By acquiring Kustomer, a client relation startup, Facebook put its emphasis on communication and customer relationship.
A billion dollars is a lot of money. It’s also how much Facebook spent to acquire Kustomer, a customer relation startup.
As we know, Facebook adds more and more tools for professionals and companies. More than a social media, the website now wants to become a link between companies and clients.
A position the website’s teams undertake fully :
« Our goal with Kustomer is simple: to give businesses access to best-in-class tools that deliver excellent service and support », as explained in a press-release.
Adapting to the digital world
Offering new tools to companies is a sound and logic choice for Facebook, especially in these pandemic times.
Indeed, the COVID-19 virus has strongly accelerated the shift to digital for a lot of organisations. They now also have to adapt their communications and their customer relationships to these new tools.
« Any business knows that when the phone rings, they need to answer it. Increasingly, texts and messages have become just as important as that phone call — and businesses need to adapt », Matt Idema, COO, WhatsApp, explains.
According to a recent poll, Canadians are ready to break up with companies that can’t keep up digitally.
This is where Kustomer comes in.
The company offers to group all of a company’s interactions with its clients in the same place.
That way, they can find their conversations, coming from Facebook, Twitter or Instagram messages or as well as from email.
Kustomer’s tools were already offered to companies, in part, on the social media.
With this acquisition, Mark Zuckerberg’s firm intends to improve the startup’s products as well as innovating alongside its teams.
« That way, more people will benefit from customer service that is faster, richer and available whenever and however they need it, whether it’s phone, email, web chat or messaging. »
In an distinct press release, Brad Birnbaum, Kustomer’s CEO, adds :
« These practices are not just good business. They are the factors that build brand loyalty and repeat business, which translates directly into positive impact on the bottom line. »
The acquisition still needs to be validated by regulatories bodies that have already been targeting Facebook for a while now. Authorities suspect that the social media abuses a monopoly position and have launched several investigations on the matter..
