For over a decade in India’s hospitality and coworking industries, I’ve seen customer support dismissed as a “cost center” – an inevitable expense to be cut when times get tough. But the data and my own experience tell a different story: support is a goldmine of growth if you treat it right. In fact, 85% of Indian customers will walk away after one bad experience . The flip side is powerful: 94% say great service makes them buy again . Smart brands now reframe support as a growth engine – using every interaction to deepen relationships, fuel retention, and drive upsell.
The Skills Behind Next-Gen Support
Being a customer experience leader means hiring for more than just a friendly voice. Today’s support agents need empathy, active listening and problem-solving (see graphic above). Why? Because their work directly impacts business results. For example, 94% of Indian consumers report that an excellent service experience makes them more likely to purchase again . Globally, customers with positive past experiences spend 140% more than those with poor experiences . Conversely, one unhappy guest can cost you dearly: after a single bad support call, 85% of Indian customers will switch to a competitor . These figures make it clear: investing in support-team skills is not optional – it’s mandatory for driving loyalty and growth.
From Reactive to Proactive Partnerships
Remember the old image of support – row after row of cubicles, agents stuck answering tickets? That scene still exists, but today it should look very different. A modern support team doesn’t just answer questions; it anticipates them. By analyzing frequent issues or feedback, agents can identify product or process improvements upstream . For instance, if multiple guests report the same broken A/C, support flags it for facilities, preventing complaints for others. This kind of proactive problem-solving “removes potential roadblocks along the customer journey and crafts a positive experience” , building deeper trust.
The same proactive mindset works for upselling. When support is empowered with customer data and training, each conversation can become an opportunity to add value. Automated systems can prompt timely offers: think of a coworking member booking a meeting room who immediately gets a friendly chat offer for a conference phone or catering package. In e-commerce this drives significant lifts – proactive chatbots have boosted order values by nearly 50% for some retailers . In our world, suggest adding a breakfast plan to a student booking or a spa voucher to a hotel reservation, and watch revenue grow. In fact, 69% of Indian companies say customer service interactions reveal new cross-sell opportunities .
WeWork India and the Co‑Working Community
In India’s exploding coworking market, understanding members is everything. Take WeWork India: by FY23 they hit ₹1,300 Cr revenue with 81% occupancy across 54+ centers . That success isn’t luck – it’s about listening to local needs. Community managers and support apps gather feedback constantly, leading to tweaks like 24/7 access in hot summer months or new snacks in the pantry. Every improved touchpoint means higher renewals. (WeWork’s model is 84% membership revenue, so keeping members happy directly lifts the top line .)
The same principle applies to Indian co-living and student housing startups. Operators like Stanza or Zolo keep occupancy in the 85–90% range by bundling services: meals, laundry, cleaning, events, you name it. Industry reports note co-living brands have seen ~100% year-on-year revenue growth by offering ever-richer experiences. Behind the scenes, support and community teams track what students and professionals actually use, then upsell personalized packages. In short, these companies treat every support agent as a mini-salesperson and researcher – closing issues and uncovering what to offer next.
Hospitality’s Personalized Edge: Marriott & Oberoi
Brand-name hotels have long used service as a competitive advantage, and India’s luxury players are no exception. The Oberoi Group, for instance, is legendary for its personalized service. As CEO Vikram Oberoi explains, they train staff to actively listen so that “guests develop an everlasting bond with our brand.” . If a family needed special infant formula or extra pillows, Oberoi staff won’t just hand them a list of local shops – they’ll source the items immediately. These small gestures build loyalty and often lead to return visits or referrals.
Marriott International similarly turns support into sales through data. Their Bonvoy loyalty program uses insights from past stays to tailor offers: members can redeem points on unique experiences (concerts, foodie tours), and those who do show 20% higher engagement . Marriott also feeds CRM data to front-desk staff, empowering them to offer room upgrades or spa packages for the right guests. In fact, personalized offers in Marriott’s Bonvoy program increased direct bookings by ~15% . In India, Marriott’s many brands (JW Marriott, Courtyard, Ritz-Carlton, etc.) leverage these global best practices: a traveler booking a business suite might be offered an executive lounge access as an add-on, turning support conversations into revenue.
Turning Service into Strategy
All these examples share a mindset: service is strategy. Here are some actions we’ve taken (and that any business can adopt) to reframe support as a growth engine:
- Capture and act on insights. Every complaint or question is data. Use ticketing systems and surveys to spot patterns. If multiple customers request a midday check-out, adjust your policies. If calls spike about Wi-Fi speed, upgrade your network. By continuously looping feedback into product and ops, support teams drive improvements that reduce future costs and boost satisfaction .
- Empower with tools. Equip agents with CRM profiles and knowledge bases. In a hotel chain, an agent might see a guest’s past preferences and proactively suggest their favorite newspaper or wine upgrade. In coworking, integrate apps so members can chat or book services without friction. For example, AI chatbots that detect struggling users can start helpful conversations, preventing ticket surges and creating upsell moments .
- Train for relationships. Celebrate brand ambassadors among staff. Allocate time for agents to follow up post-resolution – not just close a ticket. A quick thank-you email or check-in can turn a transaction into a relationship.
- Measure the right things. Don’t judge support solely by speed or cost-per-call. Track customer lifetime value, NPS, and repeat purchase rates tied to support experiences. We routinely present our C-suite with charts like “1% uptick in CSAT drove $X million in retention” – this helps turn CEOs’ eyes toward investing in support capabilities. According to recent research, 88% of Indian businesses already see a direct link between customer service and overall business performance . Highlighting such metrics makes support teams partners in growth, not just expense bearers.
Food for Thought: From Cost to Catalyst
The era of treating customer support as a drain is fading. Today’s customers have more choices and higher expectations than ever – especially younger professionals who share experiences online. We either meet them proactively, or risk losing them.
Remember: support isn’t the finish line, it’s the fuel. Every delighted customer becomes a marketing asset. By reframing support with data, creativity, and ownership, businesses can turn every call or chat into an insight, every resolution into loyalty, and every offer into additional revenue. In India, 94% of consumers say they’ll come back after a positive support experience – a powerful reason to empower our support teams. It’s not just positive thinking; it’s sound business strategy.
So here’s the firm takeaway: view your support arm as a growth engine. Invest in your agents, listen to your customers, and align support KPIs with retention and upsell. The result is a virtuous cycle of happier customers and a healthier bottom line. As one study notes, nearly half of Indian companies already regard customer experience as a revenue-generating engine . Will you join them?
