A Shopify Podcast To Grow Revenue And Loyalty
Welcome to eCommerce Fastlane. Today, my guest is Austin Reece, Head of Product Marketing and Revenue Enablement at Gladly.
In this episode, we dive deep into how AI-powered customer service transforms how brands engage with their customers—before, during, and after a sale. Brands like Nordstrom, Warby Parker, Crate & Barrel, and Rothy’s use Gladly’s AI-driven customer experience platform to provide faster, more personalized support while improving retention and driving revenue.
If you’ve ever felt that traditional customer service ticketing systems were holding your brand back, this episode is for you.
Here’s what we cover in today’s conversation:
- The AI-Powered Shift in Customer Service – How brands are moving away from outdated ticket-based systems and embracing a people-first approach.
- True Omnichannel Support – Why unifying voice, chat, SMS, email, and social in one platform is a game-changer for eCommerce brands.
- AI as an Efficiency Booster, Not a Replacement – How AI empowers agents instead of replacing them, handling routine inquiries so humans can focus on high-value conversations.
- Customer Service as a Revenue Driver – How leading brands turn support interactions into sales and retention opportunities with AI-assisted upselling.
- Why CSAT Scores Matter – How brands using Gladly achieve 98% customer satisfaction by personalizing every interaction.
This is Austin’s story:
Austin Reece has dedicated his career to helping eCommerce brands thrive by improving customer experiences with technology. He optimizes support operations, drives efficiency, and strengthens customer relationships.
Before joining Gladly, Austin honed his skills in key roles at Stripe and Route, collaborating with fast-growing brands to improve their payment and post-purchase processes. Now, at Gladly, he’s focused on transforming customer service from a cost center into a profit center—a competitive advantage.
What makes Gladly stand out? They’ve shifted the focus from tickets to customers. Unlike traditional platforms that make customers repeat themselves, Gladly’s AI-driven system provides agents with a complete view of the customer journey across all channels—email, chat, SMS, and voice—all in one place.
By using AI-powered automation, smart routing with People Match, and valuable insights, Gladly helps brands like Nordstrom, Warby Parker, Rothy’s, and Crate & Barrel boost efficiency, increase customer satisfaction, and unlock new revenue streams.
Gladly personalizes every interaction, building stronger customer relationships while streamlining operations, unlike older platforms focused on closing tickets.
With its customer-first approach, AI-driven People Match™, and seamless integrations with Shopify and Klaviyo, Austin and the Gladly team are truly redefining what’s possible in eCommerce customer service. Gladly is the first all-in-one Customer Service platform.
Key Takeaways:
1️⃣ AI-Driven Customer Service = Higher Conversions
Gladly’s AI-powered assistant pre-fills forms, automates simple inquiries, and guides agents to provide faster, more informed support.
2️⃣ 98% CSAT Scores? Here’s How
Brands using Gladly eliminate frustrating ticket-based support and instead treat customers like people, not cases—leading to dramatically higher satisfaction scores.
3️⃣ Why AI is NOT a Job Killer
Instead of replacing customer service teams, AI allows brands to scale support efficiently, reduce costs, and free agents to focus on high-value interactions.
4️⃣ From Support to Sales: Turning Conversations into Revenue
With built-in AI-powered product recommendations and upsell triggers, Gladly transforms service agents into revenue-generating brand ambassadors.
5️⃣ Seamless Integration with Shopify and Klaviyo
Gladly connects natively with Klaviyo, Loop Returns, and Shopify, allowing customer support teams to sync order data, automate email follow-ups, and optimize the post-purchase experience.
Episode Summary:
The Problem with Traditional Customer Service
- Why legacy platforms struggle to keep up with modern eCommerce needs
- How fragmented channels lead to slower response times and lower satisfaction
AI-Powered Support: The Gladly Approach
- How AI enables faster, more personalized customer interactions
- Why People Match™, Gladly’s intelligent routing system, pairs customers with the best agent for their needs
The Revenue Potential of Customer Service
- How brands are using AI-assisted selling to boost AOV and LTV
- Why top DTC brands treat customer support as a profit center, not a cost center
Links and Resources Mentioned
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