Frequently asked questions about outsourcing customer service
Backbone Customer Service (BCS) is a Dutch customer service agency that works exclusively with Shopify stores. This page collects the questions stores ask us most before outsourcing their customer service, from channels and languages to Zendesk, disputes and cost, with short answers.
How working with Backbone works
Channels, AI and humans, quality, pricing model and onboarding.
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 exactly what we take over.
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. See how we compare with a broad customer contact agency.
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.
Languages, hours, team and tools
The practical questions that come up in almost every intro call.
Do you only work with Shopify?
Yes. Backbone works exclusively with stores and e-commerce brands on Shopify. That is why our agents know the order flow, return processes, Shopify Payments and the common apps inside out, and why a new client is set up in days rather than weeks. If you sell on WooCommerce, Magento or Lightspeed, we are not the right fit.
Do you also handle customer service for dropshipping?
Yes, with worked-out processes for shipping questions, delivery times, returns per supplier and payment disputes. We only work with experienced dropshippers who have their sourcing and product quality in order, because customer service does not remove the consequences of a bad product or an unreliable supplier. Read what we do for dropshipping.
Which languages do you support my customers in?
All languages. Our team works from Albania, Suriname and the Netherlands and combines its own language skills with AI support, so customers outside the Netherlands and Belgium get answers in their own language too.
What are your opening hours?
We are available Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 23:00 CET, on all channels. Messages that arrive outside those hours are picked up first thing when we start again.
Who answers my customers: a human or AI?
Our agents lead the conversations and are the face of your brand. In the background AI resolves routine questions such as order status and return instructions, always under human supervision. Across our clients the split averages around 64% resolved directly by AI and 36% by our people; complex conversations, complaints and disputes always stay with a human.
How fast do you respond to my customers?
We agree on an SLA that is measured per ticket. With a standard SLA the first response time is around eight hours, with a premium SLA around three hours. Routine questions resolved by AI are answered within a minute.
Do you also handle payment disputes and chargebacks?
Yes. Chargebacks and claims through Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, Klarna, Whop, Ocean Payments and other payment providers are built with evidence and submitted for you, and you follow every dispute in the disputes overview. Read how we handle disputes.
Do I need my own Zendesk?
No. Every client gets a fully configured Zendesk Enterprise environment as part of the engagement, including every Shopify order connected, macros, AI workflows and dashboards. Read what we configure in Zendesk.
Can I read along with the conversations?
Yes. Through the ticket portal you read every conversation with your customers, and through the ticket dashboard you see volume, response times and customer satisfaction in real time. You also get automatic reports on refunds, dispute rates and the reasons customers get in touch.
Where is your team based?
Our team of 20+ agents works from Albania, Suriname and the Netherlands, led by our COO Redona. Backbone Customer Service B.V. is based in Woerden, the Netherlands, and is run by its founders Jeffrey and Dylan.
How do we communicate during the engagement?
You get your own Slack channel with the team and can reach the founders directly. Many clients use WhatsApp for quick coordination. We answer questions within a few hours, and every month we review what is driving disputes and refunds.
What is the difference between Backbone and a call center?
A call center supplies capacity for many sectors at once. Backbone works only for Shopify stores, with a fixed team per client, Zendesk Enterprise included, dispute handling on top and four real-time dashboards. Your customers get answers in your tone of voice rather than from a script.
Can you handle phone support as well?
Email, live chat and social DMs are our core channels. Phone support goes into the proposal when it fits your store; we discuss that in the intro call.
Do you work with agencies and communities?
Yes. E-commerce agencies, coaches and communities that refer their clients or members work with us through the partner program. Contact us for the terms.
Question not listed?
Send a message through the contact page, message us on WhatsApp or book a free 30-minute call. You talk to Jeffrey himself.
Related pages
Curious what this looks like for your store?
Book a free 30-minute call. You talk to Jeffrey directly.