When we think about customer support, it’s often labeled a cost center, a necessary expense but rarely a driver of growth. But what if that’s exactly where we’ve been looking wrong?
In a recent episode of The Insights Frontier, CX leader Camila Ferreira shared her vision for transforming support teams from back office functions into powerful engines of growth, without losing the operational discipline businesses expect. Camila’s approach to customer experience (CX) goes beyond traditional support metrics. She aligns CX with business growth and strategic outcomes.
1. Support as a Strategic Growth Lever, Not Just a Service Function
“Don’t chase metrics. Chase business growth,” Camila says.
Typical CX numbers , CSAT, NPS, average handle time – matter, but only if they translate into real business impact. The most important metric for CX leaders at the boardroom level? Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). This shift in perspective turns support into a growth lever, not just a service cost.
2. Referrals Begin in the Support Queue
Most companies think referrals happen in sales or marketing, but Camila’s team proved otherwise. By simply asking for referrals right after resolving customer issues, support became the #1 referral channel, beating even sales.
This insight flips the old playbook. The ideal moment to turn satisfaction into advocacy is immediately after a great support interaction, not weeks later.
3. Focus: Do 100% of One Thing, Not 10% of Ten
Trying to hit too many goals simultaneously dilutes impact. Camila’s advice is clear: focus on one priority and execute it fully.
“Cross the finish line of what really matters,” she says. What matters depends on your company’s goals, revenue, expansion, or profitability , and your metrics should reflect that focus.
4. Customer Support as the Connector Across Teams
Support teams touch every part of the customer journey, putting them in a unique position to connect departments. Camila fosters collaboration by asking, “How can I help YOU be more successful?”
This mindset led to the creation of a CX Council aligning marketing, product, and operations around frontline insights, driving collective success.
5. AI Empowers Agents to Deliver High Quality Experiences
Before AI, agents juggled pulling up tickets, interpreting vague issues, and matching solutions, all under pressure.
Now, AI can summarize accounts, detect intent, suggest resolutions, and route queries faster and more accurately. But the goal is more than speed, it’s empowering agents to create meaningful, efficient customer experiences.
The Bottom Line
If you lead a support team, measure what matters. Support isn’t just a cost center anymore, it’s a growth function. With the right metrics, mindset, and technology, it can become your company’s most underutilized profit center.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: The Business Secret CX Leaders Are Hiding From You
About Camila Ferreira
Camila Ferreira is a global CX leader with experience across multiple continents, passionate about turning customer support into a strategic business asset. Her work shows what’s possible when CX leaders think beyond satisfaction scores and start influencing business decisions directly.
It’s the kind of strategic thinking we explore often on The Insights Frontier, where the real stories behind customer experience come to life.
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