Business

Looking for Customer Engagement Software? Here Are 7 Examples to Consider

Investing in customer engagement is a strategic move that can greatly enhance retention, satisfaction, and loyalty. When selecting the technology to support your B2B customer engagement program, you’ll find a wide array of options. How can you determine which type(s) of customer engagement software to choose?

The key is to explore a broad range of options with various user experiences. Just as in-person interactions require thoughtful planning, virtual environments also demand careful consideration and strategic design to ensure successful engagement.

To assist in your search, we’ve compiled a list of seven top customer engagement software examples that can help you connect with your customers in meaningful ways. Check out these options below:
  • Online community software
  • Virtual event software
  • Messaging/chat software
  • Learning management software
  • Product adoption software
  • Video chat/group call tools
  • Voice chat rooms

7 Examples of Customer Engagement Software

1. Online community software

Online community software enables you to create a centralized, branded online space where your customers (and sometimes prospects) can interact with each other and with your company. This platform allows them to discuss ideas and best practices, share feedback, ask questions, and access resources. Engaging with an online community has been shown to enhance customer loyalty.

Our (Higher Logic) online community platform offers three options for building a customer community. It includes built-in tools like automation rules that allow you to send personalized messages to specific segments of your customer base, encouraging them to take further actions.

Pros:

Online community software is often our top recommendation for customer engagement. Why? You probably already have tools for direct communication with customers, such as email marketing and marketing automation software, and platforms like Zoom for one-on-one calls or customer success tools. However, do you have a system for customers to engage with each other?

An online community merges the best of both worlds by providing a central, branded space where customers and companies can interact. This interaction provides your company with valuable customer insights.

Cons:

Building a community requires effort—there’s no way around it. While you can purchase a platform and invite your customers, if you don’t invest the necessary time, energy, and resources into nurturing your community, it won’t thrive. It’s crucial to have a balanced strategy, technology, and human resources to ensure your online community engagement plan is successful.

2. Virtual event software

Industry events are excellent opportunities to unite your customers, foster connections, and support professional development. With the shift away from in-person events last year and the growing trend towards hybrid events, using a virtual event platform is a great solution for customer engagement.

Consider platforms like Attendify or RingCentral Events. These tools create digital experiences that mimic in-person interactions. For example, Attendify allows you to plan, build, and manage a conference schedule, while RingCentral Events lets you organize main stage events and roundtables. Both platforms also offer networking opportunities and hybrid experiences for post-pandemic times.

Pros:

One major advantage of hosting a virtual event is inclusivity. You can connect with customers and prospects worldwide, many of whom might not be able to travel or afford in-person events. Virtual events can be held as frequently as your team’s capacity and customer interest allow. The main benefit of not meeting physically is the ability to provide a more accessible experience. However, the downside is that you miss out on face-to-face interactions.

Cons:

Although virtual event platforms are excellent for hosting events, they are not a year-round solution for customer engagement. Once an event ends, discussions and content are often lost. After the event, maintaining engagement can be challenging, as there are limited tools for continued interaction. To extend engagement, consider creating an event community to provide ongoing opportunities for customer interaction.

3. Messaging/chat software

Messaging tools like Intercom and Drift are often used for prospect engagement and demand generation, but they also have applications for external customer engagement. These platforms are valuable for addressing customer inquiries or providing support.

Pros:

Messaging or conversational marketing apps allow you to create automated workflows for various purposes, such as onboarding new users. These workflows can include product tours, new feature alerts, and re-engagement messages, saving your team time and guiding customers toward success.

Cons:

While automation is beneficial, customers don’t want exclusively automated interactions. If you use chat software as part of your customer engagement strategy, ensure it is complemented by other elements. Provide opportunities for customers to connect with each other and your staff in a more personal manner to help them succeed with your company.

4. Learning Management System

A Learning Management System (LMS) expands your company’s educational offerings and helps engage your customers. Platforms like Docebo and Teachable allow users to learn at their own pace and participate in group activities through commenting, forums, and other social features.

For example, Hootsuite, a well-known social media management and analytics platform, has developed an online academy. This academy helps customers and prospects gain social media proficiency, offering both practical tips and skills development—an effective way to engage and give back to your customers.

Pros:

An LMS can facilitate a certification program for your software, enhancing customers’ personal branding and resumes, as well as improving their proficiency with your product. It can also support successful onboarding and adoption of your product.

Tip: Adding a community element to courses can make them more rewarding for customers. Consider creating a community for each course or a broader learning community where customers can form study groups, discuss exams, and ask questions.

Cons:

Developing courses requires significant internal time and resources, which some businesses might view as a drawback. Online courses demand intense focus and can be mentally taxing, potentially limiting their appeal to a smaller segment of your customer base who value this learning style.

5. Product adoption software

As your business grows and you onboard new customers, personalizing each onboarding experience can be challenging. Platforms like Pendo and WalkMe help streamline this process, familiarizing new customers with your offerings.

Pros:

A streamlined onboarding experience engages customers from the start, when they are most enthusiastic about realizing value with your company. Additionally, providing ongoing tips through a pop-up resource center or on-page help ensures customers receive assistance in real time.

Cons:

A digital adoption platform is a valuable component of your customer engagement program, but it shouldn’t be the only one. For customers who are familiar with the product and seeking advanced insights or inspiration, a customer community can complement the adoption tool, offering a space for strategic discussions and idea exchange.

6. Video chat/group call tool

Yes, a video chat tool can be used to enhance customer engagement! Tools like Zoom can facilitate one-on-one calls between Customer Success Managers and customers or host virtual learning and networking sessions (referred to as Office Hours or HL Connect). Video calls foster stronger connections.

Pros:

Using Zoom for customer success calls or Office Hours allows customers to see and hear the people behind your company and other customers. These face-to-face interactions are crucial for building customer loyalty, retention, and growth.

Cons:

Customers who are not accustomed to interacting with each other may feel intimidated by video calls. Additionally, the phenomenon of Zoom fatigue can be a concern. To ease customers into new engagement activities like Office Hours, use creative promotion strategies:

  • Ensure each session has a clear topic and moderator, along with specific questions to be addressed.
  • Share key takeaways and learnings from sessions in your online community and tag participants.
  • Use automation rules in your Higher Logic Community to invite engaged customers to join.

7. Voice chat rooms

Voice chat rooms, such as those on Clubhouse, offer a novel way to engage. Clubhouse allows users to move between conversations freely and hosts discussions on various topics. Companies can use this platform to conduct regular conversations about industry trends and news, provided they maintain consistent presence.

Pros:

With many people working remotely, there’s a growing desire for informal, watercooler-style conversations. Apps like Clubhouse provide a lively, interactive environment where people are eager to engage in real-time discussions.

Cons:

Clubhouse can be time-consuming and exclusive, potentially creating a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) among important customers. Additionally, it remains largely untested for business applications, particularly for customer engagement, which may give you pause or motivate you to be an early adopter. The choice is yours!

The Good News About Customer Engagement Software

The positive aspect of customer engagement is that you don’t need to choose just one type of software. Each tool mentioned above offers unique benefits and can be valuable on its own. However, when combined, they can create a comprehensive customer engagement program, enhancing overall effectiveness.