TLDR: https://github.com/xarg/pghoard-k8s

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This is a small tutorial on how to do incremental backups using pghoard for your PostgreSQL (I assume you’re running everything in Kubernetes). This is intended to help people to get started faster and not waste time finding the right dependencies, etc..

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pghoard is a PostgreSQL backup daemon that incrementally backups your files on a object storage (S3, Google Cloud Storage, etc..).
For this tutorial what we’re trying to achieve is to upload our PostgreSQL to S3.

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First, let’s create our docker image (we’re using the alpine:3.4 image cause it’s small):

FROM alpine:3.4

ENV REPLICA_USER "replica"
ENV REPLICA_PASSWORD "replica"

RUN apk add --no-cache \
   bash \
   build-base \        
   python3 \
   python3-dev \
   ca-certificates \
   postgresql \
   postgresql-dev \
   libffi-dev \
   snappy-dev
RUN python3 -m ensurepip && \
   rm -r /usr/lib/python*/ensurepip && \
   pip3 install --upgrade pip setuptools && \
   rm -r /root/.cache && \
   pip3 install boto pghoard


COPY pghoard.json /pghoard.json.template
COPY pghoard.sh /

CMD /pghoard.sh

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REPLICA_USER and REPLICA_PASSWORD env vars will be replaced later in your Kubernetes conf by whatever your config is in production, I use those values to test locally using docker-compose.

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The config pghoard.json which tells where to get your data from and where to upload it and how:

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{
   "backup_location": "/data",
   "backup_sites": {
       "default": {
           "active_backup_mode": "pg_receivexlog",
           "basebackup_count": 2,
           "basebackup_interval_hours": 24,
           "nodes": [
               {
                   "host": "YOUR-PG-HOST",
                   "port": 5432,
                   "user": "replica",
                   "password": "replica",
                   "application_name": "pghoard"
               }
           ],
           "object_storage": {
               "aws_access_key_id": "REPLACE",
               "aws_secret_access_key": "REPLACE",
               "bucket_name": "REPLACE",
               "region": "us-east-1",
               "storage_type": "s3"
           },
           "pg_bin_directory": "/usr/bin"
       }
   },
   "http_address": "127.0.0.1",
   "http_port": 16000,
   "log_level": "INFO",
   "syslog": false,
   "syslog_address": "/dev/log",
   "syslog_facility": "local2"
}

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Obviously replace the values above with your own. And read pghoard docs for more config explanation.

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Note: Make sure you have enough space in your /data; use a Google Persistent Volume if you DB is very big.

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Launch script which does 2 things:

1. Replaces our ENV variables with the right username and password for our replication (make sure you have enough connections for your replica user)
2. Launches the pghoard daemon.

‍

‍

#!/usr/bin/env bash

set -e

if [ -n "$TESTING" ]; then
   echo "Not running backup when testing"
   exit 0
fi

cat /pghoard.json.template | sed "s/\"password\": \"replica\"/\"password\": \"${REPLICA_PASSWORD}\"/" | sed "s/\"user\": \"replica\"/\"password\": \"${REPLICA_USER}\"/" > /pghoard.json
pghoard --config /pghoard.json

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Once you build and upload your image to gcr.io you’ll need a replication controller to start your pghoard daemon pod:

‍

apiVersion: v1
kind: ReplicationController
metadata:
 name: pghoard
spec:
 replicas: 1
 selector:
   app: pghoard
 template:
   metadata:
     labels:
       app: pghoard
   spec:
       containers:
       - name: pghoard
         env:
           - name: REPLICA_USER
             value: "replicant"
           - name: REPLICA_PASSWORD
             value: "The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over. But it can't. Not with out your help. But you're not helping."
         image: gcr.io/your-project/pghoard:latest

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The reason I use a replication controller is because I want the pod to restart if it fails, if a simple pod is used it will stay dead and you’ll not have backups.

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Future to do:

• Monitoring (are you backups actually done? if not, do you receive a notification?)
• Stats collection.
• Encryption of backups locally and then uploaded to the cloud (this is supported by pghoard).

Hope it helps, stay safe and sleep well at night.

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Again, repo with the above: https://github.com/xarg/pghoard-k8s

At Gorgias we recently switched our flask & celery apps from Google Cloud VMs provisioned with Fabric to using docker with kubernetes (k8s). This is a post about our experience doing this.

‍

Note: I'm assuming that you're somewhat familiar with Docker.

‍

Docker structure

The killer feature of Docker for us is that it allows us to make layered binary images of our app. What this means is that you can start with a minimal base image, then make a python image on top of that, then an app image on top of the python one, etc..

‍

Here's the hierarchy of our docker images:

• gorgias/base - we're using phusion/baseimage as a starting base image.
• gorgias/pgbouncer
• gorgias/rabbitmq
• gorgias/nginx - extends gorgias/base and installs NGINX
• gorgias/python - Installs pip, python3.5 - yes, using it in production.
• gorgias/app - This installs all the system dependencies: libpq, libxml, etc.. and then does pip install -r requirements.txt
• gorgias/web - this sets up uWSGI and runs our flask app
• gorgias/worker - Celery worker

‍

Piece of advice: If you used to run your app using supervisord before I would advise to avoid the temptation to do the same with docker, just let your container crash and let k8s handle it.

‍

Now we can run the above images using: docker-compose, docker-swarm, k8s, Mesos, etc...

‍

We chose Kubernetes too

There is an excellent post about the differences between container deployments which also settles for k8s.

‍

I'll also just assume that you already did your homework and you plan to use k8s. But just to put more data out there:

‍

Main reason: We are using Google Cloud already and it provides a ready to use Kubernetes cluster on their cloud.

‍

This is huge as we don't have to manage the k8s cluster and can focus on deploying our apps to production instead.

‍

Let's begin by making a list of what we need to run our app in production:

• Database (Postgres)
• Message queue (RabbitMQ)
• App servers (uWSGI running Flask)
• Web servers (NGINX proxies uWSGI and serves static files)
• Workers (celery)

‍

Why Kubernetes again?

We ran the above in a normal VM environment, why would we need k8s? To understand this, let's dig a bit into what k8s offers:

• A pod is a group of containers (docker, rtk, lxc...) that runs on a Node. It's a group because sometimes you want to run a few containers next to each other. For example we are running uWSGI and NGINX on the same pod (on the same VM and they share the same ip, ports, etc..).
• A Node is a machine (VM or metal) that runs a k8s daemon (minion) that runs the Pods.
• The nodes are managed by the k8s master (which in our case is managed by the container engine from Google).
• Replication Controller or for short rc tells k8s how many pods of a certain type to run. Note that you don't tell k8s where to run them, it's master's job to schedule them. They are also used to do rolling updates, and autoscaling. Pure awesome.
• Services take the exposed ports of your Pods and publishes them (usually to the Public). Now what's cool about a service that it can load-balance the connections to your pods, so you don't need to manage your HAProxy or NGINX. It uses labels to figure out what pods to include in it's pool.
• Labels: The CSS selectors of k8s - use them everywhere!
• ‍

There are more concepts like volumes, claims, secrets, but let's not worry about them for now.

‍

Postgres

We're using Postgres as our main storage and we are not running it using Kubernetes.

‍

Now we are running postgres in k8s (1 hot standby + pghoard), you can ignore the rest of this paragaph.

The reason here is that we wanted to run Postgres using provisioned SSD + high memory instances. We could have created a cluster just for postgres with these types of machines, but it seemed like an overkill.

The philosophy of k8s is that you should design your cluster with the thought that pods/nodes of your cluster are just gonna die randomly. I haven't figured our how to setup Postgres with this constraint in mind. So we're just running it replicated with a hot-standby and doing backups with wall-e for now. If you want to try it with k8s there is a guide here. And make sure you tell us about it.

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RabbitMQ

RabbitMQ (used as message broker for Celery) is running on k8s as it's easier (than Postgres) to make a cluster. Not gonna dive into the details. It's using a replication controller to run 3 pods containing rabbitmq instances. This guide helped: https://www.rabbitmq.com/clustering.html

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uWSGI & NGINX

As I mentioned before, we're using a replication controller to run 3 pods, each containing uWSGI & NGINX containers duo: gorgias/web & gorgias/nginx. Here's our replication controller web-rc.yaml config:

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apiVersion: v1
kind: ReplicationController
metadata:
 name: web
spec:
 replicas: 3 # how many copies of the template below we need to run
 selector:
   app: web
 template:
   metadata:
     labels:
       app: web
   spec:
     containers:
     - name: web
       image: gcr.io/your-project/web:latest # the image that you pushed to Google Container Registry using gcloud docker push
       ports: # these are the exposed ports of your Pods that are later used by the k8s Service
         - containerPort: 3033
           name: "uwsgi"
         - containerPort: 9099
           name: "stats"
     - name: nginx
       image: gcr.io/your-project/nginx:latest
       ports:
         - containerPort: 8000
           name: "http"
         - containerPort: 4430
           name: "https"
       volumeMounts: # this holds our SSL keys to be used with nginx. I haven't found a way to use the http load balancer of google with k8s.  
         - name: "secrets"
           mountPath: "/path/to/secrets"
           readOnly: true
     volumes:
       - name: "secrets"
         secret:
           secretName: "ssl-secret"
And now the web-service.yaml:apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
 name: web
spec:
 ports:
 - port: 80
   targetPort: 8000
   name: "http"
   protocol: TCP
 - port: 443
   targetPort: 4430
   name: "https"
   protocol: TCP
 selector:
   app: web
 type: LoadBalancer

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That type: LoadBalancer at the end is super important because it tells k8s to request a public IP and route the network to the Pods with the selector=app:web.
If you're doing a rolling-update or just restarting your pods, you don't have to change the service. It will look for pods matching those labels.

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Celery

Also a replication controller that runs 4 pods containing a single container: gorgias/worker, but doesn't need a service as it only consumes stuff. Here's our worker-rc.yaml:

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apiVersion: v1
kind: ReplicationController
metadata:
 name: worker
spec:
 replicas: 2
 selector:
   app: worker
 template:
   metadata:
     labels:
       app: worker
   spec:
     containers:
     - name: worker
       image: gcr.io/your-project/worker:latest

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‍

Some tips

• Installing some python deps take a long time, for stuff like numpy, scipy, etc.. try to install them in your namespace/app container using pip and then do another pip install in the container that extends it, ex: namespace/web, this way you don't have to rebuild all the deps every time you update one package or just update your app.
• Spend some time playing with gcloud and kubectl. This will be the fastest way to learn of google cloud and k8s.
• Base image choice is important. I tried phusion/baseimage and ubuntu/core. Settled for phusion/baseimage because it seems to handle the init part better than ubuntu core. They still feel too heavy. phusion/baseimage is 188MB.

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Conclusion

With Kubernetes, docker finally started to make sense to me. It's great because it provides great tools out of the box for doing web app deployment. Replication controllers, Services (with LoadBalancer included), Persistent Volumes, internal DNS. It should have all you need to make a resilient web app fast.

At Gorgias we're building a next generation helpdesk that allows responding 2x faster to common customer requests and having a fast and reliable infrastructure is crucial to achieve our goals.

If you're interested in working with this kind of stuff (especially to improve it): we're hiring!

We've released a new version of the Chrome Extension, with sharing features and a new navigation bar. We hope you'll love it!

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Share templates inside the extension

Before, the only way to share templates with your teammates was to login on Gorgias.io.

If you're on the startup plan, when you create a template, you can choose who has access to it: either only you, specific people, or your entire team.

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‍

The account management section is now available in the extension, under settings.

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New navigation

Tags are now available on the left. It's easier to manage hundreds of templates with them.
You can also navigate through your private & shared templates. Shared templates include templates shared with specific people or with everyone.

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‍

We hope you'll enjoy this new version of our Chrome Extension. As usual, your feedback & questions are welcome!

Today, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve raised a $1.5 million Seed round led by Charles River Ventures and Amplify Partners, to help build our new helpdesk.

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We’re incredibly grateful to early users, customers, mentors we’ve met both at and Techstars.

‍

We started the journey with Alex at the beginning of 2015 with our Chrome extension, which helps write email faster using templates. We’ve been pleased all along with customers telling us about how helpful it was, especially for customer support.

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While building the extension, we’ve realized that a big inefficiency in support lies in the lack of integration between the helpdesk, the payment system, CRM and other tools support is using. As a result, agents need to do a lot of repetitive work to respond to customer requests, especially when the company is big.

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That’s why we’ve decided to build a new kind of helpdesk to enable customer support agents to respond 2x faster to customers. You can find out more and sign up for our private beta here.

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When a company has a lot of customers, support becomes repetitive. We want to provide support teams with tools to automate the way they treat simple repetitive requests. This way, they have more time for complex customer issues.

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We'll now focus on this helpdesk and on growing the team, oh, and if you'd like to join, we're hiring! We're super excited about this new helpdesk product. If you’re using the extension, don’t worry.

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Romain & Alex

We've been busy, but not deaf!

Last few months we got lots of feedback about our extension and found to our delight that most people are satisfied, but still a few recurrent issues came up:

• The HTML/WYSIWYG editor sucks.
• No support for Outlook.com.

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We listened and now we're presenting:

• A brand new editor
• Support for outlook.com
• More on the Rich-Text editor

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WYSIWYG editors for the web are notoriously buggy and are just difficult to develop.

‍

I have yet to see one that is bug free. There are few venerable editors that do a good job like TinyMCE, FKEditor or CKEditor.. but they are big and all have edge cases that break the intended formatting and add a lot of garbage html.

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There are newer good quality editors in town such as Redactor. The one that got my attention and finally landed in Gorgias is this wonderful editor called which is super lightweight, uses modern content-editable (no i-frames) and 'just works' most of the time. That's not to say it's perfect, but it's good enough and I'm satisfied with it's direction in terms of development.

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Enjoy it and as always send us bug-reports or feedback on: support@gorgias.com

TL;DR:

• B2B customer service handles complex, multi-stakeholder relationships with longer sales cycles than B2C
• Success requires specialized tools like unified helpdesks, self-service options, and AI automation
• Key differences from B2C include deeper relationships, longer resolution times, and higher revenue impact per account
• Best practices focus on proactive support, customer-specific SLAs, and cross-functional collaboration
• Modern B2B service directly impacts revenue growth, churn reduction, and competitive advantage

Wholesale accounts, retail partners, and corporate buyers represent some of the highest-revenue relationships your brand manages. So why are so many ecommerce teams still supporting them with the same inbox they use for everything else?

B2B customer service is its own discipline. Your buyers are juggling multi-stakeholder approvals, complex order workflows, and expectations shaped by dedicated account managers. They're not looking for a chatbot. They want a partner who actually knows their business and can keep up with it.

If you're building out a B2B support operation, or fixing one that's been held together with spreadsheets and good intentions, you're in the right place. This guide covers the real differences between B2C and B2B support. You'll also find proven team structures and the tools top brands use to turn their most valuable accounts into long-term partners.

{{lead-magnet-1}}

What is B2B customer service?

B2B customer service is support provided by one business to another business that purchases its products or services. This means helping wholesale partners, corporate clients, and other business accounts that buy from your ecommerce store.

B2B service focuses on managing complex, high-value relationships rather than individual transactions. A single B2B account can represent thousands of dollars in recurring revenue, making the quality of support critical for retention and growth.

The nature of B2B service differs from consumer support because the stakes are higher and the needs are more specialized. Your B2B customers have different expectations, longer decision-making processes, and more complex operational requirements.

B2B customer service typically involves:

• Account-based support: You coordinate service across multiple contacts within a single client company, such as procurement officers, technical users, and finance departments
• Complex order management: Your team handles bulk orders, custom pricing negotiations, and specialized payment terms like net 30 or net 60
• Longer relationships: Support is built around multi-year contracts and renewals, requiring a deep understanding of the client's business goals
• Technical requirements: B2B clients often need help with product integration, API access, or custom implementations that require specialized knowledge
• Higher stakes: Each account represents significant revenue, so a single negative experience can have major financial impact

How is B2B customer service different from B2C?

B2B and B2C customer service aim for customer satisfaction, but their execution differs significantly. The core distinction comes from the nature of the customer: a business with complex operational needs versus an individual consumer.

B2B issues are more complex

B2B support inquiries often involve technical troubleshooting, custom configurations, or multi-system dependencies. A client might need help integrating your product's API with their internal software or managing a custom product catalog for their employees.

These issues require agents with deep product knowledge and problem-solving skills. In contrast, B2C issues are typically simpler and more repetitive, such as questions about order status, return policies, or product sizing.

B2B support involves more stakeholders

A single B2B support ticket may involve communication with multiple decision-makers within the client's organization. The procurement team might have questions about invoicing, the IT department may need technical specifications, and the end users might require product training.

Support agents must navigate these internal dynamics and provide clear, consistent information to all relevant stakeholders. This level of coordination is rarely seen in B2C, where the agent typically interacts with just one person.

B2B relationships are deeper

B2B customer service is built on long-term partnerships, not one-time transactions. The goal is to support the client's success over the entire lifecycle of a contract, which can span several years.

This long-term focus encourages proactive support and deep investment in understanding the client's business. It leads to higher retention and opportunities for account expansion.

B2B resolutions take longer

The complexity of B2B issues and involvement of multiple stakeholders naturally lead to longer resolution times. A simple request might require internal approvals from the client, technical investigation from your engineering team, or coordination with a third-party vendor.

B2B support teams often work with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that set clear expectations for response and resolution times. These acknowledge that a quick fix is not always possible or desirable.

Why B2B customer service matters for ecommerce brands

For ecommerce brands with wholesale or corporate sales channels, excellent B2B customer service is not just a cost center. It's a powerful engine for growth that directly influences revenue, retention, and market position.

Revenue growth

Each B2B account represents significant, recurring revenue. That alone should change how you think about support.

When service is exceptional, trust follows. And trust opens doors: upsells, expanded contracts, new product lines your client wouldn't have explored otherwise. A well-supported B2B buyer doesn't stay static. They grow with you, becoming a source of predictable revenue rather than a transaction you have to chase again next quarter.

Churn reduction

Acquiring a new B2B client is expensive. Losing one is worse, because you're not just losing a contract. You're losing the compounding value of everything that account could have become.

Proactive, responsive support makes it genuinely difficult for competitors to get a foothold. You're not just solving problems. You're making the relationship too valuable to walk away from.

Brand reputation

Business leaders talk to each other, and in B2B, word-of-mouth travels fast and lands hard. A reputation for dependable, personalized service becomes part of your brand identity in ways that marketing spend simply can't replicate.

Done right, those relationships turn into case studies, testimonials, and referrals. The kind that do the selling for you.

Competitive advantage

When products and pricing are similar across competitors, customer service becomes the key differentiator. A support experience that is personalized, efficient, and proactive creates relationship stickiness.

It raises the switching costs for your clients because they are not just buying a product. They are invested in the partnership and the quality of support they receive.

Best practices for B2B customer service in ecommerce

Delivering exceptional B2B service requires a strategic approach that goes beyond standard support tactics. Leading ecommerce brands build their B2B operations around deep understanding of their clients and commitment to proactive, collaborative support.

Know your customers

You cannot provide great service without deep understanding of your client's business. This means going beyond their order history.

Map out the key contacts in each account, understand their business goals, and document their specific workflows and technical requirements. This information allows your team to provide context-aware, personalized support that anticipates needs.

Start by creating detailed customer profiles that include:

• Business objectives: What are they trying to achieve with your products
• Key contacts: Who makes decisions, who uses the products, who handles billing
• Technical setup: How they integrate your products into their operations
• Communication preferences: Do they prefer email, phone calls, or chat support
• Historical context: Past issues, successful solutions, and relationship milestones

Enable cross-functional collaboration

B2B customer service is a team sport. Support agents need to work seamlessly with sales, account management, and even product teams to resolve complex issues.

Break down internal silos by using shared tools, like a unified helpdesk, and establishing clear communication protocols for escalating issues or sharing client feedback. When your sales team knows about a support issue, they can proactively address concerns during their next check-in.

Sign customer-specific SLAs

Not all B2B accounts are the same. Create tiered Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that define response time commitments and support channels based on the client's contract value or strategic importance.

This manages expectations and ensures your most valuable accounts receive the priority attention they require. Your enterprise clients should have faster response times and more direct access to senior support staff than smaller accounts.

Offer self-service options

Empower your B2B clients to find answers on their own. A comprehensive knowledge base with technical documentation, API guides, and troubleshooting articles can deflect a significant number of tickets.

For more advanced needs, a customer portal can allow clients to manage their account, track orders, and access exclusive resources without needing to contact an agent. This is especially valuable for B2B customers who often work outside standard business hours.

Self-service options should include:

• Technical documentation: API guides, integration instructions, troubleshooting steps
• Account management tools: Order tracking, invoice downloads, contact updates
• Product resources: User manuals, training materials, best practice guides
• Policy information: Terms of service, return procedures, warranty details

Make service proactive

The best B2B support teams solve problems before the client even knows they exist. Use data to monitor account health, identify potential issues like declining usage, and reach out proactively.

Schedule regular business reviews to discuss their goals, gather feedback, and ensure they are getting the most value from your products. These conversations often reveal opportunities for additional sales or prevent churn before it happens.

Which tools power modern B2B customer service?

Scaling high-quality B2B support is impossible without the right technology stack. Modern tools are designed to manage complexity, provide deep customer context, and automate repetitive tasks.

A unified helpdesk centralizes every channel

B2B communication happens across email, phone, chat, and social media. A unified helpdesk brings all these conversations into a single inbox.

This gives your team a complete, chronological view of every interaction with an account, regardless of which contact reached out or which channel they used. No more searching through different systems to understand the full context of a client relationship.

A self-service knowledge base reduces ticket volume

A robust knowledge base is your first line of defense. Use it to host detailed documentation for common B2B needs, such as integration guides, API documentation, and bulk order instructions.

This not only reduces ticket volume but also positions your brand as an expert resource. B2B customers appreciate having access to comprehensive information when they need it, especially outside business hours.

AI and automation accelerate resolutions

Artificial intelligence and automation are critical for B2B efficiency. Use AI to automatically tag and route incoming tickets to the right agent or department based on topic or client tier.

Automation rules can handle repetitive workflows, such as sending order status updates or assigning tickets from VIP accounts to a dedicated manager. This ensures nothing falls through the cracks while freeing up your team for higher-value work.

Ecommerce integrations bring context into the inbox

To provide effective support, your agents need data. Integrating your helpdesk with your ecommerce platform, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems is essential.

These integrations pull critical account information directly into the support inbox. Agents can see order history, contract details, and custom pricing without switching tabs, enabling faster and more accurate responses.

Top 5 B2B customer service tools

The right tools make the difference between a support team that's constantly putting out fires and one that runs like a well-oiled machine. Here are five platforms worth considering for your B2B operation.

1. Gorgias

Starting price: $10/month

Best for: Ecommerce brands managing B2B and DTC support in one place.

Key features:

• Deep integrations with Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento for full order context in every ticket
• AI Agent can automate up to 60% ticket inquiries and upsell, recommend, and boost pre-sale engagement
• Centralized inbox pulling in email, chat, social, and SMS

May not be the best fit if: You're not running on an ecommerce platform or have no DTC channel at all.

2. Zendesk

Starting price: $55/agent/month

Best for: Mid-to-large B2B operations that need flexible, highly customizable ticketing workflows.

Key features:

• Advanced ticket routing and multi-tiered support structures
• Extensive integration marketplace with 1,000+ apps
• Robust reporting and SLA management tools

May not be the best fit if: You're a smaller team. The pricing and complexity can be overkill without dedicated admin resources.

3. HubSpot Service Hub

Starting price: $15/seat/month

Best for: B2B teams already using HubSpot for sales and marketing who want everything under one roof.

Key features:

• Native CRM integration giving agents full account and deal history
• Customer portal for self-service ticket tracking
• Feedback and survey tools built into the platform

May not be the best fit if: You're not in the HubSpot ecosystem. Standalone, it's harder to justify against more specialized tools.

4. Intercom

Starting price: $29/seat/month

Best for: B2B teams that prioritize conversational support and proactive account engagement.

Key features:

• Behavior-based messaging to reach out to accounts at the right moment
• AI-assisted live chat that scales without losing a personal feel
• Onboarding flows and product tours for new wholesale accounts

May not be the best fit if: Your support volume is high and ticket-based. Intercom's conversational model can get expensive and hard to manage at scale.

5. Salesforce Service Cloud

Starting price: $25/user/month

Best for: Enterprise B2B operations with complex account hierarchies and large support teams.

Key features:

• Multi-stakeholder account management built into the core product
• Deep integration with Salesforce CRM for full pipeline and service visibility
• AI-powered case routing and resolution recommendations

May not be the best fit if: You're a small or mid-sized team. Implementation is heavy and the cost adds up fast without a dedicated Salesforce admin.

Build B2B support that actually scales

B2B customer service isn't just a support function. It's how you protect your highest-value accounts, reduce churn, and turn good clients into long-term partners.

The brands that get this right invest in the right tools, train their teams to think in relationships rather than tickets, and are ready before problems escalate.

Ready to streamline your B2B support operation? See what Gorgias can do for your B2B business.

TL;DR:

• Customer support software centralizes all customer conversations from email, chat, social, and phone into one unified workspace.
• The best platforms combine AI automation with human support to resolve up to 60% of inquiries instantly.
• Ecommerce-specific features like Shopify integration and order management are essential for retail brands.
• Pricing typically ranges from free starter plans to enterprise solutions based on ticket volume or agent seats.
• Implementation can take days to weeks depending on your tech stack and support complexity.

Switching customer support software is a nightmare, and everyone on your team knows it. Yet here you are, staring down a tool that can't keep up with your ticket volume, leaves agents toggling between five browser tabs, and offers zero insight into whether any of it is actually driving revenue.

Modern customer support platforms are built to solve exactly that.

The best ones bring every channel into a single workspace: email, chat, social, and SMS. They display customer order data (so agents don't have to dig for it), and handle repetitive tasks automatically so your team can focus on conversations that actually matter.

For ecommerce brands on Shopify or scaling beyond it, the right platform doesn't just reduce handle time. It becomes a revenue channel in its own right.

Here's how the top options stack up.

• Best for Shopify merchants: Gorgias
• Best for enterprise teams: Zendesk
• Best for proactive support and live chat: Intercom
• Best for small businesses and tight budgets: Freshdesk
• Best for simplicity and team collaboration: Help Scout
• Best for Zoho ecosystem users: Zoho Desk
• Best for internal collaboration and B2B teams: Front
• Best for HubSpot CRM users: HubSpot Service Hub
• Best for Salesforce CRM users: Salesforce Service Cloud
• Best for multi-store brands: Re:amaze

The top 10 customer support software, compared

With dozens of platforms on the market, finding the right fit for your store takes time you don't have. The table below compares the top customer support platforms on the factors ecommerce teams care about most: pricing, core features, Shopify integration, and AI capabilities.

Best customer support software for ecommerce brands

We evaluated the top platforms on the market based on their ecommerce-specific features, integration depth, automation capabilities, and overall value for growing brands. Here are the best customer support tools for online retailers.

Gorgias

Gorgias is a conversational commerce platform built specifically for ecommerce brands. It combines a powerful helpdesk with an autonomous AI Agent to manage both customer support and revenue-driving interactions in one place.

As Shopify's only Premium CX Partner, its integration is second to none. Teams can view and edit orders directly within a support ticket. The platform's AI Agent can automate up to 60% of common support inquiries like "Where is my order?" and return requests.

The AI also acts as a shopping assistant, providing personalized product recommendations to drive sales. This dual focus on support and revenue makes Gorgias unique for brands that view customer experience as a growth driver, not just a cost center.

Main features:

• Unified inbox for email, chat, SMS, social DMs, and voice
• Native Shopify integration with real-time order data sync
• AI Agent that resolves up to 60% of inquiries
• Revenue tracking and conversion analytics
• Automated workflows and Macros
• Self-service Help Center builder

Ideal for:

• Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants
• Brands with high ticket volume seeking automation
• Teams wanting to track support's revenue impact
• Growing brands needing to scale support efficiently

Pricing: Starter: $10/month (50 tickets), Basic: $60/month (300 tickets), Pro: Custom pricing based on volume, AI Agent: Additional per-resolution pricing

Zendesk

Zendesk is one of the largest and most established players in the customer service software space. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools that can handle the needs of large, complex enterprise organizations.

Its platform is highly customizable and features robust reporting, a massive app marketplace, and true omnichannel support. For ecommerce brands, Zendesk provides the scale needed for high-volume operations.

However, its generalist approach means the deep, native ecommerce integrations found in platforms like Gorgias often require third-party apps or custom development. This can lead to a higher total cost of ownership and a less streamlined experience for agents.

Pricing: Suite Team: $55/agent/month, Suite Growth: $89/agent/month, Suite Professional: $115/agent/month

Intercom

Intercom excels at proactive, conversational support, making it a strong choice for brands focused on engagement and sales through chat. Its platform is built around a messenger that can be used for live chat, targeted outbound messages, and product tours.

This makes it effective for converting website visitors and onboarding new customers. While Intercom offers powerful automation and a user-friendly interface, its core strength is in pre-purchase conversations.

Post-purchase support workflows and deep ecommerce backend integrations are less of a focus compared to specialized retail platforms. Pricing can also become expensive as your contact list or seat count grows.

Pricing: Essential: $39/seat/month, Advanced: $99/seat/month, Expert: $139/seat/month

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a versatile helpdesk solution that offers a wide range of features, including a generous free plan for up to ten agents. This makes it an accessible starting point for small businesses and startups.

The platform includes ticketing, a knowledge base, and multi-channel support across email, phone, chat, and social media. As a general-purpose tool, Freshdesk requires integrations to connect with ecommerce platforms like Shopify.

While these integrations exist, they may not provide the same level of real-time data and order management actions as a purpose-built solution. It's a solid, budget-friendly option for brands with basic support needs.

Pricing: Free: $0 (up to 10 agents), Growth: $15/agent/month, Pro: $49/agent/month, Enterprise: $79/agent/month

Help Scout

Help Scout is known for its simplicity and focus on a human-centric customer experience. It provides a clean, shared inbox that feels like a regular email client, making it easy for teams to learn and use.

The platform also includes a knowledge base builder, live chat, and reporting features. Help Scout is a great choice for teams that prioritize straightforward, collaborative support without the complexity of larger enterprise systems.

Its Shopify integration allows agents to view customer and order data, but it lacks the advanced automation and revenue-driving features found in dedicated conversational commerce platforms.

Pricing: Standard: $20/user/month, Plus: $40/user/month, Pro: $65/user/month

Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is part of the broader Zoho ecosystem of business applications, which includes CRM, marketing, and finance tools. Its main advantage is its seamless integration with other Zoho products.

The platform offers context-aware AI, advanced process automation, and omnichannel support capabilities. For businesses already invested in the Zoho suite, Zoho Desk is a logical and powerful choice.

However, for ecommerce brands not using other Zoho tools, it functions as another generalist helpdesk. It has a Shopify integration, but its primary value is unlocked when used as part of the larger Zoho platform.

Pricing: Standard: $14/agent/month, Professional: $23/agent/month, Enterprise: $35/agent/month

Front

Front is a customer communication hub that unifies email, social media, chat, and other channels into a single shared inbox. Its core strength is enabling team collaboration around customer conversations.

Teams can assign messages, leave internal comments, and work together to resolve issues without forwarding emails or switching apps. Front is excellent for B2B companies or teams with complex internal workflows.

For high-volume B2C ecommerce, its model can be less efficient for managing individual customer tickets at scale. While it integrates with Shopify, it's designed more for collaborative communication than for high-speed, automated ticket resolution.

Pricing: Starter: $19/seat/month, Growth: $59/seat/month, Scale: $99/seat/month

HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is a customer service software that is fully integrated with HubSpot's CRM, Marketing Hub, and Sales Hub. This creates a unified view of the customer across the entire journey.

The platform includes ticketing, a knowledge base, live chat, and customer feedback surveys. If your brand is already using HubSpot's CRM as its central source of truth, Service Hub is a natural fit.

It allows you to connect support interactions with marketing campaigns and sales data. For brands not on the HubSpot platform, it may be more than what's needed, and its ecommerce-specific features are less developed than those of dedicated retail solutions.

Pricing: Free Tools: $0, Starter: $18/month (2 users), Professional: $450/month (5 users)

Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud is an enterprise-grade customer service platform built on the world's leading CRM. It offers powerful case management, workflow automation, and AI capabilities through its Einstein AI.

It's designed for large organizations that require deep customization and scalability. For ecommerce brands running on Salesforce Commerce Cloud or those with complex, multi-brand operations, Service Cloud provides unmatched power.

However, for most Shopify merchants, it is overly complex and expensive. Implementation often requires significant resources and specialized expertise.

Pricing: Essentials: $25/user/month, Professional: $75/user/month, Enterprise: $150/user/month

Re:amaze

Re:amaze is a customer communication platform designed for small and medium-sized ecommerce businesses. It combines live chat, chatbots, a shared inbox, and a knowledge base in one package.

It's known for its strong support for multi-store brands, allowing you to manage support for several Shopify stores from a single account. The platform offers a good balance of features for growing ecommerce teams, with a particular strength in live chat and proactive engagement.

Its automation capabilities are primarily focused on chatbots rather than the end-to-end ticket resolution offered by more advanced AI agents.

Pricing: Basic: $29/month, Pro: $49/month, Plus: $69/month

What is customer support software?

Customer support software is a set of tools used to collect, organize, respond to, and report on customer support requests. It acts as a central command center for a brand's customer service operations, ensuring no message is missed and every customer gets a timely, consistent response.

At its core, the software consolidates all communication channels into one place. This prevents agents from having to jump between their email inbox, social media DMs, and live chat dashboards to help customers.

The software transforms every customer inquiry into a trackable ticket that can be assigned, prioritized, and monitored until it's resolved. Most platforms also include automation tools that handle repetitive tasks and answer common questions without human intervention.

Benefits of customer support software for ecommerce brands

For ecommerce brands, implementing the right customer support software goes beyond just organizing tickets. It directly impacts efficiency, customer loyalty, and the bottom line.

• Faster response times: Centralizing conversations and using automation allows teams to respond to customers in minutes, not hours
• Reduced operational costs: Automating up to 60% of repetitive inquiries frees up agents and reduces the need to hire more staff during peak seasons
• Higher customer satisfaction: Quick, personalized, and accurate support leads to happier customers who are more likely to make repeat purchases
• Revenue generation: By integrating with your store, agents and AI can recommend products and offer discounts, turning support conversations into sales
• Scalable support operations: A robust platform allows you to handle a growing volume of customer inquiries without sacrificing service quality
• Data-driven insights: Reporting tools help you identify trends in customer issues, track agent performance, and make informed decisions to improve the overall experience

Key features to look for in customer support software

When evaluating platforms for an ecommerce business, certain features are non-negotiable. Look for tools built to handle the specific challenges and opportunities of online retail.

• Shopify integration: Deep, real-time integration that lets you view and modify orders directly from the helpdesk is critical
• Order management capabilities: The ability to issue refunds, cancel orders, or apply discounts without leaving the support ticket saves significant time
• AI and automation: Look for AI that can perform real actions, not just answer questions, to achieve true end-to-end resolution
• Omnichannel support: The platform must support the channels your customers actually use, including email, chat, SMS, and social media DMs
• Self-service options: An easy-to-build Help Center and order tracking portal can deflect a large percentage of common tickets
• Revenue tracking: The ability to attribute sales to specific support interactions proves the ROI of your customer experience efforts
• Mobile responsiveness: A mobile app for agents allows your team to provide support from anywhere, at any time

Who uses customer support software in ecommerce teams?

Customer support software is not just for frontline agents. It serves as a central hub for multiple roles across an ecommerce organization, each using it for different purposes.

Support agents use the platform daily to respond to tickets, manage conversations, and resolve customer issues. Team leads monitor team performance, manage ticket queues, and use conversation recordings for coaching and quality assurance.

CX managers analyze support metrics, build automation workflows, and develop the overall customer experience strategy. Operations teams use insights from support tickets to identify and fix issues with shipping, fulfillment, or the website.

Marketing teams gather customer feedback and insights to inform product development and marketing campaigns. This cross-functional usage makes customer support software a valuable investment that impacts the entire organization.

Customer support software pricing and plan comparison

Customer support software pricing typically follows one of two models. Here's how they compare:

Whichever model you're evaluating, look beyond the sticker price. Factor in onboarding fees, essential integrations, and premium features like AI, which are often sold as add-ons.

How to choose customer support software for Shopify brands

The right platform will shape your team's efficiency and your customers' experience for years, so it's worth evaluating carefully. For Shopify brands, that evaluation should center on a few key factors:

• Does the integration with Shopify support real-time, two-way data sync for orders and customer information?
• How long does implementation take, and what will your team need to do to migrate and get up and running?
• What is the true total cost, including third-party apps, add-on features, and potential overage fees?
• Can the platform scale with you as ticket volumes grow, your team expands, or you add more stores?
• What does the vendor's own customer support look like, and what onboarding and training resources are available?
• Does the platform meet data protection standards like SOC 2 compliance?

Transform your customer support with the right platform

Choosing the right customer support software is a strategic decision that enables your brand to scale efficiently while delivering a memorable customer experience. The best platforms for ecommerce don't just solve problems; they create opportunities to build loyalty and drive revenue.

By unifying your channels, automating repetitive work, and empowering your team with data, you can transform your support center from a cost center into a growth engine. Ready to see how a platform built for ecommerce can make a difference?

Book a demo to learn how you can turn every conversation into an opportunity to grow.

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TL;DR:

• CSAT surveys measure customer satisfaction on a 1-5 scale after specific interactions or purchases
• Focus on one to two questions sent immediately after key touchpoints for highest response rates
• Choose CSAT for transactional feedback, NPS for loyalty tracking, and CES for effort measurement
• Essential questions cover overall satisfaction, issue resolution, product quality, and support experience
• Turn results into action through feedback loops, customer segmentation, and closed-loop follow-up

CSAT surveys are the fastest way to measure customer happiness after any interaction with your brand. Unlike lengthy feedback forms that customers abandon, a well-designed CSAT questionnaire captures satisfaction data in seconds while the experience is still fresh.

This guide covers the exact questions, templates, and distribution strategies that ecommerce brands use to collect actionable feedback and improve their customer experience. You'll learn how to create surveys that customers actually complete and turn those responses into real business improvements.

What is a CSAT survey questionnaire?

A CSAT survey questionnaire is a measurement tool that captures how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction, product, or service. This means you ask customers to rate their experience on a scale, usually from one to five, right after they interact with your brand.

The core of any CSAT survey is one simple rating question: "How satisfied were you with [specific interaction]?" Customers respond on a scale from Very Dissatisfied to Very Satisfied. This simplicity drives higher completion rates than complex surveys.

CSAT differs from other feedback tools in timing and focus. While relationship surveys measure long-term loyalty, CSAT captures immediate reactions to specific touchpoints like support conversations, deliveries, or product experiences. The questionnaire becomes a survey instrument when you add follow-up questions to understand the "why" behind ratings.

Which customer satisfaction metrics should you use?

Different metrics serve different purposes in your customer experience strategy. Using the right tool for the job ensures you get clear, actionable data that helps you make better decisions.

CSAT score measures immediate satisfaction

CSAT excels at measuring satisfaction with specific interactions. Use it after support tickets, deliveries, or purchases when you need quick feedback on how well you performed. The 5-point scale makes it easy for customers to respond and for your team to track trends.

Key benefits of CSAT surveys:

• Immediate feedback: Captures reactions while the experience is fresh in customers' minds
• Operational insights: Shows you exactly which touchpoints need improvement
• High response rates: Simple format encourages more customers to participate
• Trend tracking: Easy to compare scores across time periods and channels

Net Promoter Score tracks loyalty and advocacy

Net Promoter Score (NPS) asks customers how likely they are to recommend your brand on a 0-10 scale. This metric predicts customer retention and word-of-mouth growth. Send NPS surveys quarterly or after customers have experienced your full product range.

Customer Effort Score reveals friction points

Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how easy it was for customers to complete a task or resolve an issue. Low effort correlates with higher loyalty. Deploy CES after complex processes like returns, account setup, or multi-step support resolutions.

CSAT question types and scales

The format of your questions directly impacts response quality and completion rates. Match your question type to the data you need and make it as easy as possible for customers to respond.

Likert scale questions capture nuanced feedback

Likert scales offer five to seven response options from one extreme to another, like Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Use them for satisfaction ratings, agreement levels, and frequency measurements. They provide data that's easy to analyze while giving customers enough options to express their true feelings.

Binary questions drive quick decisions

Yes/No or thumbs up/down questions work best for simple confirmations. Think: "Was your issue resolved?" or "Would you shop with us again?" Binary choices maximize response rates but sacrifice detail. Use them when you need high participation over deep insights.

Open-ended questions reveal the story behind scores

Text responses explain the "why" behind ratings. Keep them optional and place them after rating questions with prompts like, "What's the primary reason for your score?" These insights guide improvement priorities, even with lower response rates.

CSAT question bank and templates for ecommerce

These proven questions address the moments that matter most for online shoppers. Start with these templates and adapt them to your brand's specific touchpoints.

Post-purchase orders and delivery

Post-purchase surveys capture satisfaction with the buying and delivery experience:

• How satisfied are you with your recent purchase from [brand]?
• How would you rate your delivery experience?
• Was your order delivered in good condition?
• Did you receive the correct items in your order?
• How satisfied were you with the packaging of your order?

Post-support resolution

Support surveys measure how well your team resolved customer issues:

• Was your issue resolved to your satisfaction?
• How would you rate the support you received today?
• Were we able to resolve your issue in this conversation?
• How helpful was our support team?
• How satisfied were you with our response time?

Product and feature usage

Product surveys help you understand satisfaction with your actual offerings:

• How satisfied are you with the quality of [product]?
• How easy is our product to use?
• How satisfied are you with the value for money?
• Which features do you find most valuable?
• Does our product meet your needs?

Loyalty and NPS follow-up

Loyalty questions gauge future purchase intent and advocacy:

• How likely are you to purchase from us again?
• Would you recommend us to a friend?
• How do we compare to other brands you've purchased from?
• What's one thing we could do better?

How to create a CSAT survey in five steps

Building an effective CSAT survey requires strategic planning before you write a single question. Following a structured process ensures your survey delivers reliable, actionable data.

1. Define the objective and decision to inform

Start with the business decision your survey will influence. Are you measuring support quality to improve agent training? Tracking delivery satisfaction to evaluate shipping carriers? Clear objectives determine which questions to ask and how to analyze results.

2. Select the metric and survey type

Choose the right tool for your goal. Select CSAT for transactional feedback, NPS for relationship health, or CES for process improvement. Match your survey type to your objective: post-interaction surveys for operational metrics, periodic surveys for strategic insights.

3. Write clear, unbiased questions

Use simple language that customers understand immediately. Avoid leading questions like "How excellent was our service?" which bias results. Instead, use neutral phrasing like, "How would you rate our service?" Test questions internally to catch confusion before launch.

4. Design for completion and mobile

Keep surveys under two minutes. Place rating questions first, followed by optional open-ended questions. Since most customers respond on mobile, use large buttons, minimal scrolling, and responsive design. Preview on multiple devices before sending.

5. Test, launch, and iterate with data

Pilot your survey with a small customer segment first. Monitor completion rates, response quality, and technical issues. After launch, review results weekly to identify question improvements and timing adjustments.

When to send and how to distribute CSAT surveys

Timing and channel selection determine whether customers engage with your survey or ignore it. The right approach maximizes response rates and data quality.

Ask for feedback while the interaction is still top of mind

Send transactional surveys within 24 hours of the interaction while details remain fresh. Post-purchase surveys perform best two to three days after delivery. Support surveys should trigger immediately after ticket resolution.

Avoid survey fatigue by limiting requests to once per customer per month. During peak seasons like Black Friday, increase post-purchase surveys but reduce follow-up questions to maintain completion rates.

Match survey distribution to customer preferences

Different channels work better for different types of feedback:

• Email surveys: Achieve highest response rates for post-purchase feedback when included in order confirmations or shipping notifications
• In-app surveys: Capture feedback during the experience using exit-intent popups or embedded widgets after key actions
• SMS surveys: Work for time-sensitive feedback but keep to one question with a link for additional comments
• Chat surveys: Appear naturally after support conversations and can auto-trigger when agents close tickets

How to turn CSAT results into action

Collecting feedback without acting on it damages customer trust. Here's how to close the loop and turn scores into improvements.

Build a feedback loop and owners

Assign clear ownership for each feedback category. Support owns resolution feedback, fulfillment owns delivery ratings, product owns quality scores. Create weekly reviews where owners present trends and action plans to improve your CSAT scores.

Segment results for decisions

Break down scores by customer segment, product line, and support channel. Compare new versus returning customers. Identify which segments drive low scores and prioritize improvements with highest impact.

Key segmentation approaches:

• Channel performance: Compare satisfaction across email, chat, phone, and social media support
• Product categories: Identify which product lines generate the most complaints or praise
• Customer type: Analyze differences between first-time buyers and repeat customers
• Geographic regions: Spot regional issues with shipping, support hours, or product availability

Close the loop with customers

Follow up with dissatisfied customers within 48 hours. Thank satisfied customers and request reviews. Share improvements made based on feedback through email updates or Help Center articles. This shows customers their voice creates change.

Use root cause analysis on negative feedback patterns. Tag responses by theme to identify systemic issues. Create escalation workflows for scores below your threshold. Set service level agreements for follow-up based on score severity.

Start measuring customer satisfaction with Gorgias

CSAT surveys give you the customer insights needed to improve your support, products, and overall experience. The templates and strategies in this guide provide your starting framework for collecting valuable feedback data.

Gorgias automates CSAT collection right within your helpdesk. Send surveys automatically after ticket resolution, track scores by agent and topic, and identify improvement areas through AI-powered insights. This turns feedback into a powerful tool for operational excellence and customer retention.

Book a demo to see how Gorgias turns feedback into better customer experiences.

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