Happy to Help | A Customer Support Podcast

How Intentional Gifting Creates Loyal Customers with Sarah Betts

Text the show!Sarah Betts, the Director of Support and Operations at Vizit, joins us to talk about one of the most joyful parts of customer experience: intentional gift giving. We dig into why humans naturally connect through gifts, how the smallest gesture can make someone feel seen, and what it looks like to build a gifting strategy that is personal, thoughtful, and realistic for your team.Sarah shares wonderful stories from her time in the corporate gifting world, including an unforgettable moment involving an Avengers superfan CEO and a beautifully targeted gift that immediately won his attention. She walks us through what makes a gift feel genuine instead of gimmicky, when branded items can strengthen a relationship, and why timing matters just as much as the gift itself. We explore simple ways to create delightful moments even when your budget is small, from handwritten notes to quick video messages that let your sincerity shine through.Learn how to measure the impact of gifting, what mistakes to avoid, and which tools can help you scale your efforts once you have the basics in place. Sarah mentions some of her favorite gifting platforms, like Loop and Tie, Brilliant, Tremendous, and Sendoso. And of course, we look at Chewy, which continues to show the entire industry what beautifully executed customer delight can look like.Where to find Sarah:Sarah on LinkedInSupport Driven communityElevateCX communityLater in the episode, Jordan and I take a moment to reflect on our second full year of Happy to Help. We look back on the incredible guests who joined us in 2025 and the big themes we explored together. It has been such a meaningful year of conversations, learning, and celebrating the craft of customer support. If you have ideas for topics or guests you want us to feature next season, tap the Text the Show link in the show notes and send them our way. We would love to hear from you.We want to hear from you! Share your support stories and questions with us at happytohelp@buzzsprout.com! To learn more about Buzzsprout visit Buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening!

Turning Customers into Superfans with Brittany Hodak

Text the show!How do you turn everyday customers into passionate advocates for your brand?Brittany Hodak breaks down her SUPER Model for customer experience, shares her famous 5 A’s of an effective apology, and explains why apathy is the biggest threat to your business.What You’ll Learn:Why you want customers to become superfansHow customer apathy is the real risk to your businessOne bad touchpoint can cost years of revenueBrittany's SUPER Model CX playbookWhy the Platinum Rule is much better than the Golden RuleHow to craft a great apologyBe sure to check out Brittany's book, Creating Superfans, and her Six Weeks to Superfans Masterclass!We want to hear from you! Share your support stories and questions with us at happytohelp@buzzsprout.com! To learn more about Buzzsprout visit Buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening!

The High Cost of Urgency: Mistakes, Burnout, and Bad Customer Experiences

Text the show!In this episode of Happy to Help, we dive into the pressure-filled world of customer support and why it’s time to shift from frantic reaction to intentional response. Learn how operating from a place of calm not only reduces mistakes but leads to better customer experiences, stronger team morale, and reduced burnout.With real-world examples of how urgency can derail even the best support intentions, this episode is packed with strategies to help you:Recognize the hidden costs of urgency in the inboxBuild a calm support culture even when customers are in crisisTrain your team to slow down without sacrificing serviceModel healthy leadership that prioritizes quality over speedRecommended reading: It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at WorkWhether you’re leading a support team or answering tickets yourself, this is your permission slip to breathe, slow down, and serve better!We want to hear from you! Share your support stories and questions with us at happytohelp@buzzsprout.com! To learn more about Buzzsprout visit Buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening!

Remote Support Team Management with Erica Clayton

Text the show!We're sitting down with Erica Clayton, CX expert and founder of Sunshine CX, to explore the strategies behind successfully managing remote customer support teams.Whether you’re leading a global CX department or onboarding your very first remote hire, this episode is packed with practical insights on:Building team culture across time zones (Erica recommends The Culture Map by Erin Meyer)Creating effective onboarding processesPreventing remote burnoutFostering social connection without micromanagingDeveloping communication routines that actually workErica shares lessons from leading distributed support teams at companies like TuneCore and offers real-world advice on tools, processes, and leadership mindset shifts that help remote teams succeed.We want to hear from you! Share your support stories and questions with us at happytohelp@buzzsprout.com! To learn more about Buzzsprout visit Buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening!

Live Demos, Orientations, and Reducing Support Tickets Through Customer Education

Text the show!In this episode of Happy to Help, Priscilla Brooke is joined by Buzzsprout teammate Cara Pacetti to explore the strategy behind Buzzsprout Orientations. These orientations are a live onboarding experience designed to empower new podcasters with confidence, clarity, and connection!We're breaking down:The difference between demos and orientationsHow proactive education reduces support volumeLessons learned from months of live customer sessionsThe power of human connection in digital onboardingTips for launching your own educational initiative (without burning out your team!)If you’re a Customer Support Specialist, CX leader, or anyone thinking about proactive support, this episode will inspire you to invest in education and see measurable results in satisfaction, confidence, and reduced ticket volume!We want to hear from you! Share your support stories and questions with us at happytohelp@buzzsprout.com! To learn more about Buzzsprout visit Buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening!