Brian Oblinger discusses evolving support communities beyond just using them for deflection. He advocates investing significantly in support communities to facilitate knowledge sharing, learning, and growth. Successful communities achieve adoption, satisfaction, scalability, and sustainability by connecting people to the right answers, viewing community, content, and support as an integrated ecosystem, and proactively bringing the community to customers.

1. Brian Oblinger
VP, Community & Support
@brianoblinger
in/brianoblinger

2. @brianoblinger
Support Communities

3. @brianoblinger
Support Communities aren't sexy 🤓

4. @brianoblinger
Support Communities aren't sexy, they're just
the most common and effective type of
community on the web today
#HatersGonnaHate 😎

5. @brianoblinger
You know what's sexy? Support Communities’ ROI
#MakeItRain 💸💰

6. @brianoblinger
It's time to evolve Support Communities
beyond the old deflection methodology

7. @brianoblinger
old deflection methodology = throw up a
“community”, commit very few resources, and
hope that it siphons off X% of cases per year

8. @brianoblinger
deflection is a KPI, not a strategy

9. @brianoblinger
deflectionconnection

10. @brianoblinger
connection = build a vibrant support community and
invest significantly to facilitate knowledge sharing,
accelerated learning, and personal growth

11. @brianoblinger
deflection = community is a sidecar
connection = community is the engine

12. @brianoblinger
Support Community

13. @brianoblinger
Community

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Support Community

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Community Support

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Community & Support

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Community SupportContent

18. @brianoblinger

19. @brianoblinger
What does success look like?
Community Adoption
Traditional Support
Effort Required

20. @brianoblinger
Satisfaction + Scalability + Sustainability = Success

21. @brianoblinger
Takeaways
1. Support Communities, while often forgotten, are relevant and important
2. Focus on connecting people to the right answer, not deflection
3. Instill a mindset that community, content, and support are one ecosystem
4. Build departmental structure and resources to drive efficiency and satisfaction
5. Don’t wait for customers to come to community, bring community to them

22. @brianoblinger
THE BIG SECRET

23. @brianoblinger