Sibling rivalry + frustrating customer service sparked an innovative idea.
Morgan Lynch was searching for a competition wetsuit online. Not just any wetsuit, but one that would give him an edge over his brother in a triathlon. But expert online advice was non-existent on every website he shopped. Which inspired an idea.
What if there was a way to mimic the brick and mortar experience of asking an expert who knew all there was to know about the products in the store?
Morgan turned to technology veterans Mikko Valimaki and Joey Dempster to develop an innovative, live chat solution for ecommerce stores and online sales. Sure, live chat was already a thing, but customer service reps were rarely more acquainted with the product line than shoppers were. Needle would go one better by serving chat with Advocates – brand ambassadors who live and breathe the product line – to guide shoppers from curiosity to purchase. The live chat customer experience with Needle would be like shopping with an expert.