Support Metric That’s Lying to You

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In this newsletter, you’ll find:

🚀 Beyond Speed: Why “Faster” Customer Support Isn’t Always Better

📈 Perplexity’s Super Bowl Playbook & January’s App Download Leaders

🚀 Ad of the Day

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🚀 Beyond Speed: Why “Faster” Customer Support Isn’t Always Better

The Support Metric That’s Lying to You Every DTC brand obsesses over response time. The logic is simple: customers hate waiting, so faster replies = happier customers, right?

Wrong.

Speed matters, but it’s not the most important factor. A two-minute response that doesn’t solve the issue is worse than a five-minute one that does. The best brands aren’t just making support faster—they’re making it smarter, more efficient, and more personalized.

Why Fast, But Low-Quality Support Hurts Your Brand

1️⃣ First-Response Speed Doesn’t Equal Resolution Speed

Many brands hit aggressive response-time SLAs, but customers don’t care about how quickly you say hello. They care about how quickly their problem is actually solved.

🔹 Fix it: Instead of measuring just response time, track first-contact resolution rates—how often a query is solved in the first reply. Intercom’s 2025 Customer Service Transformation Report reveals how AI-first support strategies are helping brands resolve up to 86% of their inquiries instantly with Fin AI Agent.

2️⃣ Generic Responses = More Frustration

Automated replies often acknowledge an issue but don’t resolve it, forcing customers to repeat themselves across multiple interactions. This creates friction, not efficiency.

🔹 Fix it: Use context-aware AI responses that pull in customer history, past purchases, and intent signals—so answers feel tailored, not robotic.

3️⃣Not Every Inquiry Needs a Human Agent

Many brands waste human support resources on simple questions that could be resolved instantly with AI. When reps handle basic inquiries, they aren’t available for high-value, revenue-driving conversations.

🔹 Fix it: Automate routine questions like shipping updates and product FAQs, so human agents can focus on complex, revenue-impacting cases. Intercom’s report highlights the shift toward AI-powered support and its impact on efficiency and customer satisfaction.

What High-Performance DTC Brands Optimize Instead

First-contact resolution rate—Measure if issues are solved in one interaction.

Personalized automation—Use AI to solve problems instantly, not just reply quickly.

Human support where it matters most—Let AI handle repetitive questions, freeing agents for retention-building interactions.

Final Takeaway

Speed alone isn’t the answer—efficiency and personalization are. The best brands don’t just respond fast—they solve smart. 

📈 Perplexity’s Super Bowl Playbook & January’s App Download Leaders

Perplexity skyrocketed in the App Store without spending on a Super Bowl ad, proving smart strategies can rival big budgets. Meanwhile, TikTok dethroned Instagram as the most downloaded app in January, setting the tone for 2025’s competitive app landscape.

• Perplexity’s Growth Hack Paid Off - By running a $1M contest during the Super Bowl, Perplexity boosted downloads by 50%, jumping from rank 257 to 49. Instead of traditional ads, the contest drove direct app engagement, showcasing its value firsthand.
• TikTok Leads, Instagram Slips - TikTok took the #1 spot in January with 49M downloads, ending Instagram’s long reign. Facebook, WhatsApp, and ChatGPT followed, with all top 10 apps (except Threads) seeing growth over December.
• App Downloads Surged to Start 2025 - January outpaced December in total downloads, signaling strong user acquisition trends. With heightened engagement across platforms, brands and developers face a promising but competitive landscape.

Smart, viral strategies can drive massive growth without ad spend. As app competition intensifies, user engagement tactics and platform dominance shifts will shape the mobile ecosystem in 2025.

🎥 Ad of the Day

What Works:

The tagline “Feel the rhythm, find your flow” creates an immediate sense of movement and experience. It taps into the emotional connection skiers have with their gear—gliding down slopes with a rhythmic flow, almost like a dance.

The bold branding ensures instant recognition while reinforcing the premium, stylish nature of the product.

What Could Be Better:

The ad lacks a clear functional message about what makes the Dancer Series unique. Whether it’s agility, durability, or precision, a subtle highlight of a key feature would make this even more compelling.

Broader Insights:

The ad doesn’t sell just skis; it sells the experience of skiing—the rhythm, the flow, the freedom. This storytelling approach makes the brand more aspirational.

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