Customer service outsourced, worry-free.

Delivered by humans, supported by AI

Backbone Customer Service (BCS) is the Dutch customer service agency for Shopify stores. Our 20+ agents take email, live chat, social DMs and payment disputes completely off your hands, with smart AI support where that speeds things up. Your brand stays protected, your customers stay loyal.

Read our 5-star reviews on Trustpilot

Proud partner of

Trusted Shops WebwinkelKeur Partner QShops Partner

The customer service behind these e-com brands and communities

Strap For Watch Service Points Solit Socks Hornbad PayWhale MarketingStorm De AI Kenner Dierdorp Digital Pinscale Agency Story to Glory community on Skool

Client results

Satisfaction customers can measure

One client, four months with BCS: customer satisfaction moved from "needs improvement" to world-class service.

Satisfaction score (CSAT) over time

↑ +28% in 4 months
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 63% 72% 83% 91%
Before BCS 63% CSAT score · needs improvement
After 4 months with BCS 91% CSAT score · world-class service
★★★★★
"I got a reply super fast, even in the evening, and everything was arranged for me right away. That's what I call superservice! Really friendly and helpful contact."
Client review on Trustpilot · on working with BCS

Who resolves your tickets?

Human + AI
64% straight to AI
  • 64% resolved by AIroutine questions, solved within a minute
  • 36% by our peoplecomplex conversations, disputes and custom work

Average mix across our clients, illustrative

First response time

↓ 8x faster
Average store without outsourcing± 24 hours
With BCS, standard SLA± 8 hours
With BCS, premium SLA± 3 hours

Average first response time, illustrative

The team

The people behind your inbox

Behind every fast reply is a real person. Our team of twenty agents works from Albania, Suriname and the Netherlands, led by our COO Redona. Smart, driven people who treat your customers the way you would: warm, personal, and focused on solutions.

And we are a close team. We train together, review every week, and celebrate the wins together too. Your customers feel that culture in every reply.

Professional agents 20+
Working from Albania, Suriname and the Netherlands
Available Mon to Sat · 07:00 to 23:00
this is us
The BCS team around the table during a team night in Tirana
Team night in Tirana
The BCS team at a long table during a team dinner
Around the table, as it should be

What we do

We power e-commerce brands with customer service that's fast, transparent, and built for scale. Real people do the talking, AI as smart support. Your customers stay happy and your brand stays strong.

1M+Tickets handled successfully
20+Professional agents
40+Clients and agencies

Explore pricing

One offer, fully custom

No tiers and no generic rate cards. Every engagement gets one clear proposal, based on what your store actually needs.

How we start

From first call to live in four steps

A fixed, proven track. You fill out one intake, we build everything.

  1. 01

    Intro call & intake

    Schedule your free call. That's how we understand your business, ticket volume, and needs.

  2. 02

    Tailored setup

    We build your complete Zendesk environment: AI workflows, smart routing, and reporting dashboards.

  3. 03

    Go-live

    Email forwarding on and stores connected. Your customers get answers from day one, from agents with AI support.

  4. 04

    Optimization

    We continuously refine the AI, the agents, and the reporting. Your customer experience gets better every month.

Jeffrey and Dylan laughing on the padel court
Jeffrey & Dylan · a team off the clock too

Backbone

Longtime friends and business partners

Jeffrey and Dylan are longtime friends who turned their deep Zendesk and e-commerce expertise into Backbone Customer Service. They build world-class customer service operations for Shopify brands: expert human agents for the conversations that matter most, AI for speed and scale. Focused on transparency, efficiency, and real results.

Founders at Backbone since 2024
Zendesk professionals since 2020
E-commerce operators since 2020

Real reviews

Read what clients say about us on Trustpilot

Six months in with the Backbone team

We have been working with the great people at Backbone for about six months now. Our service level has gone up and customers have a good experience with us thanks to Backbone. They also think along with the business beyond customer service. Definitely recommended for everyone!

Or29 Aug 2026

Great back-end

We have been working together for quite a few months now. They took a lot of stress away, think along really well, and together we have built a back-end that runs like clockwork. Very happy with the partnership!

Twan Mulder23 Aug 2026

Top agency

Backbone now handles 3 of our stores and we are really happy with the partnership. Everything gets picked up quickly and with quality.

Okan Ilksoy23 Aug 2026

Takes the daily customer service off our hands

We have been working with Backbone on our customer service for about a year now and we are very happy with it. They move fast, handle customer questions professionally and carefully, and keep us informed with clear reporting.

Olaf Habraken22 Aug 2026

We are very happy

We are very happy with the way we work with Backbone CS. Communication is fast, clear and pleasant, so we always know where we stand. On top of that we see them continuously developing and improving, which gives a lot of confidence.

Franny22 Aug 2026

These guys really know how to get things done

Always there for you and they pick up questions and comments extremely fast. A lot is automated, which keeps processes efficient. It is good to know this is simply handled well so you can focus on growth yourself.

Klant11 Feb 2026

Great to work with and easy to reach

They always take plenty of time for us as a client, are very involved and easy to reach with questions. What makes the difference for us is the personal approach from Dylan and Jeffrey, the owners. Communication always runs smoothly and you notice they genuinely think along with our business.

Marco Haarsma13 Dec 2025

Genuinely recommended

I have been working with Backbone for over a month now and from the start it has been a pleasant experience. I was positively surprised by the patience, the transparency, the service and the knowledge at this agency.

MOHAMED10 Dec 2025

Customer service experts

I am really happy with how Backbone handles my customer service. I barely have to think about it and every email gets picked up extremely fast.

Glenn Snel21 Oct 2025

Very happy with Backbone CS

They always respond very quickly and are there for you straight away. Communication is clear and direct, so you never wait long or sit in the dark. A genuinely pleasant and reliable team to work with.

Jim Assai18 Sep 2025

Great owners

They set me up quickly with a great customer service team, fight disputes properly, and are always willing to help.

Zakaria3 Sep 2025

4.6 / 5
TrustScore · Excellent
No hand-picked quotes, just real reviews from our clients: the stores we work for every day. Read them all.
Trustpilot
Read all reviews

FAQ

Your questions, answered

Helping you understand our process and offerings at Backbone Customer Service.

What types of customer service do you offer?
Backbone Customer Service offers outsourced customer service for e-commerce brands and online stores on Shopify: email, live chat, and social DMs including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger, with custom SLAs. Expert payment dispute handling for Shopify Payments and PayPal chargebacks is always included. Read more about outsourced customer service for Shopify.
How does BCS combine AI with human agents?
Our experienced EU-based agents lead the conversations and are the face of your brand. In the background, AI resolves routine questions instantly, always under human supervision. You get the empathy of a premium human team with the speed and efficiency of AI.
What kind of businesses do you serve?
E-commerce brands and online stores on Shopify, of any niche and size: online-only, with local stock and fast delivery, or with physical shops alongside. Dropshipping is included too, with worked-out processes, but only for experienced dropshippers who have their sourcing and product quality in order. On top of that we work with e-commerce agencies and communities who refer their members through our partner program.
How does BCS ensure quality and performance?
Every client gets four automated real-time dashboards: ticket dashboard, ticket portal, refunds overview, disputes overview. You see every ticket, every refund, and every dispute in real time. No other outsourced CS provider offers this level of transparency.
What should I look for in a customer service outsourcing partner?
Platform specialization (not a generalist), transparent billing, real-time reporting, AI capabilities that actually resolve tickets (not just assist), and a team with genuine domain expertise. BCS delivers all of these for Shopify merchants specifically.
Are references or case studies available?
Yes. We serve 40+ clients and partners including StrapForWatch, Service Points, SolitSocks, Hornbad, PayWhale, and MarketingStorm. We're rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot with a 4.6/5 TrustScore. See our cases or contact us for specific references.
How does your pricing work?
Every engagement is custom tailored based on your ticket volume, channels, and service level. No generic rate cards, no per-seat surprises, no hidden fees. You always know exactly what you're paying for. Read which factors drive the cost.
How customizable are your services?
Fully. Every aspect of your customer service operation is tailored to your brand's voice, policies, and customer base: from AI workflow configuration to agent training to escalation paths.
Can you scale up or down quickly?
Yes. Our combination of agents and AI absorbs volume spikes instantly. For sustained growth, we scale agent capacity to match. Scaling down is equally straightforward.
How do you handle data security and compliance?
All operations run on Zendesk Enterprise, which provides enterprise-grade security, encryption, and compliance certifications. Our agents operate under EU standards.
Why choose you over hiring an in-house team?
You get Zendesk Enterprise (included), AI (fully configured), 20+ trained agents, four real-time dashboards, and dispute expertise, live in as little as 3 days. Building that in-house takes months and costs significantly more.
What does the onboarding process look like?
Most stores go live in 3 days, more complex setups in 1 to 2 weeks. We handle Zendesk Enterprise setup, AI configuration, workflow design, and reporting dashboards. You fill out a questionnaire and we build everything.
What if I need changes or support after onboarding?
Ongoing optimization is part of the service. We continuously refine AI accuracy, update workflows, and adjust to your evolving needs.
How do I get started?
Schedule a free call or send us a message. We'll discuss your business, ticket volume, and goals, then put together a custom proposal.

Let's connect

Want to claim your spot?

Let's make it happen together. Onboarding capacity is limited, so reach out early.