Helpware

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vendor manager at Samsara, an IoT company focused on helping companies become safer and more efficient through AI and data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Helpware?

We needed video labeling support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Helpware handles our video labeling efforts for us.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around 60 people from Helpware, including a client services manager, an operations manager, and their VP of development.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $2,000,000–$3,000,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Helpware has a 98% accuracy rate on video review, and their agents are able to process over 350 video events per hour.

How did Helpware perform from a project management standpoint?

Helpware excels at project management. We use Lucid for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We are a technology company, and our software and products are constantly changing and evolving. Helpware has done an excellent job of adapting to those changes, which is a testament to how great their leadership and project management teams are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They've been great partners, so I don't have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to build a strong relationship with their leaders and their CSMs. It would be a great idea to have open and consistent communication with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a project manager and provide government support for local and state government programs, but had to deliver exceptional results for our partners during the COVID Pandemic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware, and what were your goals??

Our team built the front and back end but needed scalable resources to assist the public on phones, e-mail, and via our administrative application. We needed to scale quickly and maintain 500 agents per day and adapt with specialty support for our client.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had worked with call centers before and Helpware came with high recommendations. Our direct and indirect research reinforced the decision to partner with Helpware.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package, including any calling tools used.

The Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) was created to provide temporary emergency rental assistance to ensure stable housing during the COVID-19 pandemic and was primarily funded by federal stimulus grants through the U.S. Department of Treasury. Our team built the front and back end but needed scalable resources to assist the public on phones, e-mail, and via our administrative application. Helpware provided skill and experience to scale support with results that exceeded objectives. Agents answered inbound phone calls, responded to inbound e-mails, and reviewed applications using our administrative system. We used Helpware's IVR, quality systems, language line, and outbound calls in some of the specialty support roles.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with Directors, Managers, line management, technical resources, and the quality team. Meetings were twice each week with clear communication and transparency to deliver the fastest results possible.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the service?

Helpware provided great talent for our project with consistent performance for the main channels of support, and was incredibly adaptable when we needed specialty support. Helpware delivered 500 agents per day and other targets to catalyze success. Their ability to scale support in a short period of time was remarkable.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The size and scope of our project was supported with overlapping management resources to make sure we had top minds available at all times. Standing meetings were scheduled for twice each weeks, but direct calls occurred at all times of the day when high priority communication was essential. I would describe communication as direct and continuous and a key to the success on this program.

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

Ramp up of resources was impressive and exceeded expectations. Helpware needed to deliver 500 agents, so their goal was to always have more than 500 agents trained and available to always meet the goal.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Helpware has consistently exceeded expectations even when we have special support needs. If improvement was possible, Helpware delivered it up front.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Chowbotics by DoorDash operates food dispensing robots. I am the Customer Experience Manager here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware?

Our Customer Support Team needed Helpware's assistance with providing customer support to our geographically diverse customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We wanted a team that was agile, responsive and that could cover a lot of geographical territory.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Helpware was onboarded and the first agent we brought onto the project eventually was able to answer calls and from there on we increased the number of agents to allow for increased coverage of time zones.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with the account manager, and with several team leads. I always feel highly supported by the team leads and I really appreciate their attentiveness.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The first agent hired with our account was able to answer and respond to a high volume of calls every week. He came into his own as an agent and was able to take ownership of every call and every case he encountered. His knowledge of our product and his interpersonal skills have made him a huge asset to our team as we can trust him with responding to our customers while we focus on equally high priority tasks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It felt like there was very little divide between our teams. There was limited to zero bureaucracy when it came to implementing changes, which was extremely beneficial to us because we as a team need to move fast and having a simple but effective work flow made all the difference.

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

Their friendless and composure regardless of what situation we were dealing with was always very welcome. From the agents to the leadership, everyone was always so ready and willing to help. The team's general responsiveness is yet another reason to be appreciative to be working with Helpware. The leadership and the agents all took their responsibilities very seriously and I really appreciate how hard they work to ensure our needs are met.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

It might have been useful to have the team leads more involved in onboarding and trainnig.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of a pain treatment center.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Helpware?

A lot of our new patients were coming in through different offices. In total, we had five clinics and three surgery centers, so we got referrals every day from doctors that come in through different channels. After that, those referrals went to individual offices, and they had different processes in handling them. As a result, we hired Helpware to centralize our processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Helpware started by helping us put together a workflow that identified the internal team’s training needs and KPIs that would be used to measure their performance. The team continues to provide outsourcing services to us.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with three people in the management and performance improvement team. They also have one trainer and other members.

How did you come to work with Helpware?

We interviewed several companies who could help us, and Helpware turned out to be the best choice.

How much have you invested with them?

Weve spent $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we started centralizing our process, we’ve been able to increase our efficiency and performance. Helpware’s quality of work is phenomenal, and they ensure that they present regular reports. Overall, we have a close-knit integration with them.

How did Helpware perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication skills are outstanding, and their project management process is good. Above all, they meet their deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their transparent and proactive approach has been impressive. On top of that, they’re great to talk with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they have no areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Helpware. To get the most out of the partnership, have an idea of the end result you want. Start with the end in mind and work your way to the project’s phases.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Operations for VaccinateCA / Vaccinate The States. We gather the latest information about which locations are offering the COVID-19 Vaccine, who is eligible, and how to get an appointment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware, and what were your goals??

In March, we needed to quickly scale up our calling operation, from several hundred calls per day to several thousand calls per day. We were expanding our footprint from California to the entire United States, as well as responding to frequent updates to which groups of individuals were eligible to be vaccinated (which meant frequent updates were needed to our site statuses.) We hired Helpware to be able to quickly hire and manage the additional callers necessary.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We completed interviews and trial periods with 2 vendors. We selected Helpware because of their quality scores, their team lead's responsiveness to feedback, and their proactive customer account management.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package, including any calling tools used.

Helpware's agents work 5 days per week, making outbound calls to pharmacies, clinics, and other locations that are prioritized in our calling app. They use their own lightweight dialer that they were able to configure to dial out based on our app's call link. We provided a script, training, and QA rubric/guidance. Given that we had already done this with internal volunteers and paid agents, we were able to re-use processes and training, and ramp Helpware's agents up quickly. Our script covers whether a given location is vaccinating, which groups are eligible, and the process for scheduling appointments. There's also a process to submit data corrections. Throughout the day, Helpware's managers/QA continually review their agents work and coach them to achieve truly impressive QA metrics as well as efficiency.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We have a manager who directly oversees around 25 agents. As we grew the project, one agent was promoted to also work on QA with the manager. This prior experience as an agent makes them very valuable on QA! We have a shared Slack channel that we talk on regularly, as we see any QA issues or they have any questions. We also have a regularly weekly sync as our main touchpoint.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the service?

Their latest calls per hour was 15.3, compared with our target range of 10-15 calls per hour. Their QA accuracy is currently around 99%. In general, we've found them to be motivated, professional, and responsive to feedback.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

In the beginning, our team was an implementation manager, team lead, operations lead, and technical lead. This was a good balance of expertise and keeping the team small enough to move quickly. At this point, we have weekly check-ins with the customer success lead, team lead, and QA, as well as a monthly QA trends meeting.

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

I've been most impressed by their enthusiastic and proactive approach to calling out things going well, things going poorly, and risks. The communication has helped us move quickly and prevent issues before they happen.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We had noticed a few issues with agents' grammar in some of our public-facing notes, which we want to ensure make a good impression on our site. But, this was also addressed very well through coaching and creating guides with standard phrasing for the agents.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Rocket-Resume.com provides workers with software to easily create robust and attractive resumes. Our passion is helping people best represent their experience and skills so to help them get hired. I manage the Customer Service and Operations functions for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware?

Our customer growth necessitated hiring a partner to handle the growing number of customer inquiries. We hired Helpware to provide English language support via email and phone channels.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to ensure a positive and smooth customer experience, reflected in an improved Customer Satisfaction score.

SOLUTION

How did you select Helpware?

We started with an Internet search, identified several potential providers, set up conversations with each, and then asked for bids from those that aligned best with our project. We wanted a partner who could be nimble, would be willing to start with a smaller project and then grow with it, and one who had a proven track record of success working with companies like ours.

Describe the project in detail.

We have phone and email English language support, 8am-5pm CST. Customer support consisted of transactional questions related to customers' accounts, but also product support and technical troubleshooting. Helpware onboarded easily as, after we ran them through the product, and most common customer questions, Helpware had a team of outstanding personnel who ensured quality standards were met, all documentation was maintained, etc. We were charged monthly a single amount that covered our agents, as well as those supporting the overall project.

What was the team composition?

We started with a single agent at the start, which is not a typical team size that most outsourcing partners will accept. Team minimums of 3-5 are more common. To support our single agent, there was an additional team of 4 who managed our agent as well as agents on other projects, a project leader, an account manager, and a quality and training specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The team answered 100% of tickets beginning day 1. This was hugely impactful because it freed other employees up to focus on growth and product development. Over the duration of the partnership, our principal metric for measuring customer satisfaction (CSat) improved by 30 points and that had tangible impact on the growth of our business as well. They really exceeded our expectations in that regard. I can't say enough good things about Jonathan, Areli, Marcela, Sergio, and Oliver.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We connected virtually both via a shared Slack channel, and met bi-weekly to review key performance metrics on a shared Google Slides deck. This regular, ongoing contact ensured we were always aware of what was happening with our customers.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Helpware was critical to our business growth. They were very quick to onboard and ramp up, which allowed others to focus on other business matters. They were extremely proactive in surfacing opportunities for improvements either in our product or our business practices. We appreciate most just how flexible they were in working with a smaller, but rapidly growing, business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Like working with any team based in another country, there is an opportunity to improve customer communications when conducting it not in one's native language. Word choice/vocabulary/accent work, all help with the customer experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner and creative director of a graphic design firm and online shop for our stationery products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware?

I needed design and production assistance for my design firm projects as well as a strong social media plan for my online shop.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to create a social media strategy to increase awareness and engagement, growing followers in the near term.

SOLUTION

How did you select Helpware?

After downsizing our staff due to COVID, I looked to Helpware as a support to take on overflow client work, such as design production tasks. I had learned of Helpware through a client that raved about their digital offerings. After working with them for a short time, I soon widened my use of their expertise to social media and then shifted their focus to supporting my online shop.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Helpware team researched the best hashtags and content practices for our company posts, assisting with daily posting and creating visual assets, like product mock ups and icons that fit within my brand guidelines. They also have advised me on improving my shop website to optimize it for attracting more sales and adding a blog.

What was the team composition?

I have a team leader whom I meet with weekly and she pulls in her team members who have expertise in specific tasks, such as website optimization and development, graphic design, illustration, and video creation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

My social media presence has increased significantly, adding followers and interactions with them. The overall look of the Instagram feed is strategic and attractive now. They also added a Pinterest presence.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We work on Slack and through Zoom to communicate. It's easy and effective. They listen to my ideas and research ways to address them. The regularity of our communication motivates me to provide them with tasks and feedback to keep internal projects moving.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They seem to have a resource for any skill I need.

Are there any areas for improvement?

At times there's a misunderstanding of my task request. I have to explain more completely using visuals in the Slack channel to get the project done. However, that's the nature of online interactions and would be an issue with any team during these times of working from home. They are always open to my feedback and quick to respond.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Customer Success Representative and I work for SquadLocker, INC. SL is an online store platform for folks to create stores and sell sports apparel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware?

We hired Helpware to outsource employees for our Customer Service Teams (Customer Experience and Customer Onboarding)

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to free up our in-house staff from online queues (chats, emails, and phone calls) And have Hellpware folks take over.

SOLUTION

How did you select Helpware?

We were using Helpware by the time I came on.

Describe the project in detail.

We have coverage 7 days a week (Mon-Sun 11am-8pm ). We have reps taking calls 10am-4pm). We have chats open 8:30am-8pm) and Helpware assists us on those channels 11am -8pm

What was the team composition?

We have rotating staff 7 days a week. Helpware enables us to have chat hours as late as 8pm to accommodate west coast users. Being able to provide 24/7 service through our chat channel (most popular and used) has made a huge inpact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Having Helpware saves us a lot of time. We do not have to use internal resources to train new HW representatives as HW does that part on their end. That is a huge time saver. They have also been very accomodating to feedback to improve communication across all teams.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We connect with Helpware leaders by weekly. However, we communicate with Mexico and Kiev teams daily.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The turnaround time to make changes. When we needed a schedule adjusted, they are very quick to make the change in a way that benefits everyone and causes no disruptions

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, I feel like working with Yehor and Sergio has been a breeze. We tried out Helpware's resources out of Mexico and have learned so much.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior manager of partner success at Headspace Inc, but I’m leaving the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Helpware?

We hired them to support our small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). We’re trying to automate, so we brought on Helpware to support those organizations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Helpware has reps that support our SMBs, and they're fully embedded in our organization as far as technology. They automated and documented our onboarding. Helpware also works with our CX support team, so they brought forward some ideas to me that had worked on that other team.

What is the team composition?

We work with five reps, and we also have a manager who oversees everything.

How did you come to work with Helpware?

They started working with our CX team. Additionally, one of our senior directors had previously worked with Helpware at his previous company. I wasn’t part of the initial conversations.

How much have you invested with them?

For the year, we would’ve spent between $90,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Initial implementation began in March 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re an awesome organization to partner with. We had clear expectations in terms of revenue targets and they exceeded them. In their first quarter, they were right on-par with if not performing better than our previous rep.

When we first engaged them, we were expecting them to at least perform at 55% net retention, and they’ve exceeded that for two quarters going into their third in the 70% range. Helpware has performed well.

How did Helpware perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is excellent. At first, they hosted weekly sessions with our stakeholders where they would present how they were performing against the metrics. We did that for about six months, and they now present a biweekly review. 

They present on how they’re performing on their retention, how the sales reps are doing, and how many outreaches they’ve done. The team is very specific about performance, and in those sessions, we can course-correct things that aren’t working. There’s been some turnover on their team, but the manager was there to cover for the reps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is impressive. The team has been excellent. Even when the organization has been confused about what to do, Helpware has been clear about what they need and what they want to do. 

They document everything and send follow-up emails after every single one of our calls. It’s been great working with them, and they’ve accelerated some of our slow decisions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go in with some clear expectations on how you need them to perform. For example, we had 12 months’ data on how we needed them to perform. We knew our KPIs, so it was easy for us to communicate on performance. Because we had that bar set, it was just a matter of Helpware reaching and exceeding it, which they were able to do. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our team is on a mission to help communities reopen responsibly during the COVID-19 pandemic without compromising privacy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Helpware?

Primary Customer Support Services.

What were your goals for this project?

Establish a Tier 1-3 Customer Support Program that supports users and provides quick feedback to our company.

SOLUTION

How did you select Helpware?

We reviewed several 3rd Party BPO options using an RFP format. Helpware was 1 of 2 of the finalists before we selected Helpware as the partner of choice.

Describe the project in detail.

With our app, anonymously check symptoms and receive clear guidance for you. Feel confident that the places you need to go are accessible to you and follow public health guidelines. Generate a pass to get in quickly without sharing personal health data. The app is designed to help communities reopen responsibly.

What was the team composition?

Our company is a volunteer Non-Profit Startup with about 20 Full Time Volunteers and a large handful of part time volunteers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

With Helpware's support we've established live Tier 1 Customer Support across email and chat channels. We've been constantly improving the Support Model since the project inception.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

At the beginning the clarity of roles and communication was low but overtime we found a good working model with the Helpware Team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Helpware has a great track record of working with startups and they were willing to take a risk on a small Non-Profit startup.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Helpware bills for the following months estimated charges to improve its cash position. For small startups that are cash reliant this can be a challenge.