At A Glance

Since joining The Lift Box in May 2024, Emily Ferguson has seen the subscription-based e-commerce company grow from 8,000 to 18,000 customers. As Customer Success Manager, her role spans everything from assisting customers with their orders to delivering product feedback to partner brands. In this conversation, you’ll learn about Emily’s compassionate approach to customer service, why she sees feedback as a powerful tool for building lasting relationships, and her thoughtful advice for leaders pursuing both personal and professional growth.

Who is Emily?

Meet Emily Ferguson, Customer Success Manager at The Lift Box!

About The Lift Box

The Lift Box offers a superior fitness subscription experience that stands out among the competition. Founded with a strong presence in the military community, the E-Commerce company takes great pride in the value provided to customers. With over 300 partnerships with top brands in the supplement, healthy snack, RTD, and gym gear industries, The Lift Box has built strong relationships, providing subscribers the best products to help them reach their fitness goals. With over 477,000 boxes delivered, the company is dedicated to helping our subscribers achieve their fitness aspirations.

Emily CS Journey‍

Emily’s introduction to customer service began at just 10 years old, helping work at a family friend's restaurant. Her career path has been diverse, ranging from bakery manager and bartender to roles in sales, retail, and mortgage and finance. “I’ve been all over the board… I just like to talk to people,” she says. “I like to hear about their problems and think about what I can do to fix it.” With her natural people skills and extensive experience in customer-facing roles, Emily was a strong match for the Customer Success Manager position at The Lift Box, which she began in May 2024.

Emily’s role is twofold: she supports customers by addressing questions or issues with their orders, and she also works closely with partner brands, sharing valuable customer feedback about their products. Most inquiries relate to shipping and tracking, The Lift Box’s custom-designed T-shirts, or dietary concerns about supplements. “One of my responsibilities,” Emily explains, “is creating end-of-month surveys for customers – they get a discount on the next box if they fill it out. I then give this feedback to partner brands in a presentation – this is direct customer feedback on the products that they just featured with us.” 

A Fitness Subscription Box: Try Before You Buy

The Lift Box is a subscription-based E-Commerce company that connects fitness brands with customers, giving them the chance to try products before committing to a full purchase. “We curate a monthly box featuring anywhere from four to ten brands,” Emily explains. “It typically includes supplements, snacks, drinks, gear items, and a custom T-shirt.” Notably, The Lift Box was the one of the first to launch Patrick Holme’s Throne Sport Coffee and C4’s newest supplement, Alpha Bomb.

The Customer Service Team at The Fit Box

Based in Charleston, SC, where The Lift Box is headquartered, Emily oversees all aspects of customer service, supported by a part-time team member, Michele in the Philippines. She credits her efficiency and a steady dose of caffeine for successfully managing support for over 20,000 customers each month.

What Emily Looks for in a CS Agent

Compassion and empathy are the top qualities Emily seeks when hiring a new agent. “You need to be able to sit there and actually listen to the problem and want to find a solution,” she explains. She believes that approaching every issue with kindness and understanding, even when a customer is angry or frustrated, leads to a more positive interaction and helps build lasting loyalty to the company.

CS Team Success Factors

Main Customer Support Channels

Customers can reach The Lift Box through a variety of support channels for any questions or issues related to their orders. These include text via Klaviyo, Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger, website chat, and email. Emily handles chatbot responses and emails during business hours, 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday. “We specifically chose to work with a customer service agent based in the Philippines, who works opposite hours from me, to extend our customer service coverage,” she explains.

How a Subscription-Based E-Commerce Company Plans for Peak Sales Periods

Peak periods at The Lift Box occur during the Black Friday sale and seasonal promotions throughout the year. According to Emily, planning is essential. During these busy times, the part-time customer service team member increases their hours, and additional staff may step in to help manage the queue. Because the business runs on a monthly subscription model, Emily can anticipate customer activity and manage her time effectively. “I’ve realized when these waves come in,” she says. “I can plan for the lulls and do all my administration during those sections.”

Handling Complaints and Escalations

Emily handles all customer escalations, addressing each situation on a case-by-case basis. Most complaints involve confusion on charges, as customers tend to get upset quickly when money is involved. “Usually, the best way to go is compassion first,” she says. “Then I use as much education and logic as I can.” She clearly explains policies and presents available options. “If I can make an exception, I usually do,” Emily adds. “Because giving someone grace won’t hurt the company, but it might make their day better.” In rare cases where a resolution isn’t possible or a threat is made, she raises the issue to the company’s owners. “We’re a very small company, and we’re protective of our people.” 

Key Priorities for Enhancing Customer Experience

Since joining The Lift Box, Emily has seen the customer base grow from 8,000 to 20,000 subscribers. “We’re rapidly expanding and aim to hit 40,000 by the end of next year,” she reveals. Hiring new customer service team members remains a top priority as the company scales. Attention is also focused on growing the Facebook community, known as The Box Group, which recently surpassed 10,000 members. “People can reach out there and actually talk to me and the owners one-on-one,” Emily explains. The group offers “a more exclusive experience,” where staff and customers share their favorite products and gym activities. Surveys will also be distributed through the platform, giving customers a chance to provide honest feedback. “This way, they know their voices are being heard. And that we are actually trying to do something about it.”

The company recently opened a brick-and-mortar store in Charleston, where local customers can purchase supplements from partner brands and attend industry events. “It’s been a very busy year,” Emily concludes.

AI and Topics of Interest

Emily’s Thoughts on AI in CS

Although Emily holds a degree in English and isn’t an advocate for AI in creative fields, she acknowledges its value in basic customer service tasks such as tracking shipments and condensing data reports. However, when it comes to direct customer interaction, she strongly prefers a personal touch. “For the most part, we don’t use AI programs because our owners want to keep customer service as human as possible,” she explains.

Emily’s View on the Future of CX in E-Commerce

Emily predicts that customer service will become increasingly immersive over the next five to ten years. “Because as a community in the world,” she explains, “we’re getting more immersive. We’re so intertwined with each other’s every single moment of the day. With so many channels and social media platforms now, you can get a hold of anyone almost anytime and anywhere.” She believes this evolution will lead to an even more personalized approach to customer experience. Responding to concerns about AI taking over the field, Emily emphasizes, “You need that human touch. I truly think that ensuring customers know they are talking to an actual person is going to be the most valuable thing moving forward.”

Emily’s Advice for CS Leaders

“One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from an early mentor who said growth is something that is not seen. What she meant is that it’s small things every day. It’s not something that just happens,” Emily shares. She encourages leaders to reflect on what they admire most in the world around them and incorporate those qualities into their own personality and work style.  “Look at those you admire,” she explains “make note of what stands out and find ways to bring it into your own self.”