How to Reduce Churn & Boost Growth with Fast, Empathetic Customer Support — Eli Winderbaum, Captions

On the podcast: effectively scaling support for an app, why the time to first response is so important, and why you should treat support more like a concierge experience.Key Takeaways:💡 Personalized customer support is a competitive advantage - Eli emphasizes that providing fast, personal responses to customers sets brands apart from competitors. Even in a world of increasing automation, building a concierge-like experience can boost customer loyalty.🤖 AI and human support can work in harmony - Eli explains how Captions blends AI-driven automation with human agents, allowing the support team to focus on more complex customer needs while AI handles repetitive tasks, creating a seamless experience.⏳ Speed matters: Time to first response is key - Captions prides itself on a 58-second average response time, which Eli believes is critical to keeping customers satisfied and preventing churn. Quick responses signal that the company is engaged and ready to help.📊 Building customers for life through proactive support - Eli shares Captions’ philosophy of nurturing “customers for life” by going beyond just resolving issues. Sharing customer success stories with the team helps build a culture focused on long-term user satisfaction.🌐 Scaling with localization and 24/7 support - Captions serves users globally by providing 24/7 support and localized services, ensuring that customers in every market receive timely, effective assistance regardless of their language or region.About Guest:👨‍💻 Head of Customer Experience at Captions, an AI-powered video creation and editing app designed to help users tell better stories through seamless video content.👥 Eli is passionate about scaling customer support with a focus on personal, concierge-level experiences that build long-term customer loyalty, rather than simply deflecting inquiries with automation.💡 "Even if we don't resolve their issue right away, providing a fast, empathetic response builds trust and shows our users that we're here to support them—turning a quick interaction into a lasting connection."👋 LinkedInResources: Captions websiteFollow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights - Eli[3:18] Don’t just deflect: Why support isn’t just about reducing tickets—it’s about creating a concierge-like experience.[8:26] Support as a moat: Great customer support can be your competitive edge, especially when users are comparing similar apps.[12:15] Hiring right: How curiosity and embracing change are key traits for building a top-tier support team.[16:44] The AI edge: Blending AI and human agents to enhance, not replace, the customer experience.[21:22] Scaling globally: How Captions offers 24/7 support across different time zones and languages.[27:50] Community roots: The role that platforms like Discord can play in early-stage customer feedback and feature development.[34:10] Docs and AI: Keeping documentation up to date is crucial for effective AI-powered support.[41:35] Turn feedback into features: Captions' approach to quickly implementing user feedback to create loyal customers.