Founded in 2020 by the entrepreneur Paul Mantia at just 18 years old, SNK-SHOP is a dynamic company offering a variety of products, including clothing inspired by the immensely popular Attack on Titan universe. This best-selling manga series has captivated audiences worldwide, selling over 100 million copies. Before launching its e-commerce platform, Paul had already cultivated a substantial fan community on Instagram. Within six months of its launch, SNK-SHOP established itself as the premier store dedicated to this manga series in French-speaking Europe, covering France, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Customer support: a pillar for sustainable growth
Paul's commitment to building strong relationships with his community is central to SNK-SHOP's operations. This community engagement allows fans to suggest and select future products for the store. Recognizing that effective customer support and tailored services are crucial for sustaining rapid growth, Paul sought solutions to manage these aspects efficiently. Managing both the store and the Instagram community single-handedly required significant effort.
As an entrepreneur with budget constraints, Paul needed a cost-effective solution to enhance customer support and optimize the customer experience. After extensive research into the French e-commerce ecosystem, he identified Botmind as the ideal tool to automate customer relations and sustain SNK-SHOP's rapid expansion.
Automation to optimize customer relationship management
Integrating the virtual agent on the brand's e-commerce site was quick, and the tool's learning curve was, to a large extent, facilitated by the customized support of the Botmind team. In Paul's words, "The integration was quite fast, and I'm very happy with the time it took to set up the virtual agent. I had specific ideas in mind, and thanks to Botmind's flexibility, they were easy to replicate."
Acting as a filter for low value-added requests, the virtual agent automates responses to frequent and time-consuming questions and redirects high value-added requests in the form of pre-completed support tickets (with all necessary information) by email to Paul.
Since the implementation of the virtual agent, SNK-SHOP has given a new dimension to its customer relationship management and has benefited from the multiple advantages of the Botmind solution by:
- Maintaining 24/7 proximity with customers and the community
- Providing continuous assistance seven days a week
- Reducing support costs by approximately 60% while enhancing customer satisfaction
- Offering ultra-personalized customer experiences
- Improving management of peak activity periods
Within months of implementation, the virtual agent reduced contact rates by an average of 80%, saving Paul over two hours daily to focus on other projects.
Features designed to boost sales
The virtual agent also enhances visitor support during the pre-sales phase by implementing product paths and providing guidance that engages customers in the sales process. Whether searching for character names or size guides, customers receive relevant responses that positively influence their shopping experience and purchasing decisions.
An example of a trigger on the SNK-SHOP website
SNK-SHOP employs triggers—small notification bubbles from the virtual agent—to capture visitors' attention and initiate conversations. These triggers have generated over 55% of automated interactions and help guide consumers through tailored sales channels. By maximizing engagement rates and improving conversion rates, these features contribute significantly to increased sales and revenue.
A fun anecdote
In the early days, after the company implemented the virtual agent, a visitor had fun spoiling the entire series of the virtual agent. This incident proves that the virtual agent quickly becomes a customer's best friend once the conversation starts 🙂
In the early days of using the virtual agent, a visitor humorously attempted to spoil it with the entire series. This playful interaction highlights how quickly customers can form friendly connections with the virtual agent once engaged in conversation.
SNK-SHOP's deployment of the virtual agent has automated customer relationship management and enhanced visitor experiences on its e-commerce site. Customers now rely on the virtual agent for guidance throughout their shopping journey, while Paul focuses on high-value inquiries and personal projects more efficiently.
At Botmind, we are proud to collaborate with innovative entrepreneurs like Paul, supporting them in growing their businesses and enriching their customers' shopping and support experiences.
Key insights
- 🚀 Rapid growth achieved through strategic community engagement.
- 🤖 Automation reduced contact rates by 80%, saving time and costs.
- 🛒 Virtual agent features boost sales by guiding pre-sales interactions.
- 💬 Triggers engage visitors effectively, enhancing conversion rates.
- 🎉 Fun interactions build friendly connections with customers.