Customer support is getting a major makeover in our digital world, and chat apps are leading the way. Slack and Microsoft Teams, once just for office talk, are now where businesses and customers meet. To dig into this exciting shift, we brought together three customer service pros: Joydeep Sen Sarma, CEO of ClearFeed, and industry veterans Kevin Metzger and Roman Trebon, each with over 20 years of experience.
These experts sat down to chat about how Slack and Teams are shaking up B2B customer support. With their combined know-how – that's over 60 years of customer service wisdom – they're the perfect crew to explain why companies need to jump on this trend. So stick around as we dive into their insights.
Catch the entire discussion at this link.
Roman: Why do customers prefer using platforms like Slack and Teams for support rather than traditional methods?
Joydeep: Customers are increasingly using Slack and Teams because these platforms fit naturally into their daily routines, especially in industries like SaaS and deep tech. One of the big reasons for this shift is that today’s users have grown up with chat-based communication and really enjoy the instant connection it offers, much more than traditional email or ticketing systems.
What’s great about these platforms is that they do so much more than just solve problems. They help companies build strong partnerships, boost customer satisfaction, and encourage growth in usage. Unlike the traditional support models that focus on cutting down the number of support tickets, Slack and Teams allow businesses to be proactive partners. They guide customers through challenges, help them get more out of the product, and even suggest exciting new features.
"We are coming from a world where support was a cost center, and you wanted to keep your support costs down as much as possible... whereas now, you know, support is at the front lines meeting customers every day, and you want to grow your customers, grow their usage, you, you know, care about the satisfaction, you care about getting referrals from them. And it's much more of a partnership."
Joydeep, CEO, ClearFeed
Kevin: How do customer interactions on Slack and Teams differ from those on traditional support channels?
Joydeep: You know how Slack and Teams make chatting with coworkers feel easy and natural? Well, that's exactly what they're doing for customer support now. It's like customers are just messaging a friend for help, which means they reach out more often and in a more relaxed way.
And here's the cool part: when a new customer is trying out your product or just getting set up, you can zip through any hiccups super fast. You can make announcements, share updates, or promote new features, have real conversations, and keep customers excited about what you're doing. Companies are finding that customers often chip in with unexpected feedback or even recommend them to others. It's those casual chats that sometimes lead to the biggest wins.
Roman: When companies start using these tools, what are some friendly ways they can tackle challenges like overwhelming communication volumes?
Joydeep: The key lies in thoughtful implementation and strategic use. At ClearFeed, we provide solutions that address these challenges. For example, we ensure that no message is overlooked by converting chat conversations into internal trackers and enabling teams to manage SLAs effectively.
Many organizations use ticketing systems like Zendesk or Salesforce. ClearFeed bridges Slack/Teams and these systems, creating bi-directional communication that allows agents to work efficiently in their preferred environments. Our AI features are designed to make things easier for everyone. We offer automated responses, suggest helpful solutions for agents, and simplify ticket creation. This way, we can lighten the load for support teams and help them focus on what they do best.
Kevin: How can businesses make sure that the knowledge gained from these platforms is organized and easy to use for long-term success?
Joydeep: We enable them to merge structured data (like knowledge bases) with unstructured chat data from platforms like Slack. The system prioritizes gold-standard documentation while using recent chat interactions for context.
To further enhance knowledge management, our AI tools help tag conversations (e.g., feature requests, FAQs) and create quick summaries for potential documentation updates. AI can do amazing things by automating tasks, but having a human touch helps make sure that the knowledge we generate is accurate and high quality.
Kevin: What kind of feedback have you heard from customers about using Slack or Teams for support?
Joydeep: Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers appreciating how these platforms improve scalability and customer engagement. One standout example is a company (one of our customers) in the MSP space that used Slack for support and saw it become a competitive advantage. By guaranteeing rapid responses, they won new business opportunities and strengthened their reputation as a reliable partner.
Even simple features, like enabling ticket creation directly from Slack, have been described as “lifesavers” by users. These tools make customers feel heard and supported, leading to stronger relationships and greater satisfaction.
Working Together Better with New Tech
Platforms like Slack and Teams are changing the we do B2B customer support. These platforms allow companies to connect with their customers in the places where they’re already working. By thoughtfully integrating these tools and using AI to enhance workflows, we can provide quicker, more personalized support that can grow along with their needs.
For those companies still on the fence about adopting these platforms, Joydeep has a friendly reminder:
“The more teams that adopt this, the more not offering it makes you feel like a dinosaur.”
The future of customer support is all about collaboration, integration, and adaptability—values that tools like Slack and Teams really bring to life.
Want all of Joydeep's Slack-based Support know-how? Listen to the whole thing in Kevin's and Roman's podcast, The Customer Success Playbook, here.
