Customer and internal support expectations have never been higher. There are more channels for customers to reach out from — classic ticket-based helpdesk systems, social media, live chat, and more — and low switching costs that make it all too easy for unsatisfied customers to look elsewhere.

But as businesses grow, SLAs, reputation, and morale can suffer as trying to support 24×7 responsibilities without 24×7 staff can hamper retention if not done right. And without the right processes and tools in place, support team members suffer from wasted time, lack of context, and frustration. By adopting a best-practices approach to customer response, customer support organizations can prevent burnout, exceed customer expectations and SLAs, and reduce the cost of operations.