Absorb LMS + best-in-class CX = happier customers

Absorb Software found success in the eLearning industry by focusing on learner and administrator experience, going above and beyond the traditional support model, and innovating for the future. Launched in 2003, the trendsetting Canadian company is known for pairing a modern LMS (learning management system) platform with an entire ecosystem of learning management system (LMS) support options. Today, Absorb serves over 33 million users in 38 countries worldwide. Absorb Software unlocks potential for its customers, learners, and administrators.

Absorb’s in-house support team offers 24/7 service through phone, email, and support ticketing, while boasting an impressive 99.99 percent uptime. Administrative and learner experiences can also be configured for training in dozens of languages. For Absorb users seeking more hands-on coaching, client success managers are available to provide expert insights and recommendations, including regularly scheduled business reviews and progress reports.

Clients can select from three distinct service packages to meet their business needs. Premium Support includes guided LMS onboarding and access to self-serve training resources such as Absorb’s online portal, in-platform chat feature, and knowledge base. Elite Support was designed for organizations ready to leverage their training and learning program to drive growth. And Enterprise Support gives businesses more convenience, speed, and LMS performance with extra benefits such as on-site training and RESTful API integration setup.

That high level of personalized care is what sets Absorb Software apart from its competitors. Absorb is committed to customer success and views LMS support as an opportunity to build partnerships, rather than just serving as an emergency response team. Having a client-centric approach to support has also guided the team’s selection of CX tools from the beginning.

Expanding CX capabilities is a “no brainer”

A Zendesk customer since 2013, Absorb Software spent a year using Freshdesk before returning to Zendesk in 2016. In the last few years, the company has enjoyed consistent growth and customer demand. Absorb recognized the increasing need to support agent onboarding, customer retention, and global expansion efforts.

“Suite Enterprise offers Light Agents, skills-based routing, customized roles, audit logs, and customized support hours, which made the decision to upgrade a ‘no brainer’,” says Darren O’Connor, the manager of global client advocacy at Absorb.

“The Zendesk Suite enabled us to personalize our support experience and provide best-of-class service to our clients across multiple channels,” adds O’Connor. “Like any organization tackling exponential growth and scalability, we discovered which processes and tools need to be added, removed, or refined within our tech stack.”

Smarter onboarding and self-service supports growth

By the time O’Connor joined the company in 2021, the CX transformation had already begun to make a significant impact, starting with the external help center.

“Knowledge is power,” O’Connor says. “And a dedicated self-service tool for clients is so beneficial. Common queries can be dealt with quickly, which allows our team to devote time and energy to other areas of the business.”

The success of its customer-facing knowledge base prompted Absorb to invest in an internal help center to streamline new hire onboarding and create more self-service opportunities. Considering the company’s support team headcount had recently seen 55 percent YoY growth, the improvements could not have come at a better time.

Leveraging Zendesk’s robust help center internally gave the team an easier and faster way to train new team members and revamp operations, and eliminated the need to house onboarding materials on separate platforms.

Streamlined ticketing. Full audit trails. Faster service.

Absorb leaders continue to keep their “eyes on the prize” and reap the benefits of a centralized platform with automated routing. “For us, Zendesk’s unified Agent Workspace promotes structure, communication, and overall delivery,” says O’Connor.

Cross-functional collaboration is everything, considering around hundreds of Absorb staff rely on Zendesk for internal and external use. That includes Client Success (account management, client advocacy, client success managers), Billing, Professional Services (application specialists, data integration, implementations), as well as Learning and Development teams.

“Shared ticketing in Zendesk is instrumental in removing bottlenecks throughout the customer journey,” O’Connor continues, “Having an audit trail helps us understand every issue, make informed business decisions, and work seamlessly within one interface.”

With enhanced visibility and more streamlined workflows, the Absorb support team successfully reduced average resolution times by 16 percent.

Great data powers communication and customer satisfaction

With all teams operating in Zendesk, leaders and agents can take advantage of a wealth of performance data at their fingertips. “Zendesk allowed us to integrate our model and access customer data from any external source, while maintaining the customer relationship on the ticket lifecycle.”

Everyone from Absorb executives to support agents can now leverage custom data reporting to monitor customer activity, track changes, and take immediate action. “We have a very close relationship and there is constant communication,” says O’Connor. “The management team understands the impact that Zendesk has had on our growth and overall success as an organization.”

Increased communication within departments has improved customer-agent interactions, as well. Since upgrading to Zendesk Suite, Absorb has achieved a 95 percent CSAT.

O’Connor asserts, “With Zendesk as a one-stop-shop solution, clients can connect with Absorb using an array of channels, participate in a collective feedback loop, submit support tickets, raise issues on potential bugs, or share feature enhancement requests.”

A smoother, more empowered client experience has also helped triple Absorb’s NPS. O’Connor sees that progress as a reflection of the team’s efforts. “Providing exemplary service is part of our DNA. We take pride in delighting clients at every touchpoint, whether it’s on a phone call, on a support ticket, or in a business review. Great client interactions lead to relationships that you can nurture.”