When CloudSync, a global project management SaaS platform with 50,000+ users, faced mounting support costs and declining satisfaction scores, they knew something had to change. This is the story of how they transformed their support operation in just six months.
The challenge
CloudSync's support team was struggling under the weight of rapid growth:
- Average resolution time: 45 minutes per ticket
- First contact resolution: Only 42%
- Customer satisfaction: Dropping to 3.2/5
- Support costs: Rising 30% year-over-year
- Agent burnout: High turnover in the support team
With customers across 40 countries and a product that integrated with dozens of third-party tools, support issues were complex and time-consuming.
What was going wrong?
The team identified several core problems:
Screen sharing bottlenecks
Agents spent 10-15 minutes per ticket just getting screen sharing set up. Many customers were hesitant to share their entire screen, and corporate firewalls often blocked the necessary software.
Knowledge silos
With team members spread across four time zones, handoffs were messy. Information lived in individual heads rather than shared systems, leading to repeated questions and inconsistent answers.
Manual, repetitive tasks
Agents manually categorized tickets, searched for account information, and copied data between systems. These tasks consumed 40% of their time but added no value.
Limited visibility
Managers had no way to review interactions or identify training opportunities. Performance feedback was based on ticket counts rather than quality.
The solution: co-browsing and automation
CloudSync decided to implement a comprehensive support transformation:
Phase 1: Co-browsing implementation
They started with co-browsing technology to replace traditional screen sharing.
Week 1-2: Integration
The technical implementation was straightforward:
- Added a code snippet to their application
- Integrated with their existing help desk (Zendesk)
- Set up automatic session recording with privacy masking
- Configured custom branding for the co-browsing interface
Week 3-4: Training
The support team learned the new workflow:
- When to offer co-browsing vs. other support channels
- How to guide customers through complex issues visually
- Best practices for maintaining customer privacy
- Using session recordings for knowledge building
Week 5-8: Rollout and refinement
They gradually rolled out co-browsing:
- Started with their most experienced agents
- Monitored adoption and gathered feedback
- Refined processes based on real-world usage
- Expanded to the full team
Phase 2: Support automation
With co-browsing established, they tackled automation:
Smart ticket routing
Implemented rules that automatically:
- Identified ticket type and priority
- Routed to agents with relevant expertise
- Escalated VIP customer issues
- Flagged SLA violations before they happened
Automated workflows
Created automations for common scenarios:
- Password reset confirmations
- Integration troubleshooting checklists
- Follow-up sequences for complex issues
- Customer satisfaction surveys
Knowledge base integration
Connected their knowledge base to the ticket system:
- Suggested relevant articles to customers before ticket creation
- Surfaced helpful content to agents during support sessions
- Tracked which articles led to self-service resolution
- Identified knowledge gaps based on ticket patterns
The results
Six months after implementation, the transformation was dramatic:
Quantitative improvements
Resolution time: -60%
Average ticket resolution dropped from 45 minutes to 18 minutes. Co-browsing eliminated the guessing game—agents saw exactly what customers saw.
First contact resolution: +85%
Jumped from 42% to 78%. With visual context and better routing, agents solved issues on the first interaction.
Customer satisfaction: +47%
Scores rose from 3.2/5 to 4.7/5. Customers appreciated faster resolutions and the convenience of co-browsing.
Support costs: -35%
Despite 20% user growth, support costs actually decreased. The team handled more tickets with the same headcount.
Agent retention: +60%
Turnover dropped significantly. Agents felt more effective and less frustrated, leading to higher job satisfaction.
Qualitative wins
Beyond the numbers, CloudSync saw cultural changes:
Empowered agents
Support reps went from feeling reactive and overwhelmed to proactive and confident. They had the tools to actually solve problems.
Better product insights
Session recordings revealed UX issues that the product team could fix. Support became a valuable source of product intelligence.
Knowledge sharing
The team built a library of recorded sessions for training. New hires ramped up 50% faster by watching real scenarios.
Happier customers
Customer quotes in feedback surveys changed from "frustrated" to "impressed." Many mentioned the co-browsing experience specifically.
Key lessons learned
CloudSync's VP of Customer Success shared these insights:
1. Start with your biggest pain point
They focused on co-browsing first because screen sharing was their #1 frustration. Quick wins built momentum for broader changes.
2. Train thoroughly, but start small
Rather than launching to everyone at once, they piloted with top performers who could provide quality feedback and become champions.
3. Measure what matters
They tracked outcomes (resolution time, CSAT) not just adoption metrics (% using co-browsing). This kept them focused on real impact.
4. Invest in change management
Technical implementation was the easy part. The real work was helping the team embrace new workflows and unlearn old habits.
5. Iterate based on data
They reviewed session recordings weekly, identified patterns, and continuously refined their processes. The day-one implementation looked very different from month six.
Unexpected benefits
Several positive outcomes surprised the team:
Sales enablement
The sales team started using co-browsing for product demos. Prospects could try the product with guidance, leading to higher conversion rates.
Reduced escalations
With better tools, fewer issues required senior agent intervention. This freed up experienced team members for coaching and complex problems.
Proactive support
By analyzing session recordings, they identified and fixed common issues before most customers encountered them.
Cross-functional collaboration
Support, product, and engineering worked more closely together. Shared session recordings created a common language and understanding.
Implementation advice
Based on CloudSync's experience, here's their advice for other companies:
Before you start
- Audit your current state: Document baseline metrics
- Identify pain points: Survey agents and customers
- Set clear goals: What does success look like?
- Get executive buy-in: You'll need support for the change
- Choose the right partners: Find vendors who understand your industry
During implementation
- Communicate constantly: Keep the team informed at every step
- Celebrate early wins: Share success stories to build momentum
- Be patient with adoption: Behavior change takes time
- Collect feedback: Listen to agent concerns and suggestions
- Adjust as needed: Be willing to modify your approach
After launch
- Monitor metrics closely: Watch for unexpected issues
- Share results: Make progress visible to the organization
- Expand gradually: Add new capabilities over time
- Keep training: As you learn, update your processes
- Plan the next phase: Continuous improvement is key
The broader impact
The support transformation had ripple effects across CloudSync:
Customer retention improved
Better support meant happier customers who renewed at higher rates. The customer success team attributed a 12% reduction in churn partially to the support improvements.
Product got better
With clear visibility into user struggles, the product team made targeted UX improvements. Several pain points were eliminated entirely through better design.
Company culture shifted
Support went from being seen as a cost center to a competitive advantage. The CEO now regularly highlights support quality in sales materials.
Competitive differentiation
In a crowded market, CloudSync's support became a key differentiator. Prospects specifically mentioned support quality as a decision factor.
Looking ahead
CloudSync continues to evolve their support operation:
- AI assistance: Testing AI-powered response suggestions
- Predictive support: Identifying issues before customers report them
- Video support: Adding video calls for complex scenarios
- Global expansion: Extending 24/7 coverage to new time zones
The foundation of co-browsing and automation made these next steps possible.
Your turn
CloudSync's story isn't unique. Organizations across industries are seeing similar results:
- B2B SaaS: 50-70% reduction in resolution time
- E-commerce: 40-60% improvement in conversion assistance
- Financial services: 45-65% increase in first contact resolution
- Healthcare: 35-55% reduction in support costs
The common thread? They replaced outdated support methods with modern tools built for today's digital-first world.
Ready to transform your support operation like CloudSync? Start your free trial or schedule a demo to see how co-browsing and automation can work for your team.
