Automation Streamlines Customer Interaction for OpenPhone

• Telecommunications

• Leasing Finance Automation
• Material Handling Automation

OpenPhone, a startup that provides a business phone number solution for small businesses, was facing challenges in managing customer interactions. The company heavily relied on customer interactions, including Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys and general inquiries. However, the team was struggling to send automatic follow-ups. The co-founder, Daryna Kulya, had to manually filter through replies and email customers. This process was time-consuming and inefficient. Furthermore, OpenPhone was in the process of rolling out their desktop Mac app, and were inviting users to apply for early access to new features. This added to the workload and the need for a more efficient process.

OpenPhone is a startup that provides a simple and efficient solution for small business owners who do not want to use their personal phones for work. They offer a business phone number that can be used on existing devices through an app. OpenPhone aims to provide a solution that is not clunky or bloated, unlike many other solutions in the market. As a startup, they understand the importance of keeping things simple and efficient, both for their customers and their internal processes. They heavily rely on customer interactions and feedback to improve their product and services.

OpenPhone turned to automation to streamline their routine tasks and improve their customer interaction process. They used Zapier, a tool that allows for the automation of tasks between web apps. Daryna created a 'Zap' to handle the process of sending automatic emails to customers based on their survey responses. This allowed for a more efficient and timely response to customer feedback. Daryna expanded on this initial Zap to handle OpenPhone's NPS surveys. Using filter and delay steps, she set up her Zap to trigger only if a customer gives a score of 9 or 10 on the survey. The Zap waits for five minutes, then automatically drafts an email to send, prompting the customer to leave a review. For NPS survey scores of 8 or less, a separate Zap was used to draft an email asking customers what OpenPhone can do to improve.

• The implementation of automation has had significant operational benefits for OpenPhone. It has not only saved time but also created a culture of efficiency within the team. The team is now constantly looking for ways to streamline their processes and asking if there is a 'Zap' for that. Automation has also had a direct impact on the product. It has helped OpenPhone proactively tackle product issues, leading to improved customer satisfaction. The customers have noticed these improvements, as evidenced by OpenPhone's top rating on G2. Furthermore, automation has reduced the stress on the co-founder, allowing her to focus more on the business and less on mundane tasks.

• Automation saved Daryna 10 hours per month on routine tasks.

• OpenPhone is currently the number-one-rated business phone service on G2, a site that aggregates customer reviews for business software and services.