Exploring the power of community in delivering exceptional customer support with insights from Sharath Kuruganty.
Background of Sharath Kuruganty
As I reflect on my journey, I am grateful for the experiences that have shaped me into the community leader I am today. Before my current role at Threado, I had the privilege of leading and nurturing communities at renowned startups such as Product Hunt and On Deck. These opportunities allowed me to engage with diverse groups of individuals, fostering connections and driving impactful initiatives.
At Product Hunt and On Deck, I spearheaded community programs, orchestrated successful events, and facilitated Mastermind sessions, all aimed at creating a vibrant and engaged community. My passion for community building led me to grow the audience on the X platform from a modest 200 to an impressive 22,000, demonstrating my ability to connect with and resonate with a wide audience.
One of the significant milestones in my entrepreneurial journey was founding and later selling a successful Software as a Service (SaaS) startup, achieving a six-figure deal. This experience not only honed my business acumen but also reinforced the importance of innovation and adaptability in the ever-evolving startup landscape.
These experiences have played a pivotal role in shaping my approach to community leadership and engagement. From launching impactful programs to fostering meaningful connections, I am dedicated to leveraging the power of community to drive positive change and empower individuals to reach their full potential.
Starting Points for Building Customer Success Through Community
As a professional in the field of community and brand building, I have had the privilege to interact with some exceptional individuals who have excelled in leveraging community to deliver exceptional customer support. Today, I am excited to delve into the starting points for building customer success through community, drawing from my own experiences and insights shared by industry experts.
Building a successful community that drives customer success requires a strategic approach and the utilization of various platforms and tools. Let's explore some key starting points that can pave the way for establishing a thriving community-driven customer support system:
1. Utilize Online Forums
Online forums like Discourse or Circle provide an excellent platform to bring together like-minded individuals who can engage in productive discussions and offer support to one another.
2. Create Branded Communities on Platforms
Platforms such as Slack or Discord enable the creation of branded communities where customers can interact, share insights, and receive support in a more structured and organized manner.
3. Leverage Social Media Groups
Social media groups on platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer a valuable channel to connect with customers, gather feedback, and address their queries or concerns promptly.
4. Engage with Third-Party Community Platforms
Third-party community platforms like Reddit and Quora serve as hubs of valuable information and discussions. Engaging with these platforms can help in expanding your reach and tapping into diverse customer perspectives.
5. Build a Knowledge Base for Self-Service Support
Establishing a comprehensive knowledge base is essential for empowering customers to find solutions independently. By curating resources, guides, and FAQs, you enable self-service support and enhance customer satisfaction.
By incorporating these starting points into your community-building strategy, you can create a robust support ecosystem that not only addresses customer needs effectively but also fosters a sense of belonging and mutual assistance among community members. The journey towards building customer success through community begins with these foundational steps, laying the groundwork for long-term relationships and positive brand experiences.
Building a Bridge between Customers and Community
As the head of the community and brand at Threado, I have had the privilege of leading and nurturing communities at renowned startups like Product Hunt and On Deck. My experience in launching community programs, hosting mastermind sessions, and organizing various events has reinforced my belief in the power of fostering connections within a community.
Where to Start
In my journey, I have found that there are several effective ways to establish connections with customers. Online forums using tools like Discourse or Circle can bring like-minded individuals together for valuable discussions and mutual assistance. Building branded communities on platforms like Slack or Discord can provide a space for engaging conversations and interactions. Social media groups, including Facebook and Twitter communities, remain significant channels to connect with a diverse range of customers.
Third-party community platforms such as Reddit, Stack Overflow, and Quora also offer vast knowledge repositories that can benefit both customers and businesses seeking insights.
Building a Bridge
Creating educational resources such as tutorials, guides, and webinars can serve as bridges between customers and the community. Encouraging user-generated content and success stories enhances community engagement and enables members to share their experiences. Hosting discussion threads on platforms like Slack or Discord fosters meaningful conversations and problem-solving within the community.
Utilizing surveys and polls can provide valuable feedback from customers, helping businesses improve their products and services based on community insights. Establishing a centralized knowledge base consolidates information from diverse sources, enabling easy access to resources for both customers and community members.
Recruiting Champion Users
Identifying and acknowledging individuals within the community who actively contribute, collaborate, and create can lead to the recruitment of champion users. Recognizing and incentivizing these super users with rewards and exclusive privileges can further strengthen their engagement. Hosting events and activities where community members take the lead in organizing and moderating can increase their sense of ownership and dedication to providing exceptional customer support.
Ultimately, leveraging the power of community to deliver outstanding customer support offers numerous benefits, including 24/7 availability, self-service opportunities, valuable feedback generation, and enhanced customer loyalty and brand recognition. By nurturing a supportive and inclusive community, businesses can create a dedicated network of advocates who contribute to their success.
Recruiting Champion Users for Enhanced Support
As a community and brand leader at Threado, I understand the importance of recruiting champion users to enhance support. Through my experiences leading and nurturing communities at renowned startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, I have learned valuable insights into the significance of identifying super users who contribute and collaborate effectively.
Building a strong support system through champion users starts with recognising and rewarding their efforts. At Threado, we have successfully launched community programs, hosted mastermind sessions, and organized numerous events to engage with our user base. These initiatives have not only fostered a sense of belonging but have also led to a deeper understanding of our customers' needs.
Reflecting on successful examples like HubSpot and Product Hunt, I have seen firsthand how incentivizing and acknowledging champion users can drive engagement and loyalty. At Threado, we follow a similar approach by offering swag, exclusive rewards, and recognition to our most active community members.
Involving community members in various events and activities is another crucial aspect of recruiting champion users. By giving them a platform to participate in AMAs, fireside chats, and conferences, we empower our users to take ownership of the support process. This not only builds a stronger sense of community but also ensures that support is driven by those who are most passionate and knowledgeable about our products.
Encouraging community-led support through advocacy programs is a strategy that has proven to be effective in many successful companies. By empowering our champion users to advocate for our brand and assist their peers, we create a self-sustaining support ecosystem that operates 24/7. This approach not only enhances the quality of support but also fosters a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within our community.
Through leveraging the power of champion users, Threado continues to strengthen its customer support and engagement strategies. By recognising, rewarding, and involving our most dedicated community members, we ensure that our users receive the best possible support experience and build a loyal customer base that advocates for our brand.
Benefits of Leveraging Community for Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, leveraging a community can bring about numerous advantages. Let me delve into the key benefits of utilizing community resources for customer support.
First and foremost, having a community means 24/7 availability through diverse community members, ensuring that assistance is always within reach, even across different time zones. This can lead to quicker issue resolution and improved customer satisfaction.
Furthermore, communities offer value-added content and events for customers, enriching their overall experience with your brand. By providing informative content and engaging events, you enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
Self-service solutions for 81% of customer problems can be achieved through community-driven knowledge sharing. With an active community, customers can find answers to common queries and troubleshoot issues independently, leading to a more streamlined support process.
Feedback is essential for product improvement, and a thriving community can serve as a valuable source for generating feedback. By actively participating in community discussions, customers provide insights that can shape product development strategies, ultimately enhancing the quality of your offerings.
Lastly, leveraging a community for customer support can result in enhanced customer loyalty and brand recognition. Engaging with customers in a community setting fosters stronger relationships and builds a sense of belonging, which in turn boosts loyalty towards your brand.
Leveraging a community for customer support offers 24/7 assistance, enriches customer experience, provides self-service solutions, generates valuable feedback, and strengthens customer loyalty and brand recognition.