Gone are the days when customers only cared about a company's products or services. Today, 88% of customers say the experience a business offers is as important as its products.
That's why organizations are always looking to improve their customer experience. One of the best ways to achieve this is by integrating customer support and communication. For example, integration of tools like Intercom and Slack, to make things even more convenient and simpler.
With features like automated support, in-context support, and ticketing, Intercom is a popular customer support tool among large scale businesses, including Amazon and EON.
But does it integrate with Slack to streamline internal communication among support agents? If yes, how? Below, we discuss Intercom Slack integration in detail.
Yes, Intercom integrates seamlessly with Slack. It offers a two-way integration that allows you to send and receive messages between the two platforms in real time, ensuring cross-functional collaboration and faster issue resolution.
However, Intercom isn't suitable for small-scale businesses or startups due to its hefty price point. That's where JustReply comes in as a remarkable alternative.
As a Slack-native customer support tool, JustReply lets you run your customer support within Slack, eliminating the need for switching between multiple tools.
Other notable features of JustReply include a smart editor, an exceptional user experience, multichannel support, a handy help center, and speedy macros — everything an early-stage startup needs to provide an excellent customer experience.
We've established that Intercom Slack integration is possible. But how? Here's the step-by-step guide to help you get started.
First off, go to the Intercom App Store and find the Slack app. On the landing page, you'll see the option for ''Install Now.'' Click on it to start the installation.
Once the app is installed, run it. Follow the prompts to authorize the app permissions, which would enable Intercom to send and receive messages.
For Slack to access your Intercom workspace, you will have to grant Intercom the following permissions:
Click the ''Authorize Access'' option at the bottom of the screen after setting permissions.
Similarly, you'll need to authorize Slack permissions to establish an Intercom Slack integration. Here are the Slack scopes that you agree to grant the Intercom Slackbot:
Now, both Slack and Intercom are connected. You just have to invite the app to allow Intercom channels to receive notifications. That happens in the next step.
Use the /invite slash command to invite Slack into your preferred channel. After the invitation, the Intercom channel will start getting notifications from Slack.
You'll first see a welcome message. It will let you know that the app has been added to the channel. Plus, you'll be prompted to configure a Workflow.
Go to Automation and then to Workflows. First, you'll have to select the trigger to start a Workflow.
Then, build the Workflow. Add the Notify Slack channel action and select the appropriate channel. You'll find this option under the Add Integration submenu.
You can get notifications from both private and public channels. If you want to target specific ticket attributes or conversations, create branches. That’s all you need to do to build an Intercom Slack integration!
Part of the reason you might want to add Slack to Intercom is to let your customer support agents manage support conversations from an already familiar tool. Here are some other benefits of this approach:
One of the simplest ways to satisfy a customer is to resolve their query in a timely manner. But if you're juggling multiple channels and tickets, it can be challenging to respond quickly.
With Slack, you and your team can communicate in real-time, allowing you to handle customer inquiries more efficiently. Plus, with the ability to customize notifications, you can ensure that urgent queries are addressed promptly.
Another advantage of using Slack for support is that it allows multiple teams to collaborate seamlessly. For example, if a customer has an issue that requires the involvement of the engineering team, you can easily loop them in through a Slack channel.
Since everyone is on the same page and can communicate in real-time, the response time to customer inquiries improves. It eventually translates into faster resolution times and happier customers.
Sometimes, a customer may ask a question that you don't have an immediate answer to. In such cases, having multiple team members on Slack can be beneficial as someone else might know the answer or can provide valuable insights.
Knowledge sharing isn't always possible in the absence of a collaborative workspace. Slack bridges this gap and allows support agents to work together to find the best solutions for customers.
When it comes to customer support for early-stage startups, it's a major determinant of long-lasting customer loyalty. In today's fast-paced landscape, providing exceptional customer support can make or break a company.
However, most startups cannot afford the cost of a tool like Intercom. JustReply has surfaced as a feasible alternative, specifically designed for early-stage startups that want to cherish customer support conversations.
JustReply's Slack integration lets you:
Ready to enhance your customer service? Give JustReply a try today and see the difference it can make for your startup.
