Horatio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a junior product manager at a lifestyle media company. We focus on making females millennials' lives easier by living smarter.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Horatio?

We were having a holiday pop-up shop. This was an in-store experience and an e-commerce experience. For this latter part, we wanted an outsourced team to handle any extra customer service support we needed, outside of our normal support agency.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They acted as our customer service team. During the pop-up shop, which lasted a few months, there team was able to handle all inbound support inquiries about order sizes. They also provided weekly reporting on volume and any issues they were seeing. Escalating tickets to us was also part of their work.

After the pop-up shop ended, we kept them on to provide general support. They contribute to our support inquiries, escalating only select issues.

What is the team composition?

There were two team leads and five agents.

How did you come to work with Horatio?

We researched possibilities and interviewed different outsourcing companies. Someone on our team had personal experience working with Horatio as a company, so we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They set up reporting on Zendesk that we didn’t have previously through Gmail. This helps us see what our volume is like and how quickly we respond to users. Additionally, we’ve improved how we address issues with our team thanks to the additional data insights. They’ve standardized and institutionalized the types of metrics we track.

How did Horatio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re able to work on Slack, which is also where we have a lot of our conversations. They escalate issues quickly, too. We provide them with company updates and check-in on their capacity during weekly meetings. This is also an opportunity for us to ask questions about the weekly reports they provide. Their communication is great across the board.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their willingness and ability to adapt, especially in light of our company changes recently. They create documentation, onboard their team members, and retrain them as needed. The last part is key because sometimes it’s necessary to work as efficiently as possible. They identify those issues within their own team quickly so it doesn’t affect our customers’ experience long-term. It’s definitely their adaptability that makes them stand out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they were able to staff domestic teams, rather than only having resources in the Dominican Republic, that would improve their communication.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have your documentation in place describing how you currently support issues, what your voice is like in emails, and what things are unique to your company. They’re capable of learning without documentation but it’s easier if they don’t have to create it themselves.

BACKGROUND

Briefly describe what your company does and your role there. 

I work freelance for multiple companies. My main role is project management

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What were your company's goals when you started looking for a partner?

find a reliable partner to make customer service easier and free up time for other employees

SOLUTION

Describe the scope of your partner's work with your company. Please include a summary of any key tasks or deliverables.

handle customer support, calling, help tickets etc.

How many people does your company work with?

21–50

How did you find this provider?

Online organic search

Why did you choose to work with them?

• High ratings or positive reviews
• Pricing fits our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me by a trusted source

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What are the results or deliverables of this partnership that demonstrate progress or success?

increased customer satisfaction and higher retention rates

How does your team communicate with this service provider?

• Virtual Meetings
• Phone calls
• Email or Messaging App
• Project Management platform

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The ease of integration and modern structure of the company makes working with them extremely easy.