The statistics are sobering: approximately nine out of 10 startups don’t make it. There are many reasons new companies fail to prosper, including lack of capital, failure to understand customer needs and inadequate team preparation. In today’s highly competitive business environment, the ability to consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience can make the difference between success and failure. That’s why startups should invest in customer support software.

While some companies wait until after the startup phase to adopt customer support software, the fact is that a well-designed support solution provides critical capabilities that can help new businesses achieve the early success that leads to long-term viability. Here are five ways customer support software can help startups make the grade:

1. Generate cost savings

Customer support software can help companies save money by providing a platform to publish self-service resources like FAQs, how-to guides and videos as well as customer forums. Today’s customers tend to seek answers on their own before contacting a support agent. By giving them self-service options, startups can meet customer expectations while deflecting service contacts on basic issues so that the support team can focus on resolving more complex problems. This also means doing more with less – a basic mantra for most startups.

2. Manage customer relationships

The ability to build and manage customer relationships effectively is the most critical factor in startup success, particularly for companies that cater to other businesses. A customer support solution can enable startups to gain an early understanding of their customer base with product and customer data and tools that enable service history tracking.This allows the company to deliver proactive, personalized service — a key differentiator in a data-driven economy.

3. Continuously improve satisfaction to drive growth

A support solution that empowers agents to quickly resolve customer issues and build person-to-person relationships can turn a customer base into a de facto business development team. An omnichannel support solution enables startups to interact with customers across their preferred channels, including social media, and inspire clients to share positive experiences and refer new customers to drive growth.

4. Improve employee satisfaction by providing the right resources

The best customer support agents are happiest when they are helping customers. Customer support software that provides agents with the data and tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively improves job satisfaction and helps startups avoid costly recruiting and training expenses by keeping their best and brightest on board.

5. Monitor reporting to support agility

Startups have to be agile to succeed, and that means they must find a way to understand what’s working, identify and resolve problems and spot patterns and trends. A customer support software solution with robust reporting capabilities can give startups the data they need to identify trending demands, recognize and resolve customer service issues and be a dynamic presence in the marketplace.

Startups are typically short on cash, so the leaders of new companies often put off investing in enterprise solutions until the company starts generating more revenue. That may make sense in some cases, but it’s a mistake to defer the purchase of customer support software. The startup phase is exactly when companies most need to save money, build and nurture relationships, improve satisfaction and recognize changing dynamics. With the right support solution, startups can beat the odds and succeed in a competitive environment.