped them respond faster but also loosened the workload of their support agents. Here’s what we learned from working with them:

Optimize Salesforce configuration

When we first looked at eManualOnline’s Salesforce setup, it was clear we needed to dig deeper than surface-level fixes. Their support team was dealing with high inquiry volumes, and we needed to tailor Salesforce to handle everything from simple FAQs to complex order issues. We customized objects to organize and categorize product information so agents could find details quickly.

A critical part was field mapping between Salesforce and Magento, which kept data flowing smoothly between systems so agents could get complete customer information without entering it manually, saving them time and reducing errors.

Implement automation and workflows

For support teams, every second saved counts. Automation played a major role in cutting response times at eManualOnline. We set up automated workflows that allowed agents to focus on customer interactions instead of repetitive tasks. For example, our automation prioritized and routed cases based on urgency, ensuring that high-priority issues didn’t get lost in the queue.

Additionally, you can use Salesforce’s Email-to-Case feature in Salesforce Service Cloud to automatically convert every customer email into a case. Hence, agents no longer have to create cases manually or worry about missed inquiries.

Integrate third-party applications

With eManualOnline’s extensive catalog and wide range of products, it was essential for support agents to have access to all customer data in one place. We integrated Salesforce with Magento and a chatbot, giving agents a complete view of each customer’s order and interaction history.

This integration made support faster and more efficient. Instead of jumping between different platforms to find information, agents could address real-time issues with all the details in one spot. While the chatbot handled simpler, frequently asked questions, agents could focus on more complex customer needs. It even collected basic customer information before transferring inquiries to an agent, speeding up the initial support stages.

Manage your data and analyze performance

Data quality was a critical component in making support efficient for eManualOnline. We implemented regular data reviews and updates, ensuring that customer records were accurate and up-to-date. Thus, agents got the confidence to respond quickly, knowing they had the latest information on each customer.

To monitor performance, we used Salesforce’s reporting tools to track metrics like case resolution times and customer satisfaction scores. With all essential KPIs reached, eManualOnline can make data-driven decisions and keep improving their support process.

Having troubles with Salesforce? We know the solution

When Salesforce isn’t configured just right, your team and customers feel it. Slow response times, hard-to-find information, and disconnected systems can make everyday tasks a struggle. At Noltic, we’ve seen these issues firsthand and made it our mission to turn Salesforce into a tool that truly works for you, no matter your industry or unique needs.

Our team has deep experience solving Salesforce challenges. With over 110 successful projects, a 4.9-star rating on AppExchange, and 300+ Salesforce certifications across our team, we’re equipped to handle complex Salesforce issues from setup to optimization. We’re especially proud of our 10 Salesforce Certified Architects, who bring top-level expertise to every project and ensure a solid, scalable setup for our clients.

Let’s talk about how we can simplify and optimize your system so you’re set up for success.

FAQs

How can I set up a case management system in Salesforce?

To set up a case management system, start by defining case record types for different types of support inquiries. Use Queues to assign cases to specific agents or teams and set up Email-to-Case or Web-to-Case features to create cases from customer emails or web submissions automatically. Customizing case layouts with fields like Priority, Status, and Case Owner helps agents respond more efficiently. Salesforce’s Service Cloud also offers advanced case management tools, including automation and AI-driven recommendations.

How can I automate tasks in Salesforce to improve customer support efficiency?

Salesforce offers several automation tools to facilitate support. Use Flow Builder to create rules that automate case assignments, notifications, and status updates. Salesforce Flow provides more complex automation, such as routing cases based on specific criteria or triggering follow-ups after a certain period. Automation reduces repetitive tasks, allowing agents to focus on resolving customer issues quickly and effectively.

How can I use Salesforce reporting and analytics to measure customer support performance?

Salesforce’s reporting and analytics tools let you track KPIs like response time, case resolution time, and customer satisfaction. Use dashboards to visualize trends and identify areas for improvement. Service Cloud’s Einstein Analytics provides AI-driven insights, predicting case trends and customer sentiment. These reports give you a clear view of your support efficiency and help you make data-backed decisions to improve service quality.

How can I continuously monitor and improve my Salesforce setup for customer support?

Review your setup regularly by analyzing reports in Salesforce Experience Cloud, gathering agent feedback, and checking data accuracy. Salesforce’s Health Check tool helps you ensure data security and compliance. Periodic audits can uncover areas for improvement, like automating new processes or enhancing workflows. Staying up-to-date with Salesforce updates and adopting relevant new features also keeps your support system running efficiently and aligns it with customer needs.

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Igor Petrovych
CEO/Co-founder
Noltic's manager of managers, 12x Salesforce certified architect
Oleksandra Petrenko
Content writer
Engaging and data-driven content creator focused on Salesforce solutions.
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moc.citlon@tcatnoc
Igor Petrovych
CEO/Co-founder
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ipetrovych
Igor Petrovych is Noltic's manager of managers, a 12x Salesforce certified architect. He has extensive experience in project management and driving IT business growth strategies.
Oleksandra Petrenko
Content writer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-petrenko23/
Oleksandra Petrenko is engaging and data-driven content creator focused on Salesforce solutions.