Dubai-based 800 Storage owns 15,000 sq ft of storage space for B2B and B2C customers. Storage items include merchandise and products, office furniture, office files and construction materials. Customers typically discover the company via Google ads or referrals and then reach out over WhatsApp or email for a quotation.

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The Problem

First, 800 Storage needed better WhatsApp multi-user functionality to handle a high volume of sales and support inquiries. It also wanted to automate conversation routing and assignment.

As it uses data from several third-party systems, including its custom-built Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, 800 Storage required a business messaging platform with integration capabilities. Finally, it wanted to monitor its entirely-remote agents.

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The respond.io Solution

800 Storage surveyed a few business messaging solution providers but selected respond.io for its powerful automation. To maximize the platform’s capabilities, it worked with a Customer Success Manager to implement the following solutions.

WhatsApp was Connected to a Central Messaging Inbox

800 Storage’s sales and support teams had limited multiuser access to WhatsApp Business App, resulting in slow responses to customers. This had a direct impact on business growth.

On respond.io’s advice, 800 Storage upgraded to WhatsApp API and integrated it with the platform for multi-team access. Since it can now handle a high volume of conversations, it added WhatsApp click-to-chat links to its website to drive more inquiries to the sales team.

Automated Routing and Assignment were Implemented

WhatsApp Business App has no way to identify and route contacts based on who they are (new or returning customers) and what they need (sales or support). These had to be manually determined. Some agents were also carrying heavier loads than others, which led to careless mistakes and slow response and resolution times.

Now, Tags identify customers with active storage space rentals. Workflows, respond.io’s flagship automation builder, uses these to automatically route active customers to the support team and new customers to the sales team. It then assigns them round-robin to agents for equal load distribution.

Third-Party Systems were Integrated

Previously, customers who wanted a quotation would fill in their contact details on a web form. Sales agents would get in touch to find out their storage requirements and manually input the information into the ERP to generate a quote.

By integrating its ERP and third-party systems like Dialogflow and Google Sheets with respond.io, 800 Storage can automate processes and data transfer across the platform, its various systems and even WhatsApp.

Now, customers fill in their requirements in a web form. Workflows processes the data, sends the quotation to the customer via WhatsApp and assigns an agent to the conversation — all automatically. Thanks to this, 800 Storage believes it has among the fastest quotation times in the market.

Agents and Conversations are Supervised Remotely and in Real Time

As agents are based in another country, managers rely on multiple software for monitoring and performance measurement. They had to switch between platforms or even devices for this.

Supervision is crucial for 800 Storage as 70% of customers object to its pricing when they receive the quotes. Agents need to effectively communicate the value of the company’s solution to retain their interest.

Through respond.io, managers can supervise conversations and assist with internal comments. They can also view the performance of teams or individual agents using key metrics like response and resolution times from the same platform to pinpoint areas of improvement.

“Respond.io drastically reduced the number of platforms and clicks it takes to get things done through its integrations and automation. I’m positive the latest solutions in the market are being implemented here. Since we started working with a Customer Success Manager, I’ve also received quick and effective solutions to problems. I’m definitely satisfied with the quality of customer care.” – Malek Barghout, CEO of 800 Storage.

Results

Efficiency increased significantly across the board. Multi-team access for WhatsApp and automated routing and assignment cut first response times by 30% to 1 minute and 56 seconds. Automating data transfer between systems also reduced resolution times by 60% to just 5 minutes and 24 seconds.

With more balanced workloads and the real-time guidance of managers, agents are more effective at moving leads down the sales funnel, resulting in 30% more conversions. In short, 800 Storage is closing more deals in less time.

Following the success of 800 Storage on the platform, CEO Malek Barghout signed up another company, Colour My Plate, on respond.io.

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