This document discusses the challenges faced by the Kayako Support team over a 3 month period where the work environment was described as "toxic" and "on fire". It then provides lessons learned from fighting this "fire" which include not solving problems you don't have, getting constant feedback from your team, measuring metrics to track progress, defaulting to trusting your team, and focusing on your team first before customers. Examples are given of improvements made where team satisfaction and customer satisfaction increased while response times decreased after implementing these changes to the support culture and environment.

1. @sarahleeyoga
Support is easy,
it’s like riding a
bike.
A story of the last 3 months of Kayako Support

2. @sarahleeyoga
Support is easy, it’s like
riding a bike.
…but the bike is on fire
…and you’re on fire
…and everything is on fire
…and you’re in hell
A story of the last 3 months of Kayako Support

3. @sarahleeyoga
Everyone’s had to fight a fire before

4. @sarahleeyoga
Everyone’s had to fight a fire before
“Change Management”

5. @sarahleeyoga
A little background

6. @sarahleeyoga
Kayako Support on fire:
“Support is a frontline for the company, you should start
taking it seriously. This team is always neglected in
monetary terms, appreciation and credit. Already we have
lost many good team players and experienced staff.”

7. @sarahleeyoga
• Toxic work environment
• Mandatory log in hours
• Chaos
• No leadership
• No future

8. @sarahleeyoga
Our fire was our culture problems, but yours might be
something different. Something that seems all consuming.
Here are things I learned fighting fire
5

9. @sarahleeyoga
Don’t solve problems you don’t have
You’ve got enough to do…
1.

10. @sarahleeyoga
Bikeshedding

11. @sarahleeyoga
“the argument that organisations
give disproportionate weight to
trivial issues.”
- Parkinson’s law of triviality

12. @sarahleeyoga
Always ask:
• Why do people feel this is important?
• Is this the most important thing we
should be talking about?
• Do we need to answer this question
before we move on?

13. @sarahleeyoga
Become the Queen of Slack2.

14. @sarahleeyoga
Do:
• Get constant input, and
proactively ask people how
they feel
• Get to know people who will
tell you exactly what’s going
on.
Don’t:
• Wait until it’s too late

15. @sarahleeyoga
Measure something, anything3.

16. @sarahleeyoga
Measure something, anything

17. @sarahleeyoga
Default to trust4.

18. @sarahleeyoga

19. @sarahleeyoga
34
36
38
40
42
July 15 Aug 24 Oct 15
Average hours logged in per week

20. @sarahleeyoga
Always, always focus on your team first and
your customers second5.

21. @sarahleeyoga

22. @sarahleeyoga
3 months ago: Today:
Team NPS = 12
Customer Satisfaction = 86%
First Reply Time = 10.5 hrs
Team NPS = 24
Customer Satisfaction = 94%
First Reply Time = 2 hrs
…and 4 weddings are being planned
So where are we now?

23. @sarahleeyoga
1. Don’t solve problems you don’t have
2. Become the Queen of Slack (feedback)
3. Measure something, anything
4. Default to trust
5. The team always comes first

24. @sarahleeyoga
Thank you!
slides at learn.kayako.com/userconf2015