Becoming a Champion Subscription Service

Customer retention lies at the heart of subscription-based businesses. When customers face issues or feel unsupported, they are likely to leave. Conversely, when needs are routinely met and value is delivered, customers become brand advocates who are committed to sharing their positive experiences with the world.

If retention is at the heart of the subscription-based business, customer support teams are the lifeblood — acting as a flow of positive interactions on behalf of the brand. A dedicated customer support team is essential to the subscription-based business, offering timely solutions to those questioning the lasting value they receive.

We reached out to our good friend Tasha Puckett, Sr. Manager of Customer Support at FightCamp, to get a clearer picture of the support strategies utilized within a subscription-based business. She was gracious enough to walk us through the challenges their team encounters and how they solve them.

What priorities does your support team focus on to reduce the likelihood of churn?

TP: There are three things we try to do: The first thing we want to do is build a relationship with our customers through an emotional connection at each touchpoint. We practice this through welcome calls, the onboarding experience, and through our concierge support system. Creating a great first impression and cultivating long-lasting customer relationships are imperative.

Secondly, we also focus on capturing as much data as we can. Listening to our customers and documenting pain points really help to identify and track issues to improve future relationships and the product.

We are, lastly, treating each customer as a VIP client. No matter the problem, we want you to have a good experience and for our customers to feel heard and appreciated. So we go above and beyond to provide a solution and use different strategies to save a customer from canceling.

How do your support agents ensure that customers understand the value your product offers?

TP: Hey, I get it — we live in times when the economy isn’t the best, but let’s control what we can. This is the time when my team has to become an advocate for the company’s value and brand perception. Reinforce how much content is available, share success stories, and talk about celebrity/expert trainers they can’t get anywhere else.

On the flip side, finance is also a sensitive topic, so we offer relief for those who may not have the means but want to continue to work out. We stay committed to our customer’s fitness journey and their needs.

Acquisition isn’t usually an activity that support organizations focus on. Still, advocacy and word-of-mouth referrals are proven factors in acquiring customers. In what ways do your support agents drive advocacy?

TP: We want to give a premium experience in every customer interaction. Something they will never forget. Whether that interaction is through email, phone, or chat, we want to treat our customer relationships like a marriage.

Customer experience is all about the fine detail, the feeling you have afterward that makes you want to return. This form of relationship building is where your customers become your biggest and best recruiters.

How does your team approach the topic of fatigue? Are there recommendations that your support team makes to customers to increase engagement?

TP: Everything is content right? Especially when we are living in a world of “digital realness.” The key to content fatigue is staying as relevant as possible “where you can.” We always tell our customers, “Hey, new content is coming soon, or something is about to be released or dropped soon.” This keeps the momentum going forward and keeps anticipation growing.

Another method we use is looking at the customer’s history of workouts so we can make a proper suggestion on what they have not seen. This lets the customer know we pay attention to them and we pay attention to detail.

What is your team’s approach to technical issues? Are there proactive measures that you would recommend to other support organizations?

TP: Troubleshooting tech is not one-size-fits-all. You can’t use macros for everything. Our approach is to treat each interaction as if it’s the first one we have heard. This means really understanding the underlying issue. As I’ve mentioned before, customer experience is all about the detail and listening carefully before delivering the solution so that it’s the right solution. You never want a customer to tell you more than once that something is wrong or, “No, that’s not what I’m asking.” After solving the issue, we always try to take it a step further by maybe throwing in one free month to make up for the inconvenience. So not only did we resolve the issue, we secured another month.

While managing subscriptions can be overwhelming, a customer support team can ease this burden and ensure a seamless experience. Through proactive engagement and consistency, businesses can foster trust and loyalty, creating a sense of community that strengthens customer-to-business relationships.

We appreciate Tasha for offering her insights and can’t wait to see what the team at FightCamp has planned for the future.

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