Under a traditional business relationship, the seller provides all the details, and the buyer passively consumes the information before making a decision.

That was fine when customer relationships were based in the real world. However, in the digital era, there’s more distance (physically and metaphorically) between buyers and sellers than ever before.

How do we bridge this divide? The answer is customer collaboration.

Not only does this approach foster open communication, but it also helps guide the conversation toward a natural conclusion: the sale!

In this article, we explore the ins and outs of customer collabs, listing the best customer collaboration platforms currently available.

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We cover:

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• What is Customer Collaboration?

• Why Does It Matter?

• What is a Customer Collaboration Platform?

• Best Customer Collaboration Software

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What is customer collaboration?

Customer collaboration is a modern business concept prioritising active engagement between buyers and sellers. Gone is the one-way street where sellers speak and buyers listen. In this reframed partnership, the two parties work together toward a common goal.

For most businesses, the seller’s input revolves primarily around feedback. That could be from surveys, questionnaires, or interviews. Companies can refine their products, services, or sales strategies based on the responses.

However, that’s just a small part of its potential.

Customer collaboration can also guide the buyer’s journey. Mutual Action Plans, for example, clearly define the milestones, timelines, and responsibilities of both groups before a deal is even signed. Not only does this foster a culture of openness and continuous dialogue, but it also helps forge a common goal.

This collaborative approach transforms customers from passive ‘consumers’ into active ‘co-creators.’ The transaction is a partnership.

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Why does customer collaboration matter?

B2B and B2C sales are increasingly going digital. By removing the human element, it becomes harder and harder to create genuine business relationships. Once, customers felt some obligation to a particular seller based on their in-person interactions – no longer.

Emails go unanswered, deals fall through, and people remain anonymous.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Buyers and sellers can complete or cancel a deal without ever exchanging basic information – and sellers feel no connection to a product or service.

That results in customer churn: the percentage of customers who stop using a company’s product or services over a set time period. Indeed, it’s never been easy to jump ship. It’s a major problem in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry – but other sectors are also affected.

Customer success was the solution – actively working to ensure customers see a tangible benefit from a platform or service. Customer collaboration just takes it a step further, engaging the customer directly. To combat churn, businesses need to actively foster these relationships, ensuring customers feel valued, heard, and connected to the product/service and the company itself.

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What is a customer collaboration platform?

Customer collaboration platforms (or customer collaboration software) work to organise and facilitate direct interaction and cooperation between businesses and their customers. Often, that means creating a shared environment – a virtual space – where ideas, feedback, and information flow freely.

But as the name implies, it’s a two-way street. Sellers can provide information about their products and services, answer common questions, provide competitor analysis, and drive towards a sale. Meanwhile, the buyer can ask questions, request further information, and provide real-time feedback.

Some platforms even integrate mutual action plans into the service – using it as a tool for ongoing dialogue. Other common functions include:

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• Forums for open discussions and sharing of ideas

• Chat functions for real-time communication between customers and businesses

• Collaboration boards for collective brainstorming and idea generation

• Survey tools to gather customer feedback and insights

• Analytics to analyse customer data and identify trends

• Social media integration to connect with customers on platforms they use

• CRM system integration for a holistic view of customer interactions

• Document sharing for easy access to relevant information and resources

• Video conferencing for virtual meetings and discussions

• Project management features to track progress and collaborate on projects

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Best customer collaboration software

We believe firmly in software integration. As you build your sales tool stack, you should try to foster customer collabs. Think about how your different tools work together to improve the customer’s overall experience.

That doesn’t have to solely be communication platforms. Customer collaboration software comes in all shapes and sizes. Here are our top five tools:

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trumpet

Trumpet is your go-to digital sales room (DSR). It should be the centrepiece of any custom collaboration strategy. Why? Because Trumpet creates a centralised location where the buyer’s journey can take place.

Pulling information from your customer relationship management (CRM) software auto-personalises the DSR, adding a customer’s name and including relevant information. Moreover, you can further tailor the features you want to display in your room, including intros, proposals, case studies, Mutual Action Plans, videos, product demos, competitor comparisons, FAQs, and more.

That’s not all – it also lets you track every action a buyer takes, helping you identify key intent signals. So, you can keep on top of your sales and promote better customer interactions.

Also read: What is a Digital Sales Room: A Comprehensive Guide [2023]

ZenDesk

ZenDesk is a comprehensive platform covering all aspects of sales. Some of its incredible features include email integration, sales engagement tools, and the task player (which helps streamline routine sales activities).

Of course, that just speeds up sales. As a CRM, it collects and stores all the data you need to understand your customers better. And it saves your team valuable time that could be better spent on direct customer collaboration.

Furthermore, ZenDesk provides detailed analytics and reporting features that allow you to track your sales performance and customer interactions. This data-driven approach helps identify areas for improvement and ensures your sales strategies are effective and targeted.

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RingCentral

RingCentral is another powerful tool for customer collaboration. Through its suite of features, it facilitates seamless communication across numerous channels. Some features like video conferencing, messaging, and file sharing allow teams to connect and collaborate with customers without relying on cumbersome email chains.

RingCentral’s video conferencing, in particular, allows for real-time face-to-face interaction, harking back to the old days of building client relationships. There’s no substitute for a conversation.

Moreover, the platform integrates with several CRMs and other tools, including Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, MailChimp, Zapier, ZenDesk, and Asana.

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Slack

Need to communicate fast? Slack has become the preferred way to send messages between teams and professionals. In fact, Slack revolutionises customer collaboration by delivering an intuitive platform where teams can communicate and share information seamlessly.

Its integrated messaging system enables real-time discussions, breaking down barriers that hinder effective collaboration. The platform even lets you create dedicated channels for specific customers or projects. That means all communications and files are organised and easily accessible.

All of this info is also only a search away. Finding a previous conversation within the platforms helps bring new parties up to speed and further enhances collaboration.

Like other platforms, Slack includes an extensive range of third-party integrations (e.g., CRMs, project management tools, and file-sharing platforms). Indeed, the platform lets you pull sales reports, update CRM details, and find clients in a snap.

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HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one platform covering CRM, sales, marketing, and customer service tools. There’s not a single aspect of the customer experience HubSpot doesn’t have a tool for. That means companies can provide personalised support and build greater customer collaboration from a centralised platform.

One of the standout features of HubSpot is the shared inbox. It consolidates all customer communications into a single location, including emails, chats, and social media messages. Not only does that promote transparency, but it ensures no customer interaction is overlooked.

In addition, HubSpot’s automation tool streamlines routine tasks, like data entry or follow-up emails, freeing up more time for direct customer engagement.

As if that wasn’t enough – the platform’s robust analytics and reporting features ensure the business can track its customer collaboration to gauge its effectiveness.

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Why choose trumpet for customer collaboration

Customer collabs don’t happen unless you make the right space. Gone are the days of a sale room; however, DSRs are the next best thing. Not only do they introduce your brand’s products and services, but they also form the main location for your collaboration.

• Deliver consistent messaging with a centralised content library. That includes your pitch decks, blog posts, reports, and other relevant information. Let customers access this as they work through the buyer’s journey

• Focus on the right deals with revenue intelligence signals. Our DSR microsites track every action your prospects take and help identify how best to keep them engaged – even after the sale

• Build a mutual action plan inside the DSR, establishing roles and responsibilities. Doing so creates a firm partnership that drives the transaction forward

• Integrate your DSR with leading CRMs and other collaborative tools to hyper-personalise your interactions.

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Customer collaboration takes action! Book a FREE demo with Trumpet to learn how to reach out to your customers with our one-link buyer journey.