Every customer,
tended well.
Tendcrest runs your support inbox end to end, in your brand voice. You set the rules once; we handle the rest. Only exceptions come to you.
This is the second time my order is late. I bought it for a birthday that's now ruined. Honestly considering a chargeback.
Maya, I'm so sorry. A late gift is the last thing you needed, especially twice. I've checked #4821: it's out for delivery tomorrow. I've refunded your shipping, and I'd love to include a handwritten card for the birthday. You won't need to chase us on this one.
- 4 business hours to a reply, 95% of tickets
- 1 business hour urgent escalation, 7 days
- Live in 7 days
- No setup fees
- First-month performance guarantee
Support grows faster than your team.
"Where is my order?" Returns. Refund requests. Product questions. They add up, they arrive at midnight, and each one shapes how a customer feels about your brand. Hiring is slow, generic chatbots sound generic, and the hard tickets still land on your desk.
Same question.
A very different reply.
"Where is my order? It's been a week."
Thank you for contacting us. Your request has been received. Please allow 3–5 business days for a response. Ticket #88213.
"Where is my order? It's been a week."
Hi Jordan, thanks for your patience. Your order shipped Tuesday and is in transit with UPS, arriving Friday. Here's your tracking link. If anything changes, I'll let you know first.
Illustrative examples. Replies follow your documented policies and tone.
From inbox to answered,
with a person in the loop.
- ArrivesEmail, Shopify Inbox or your helpdesk
- TriagedVIP, upset, delay, legal or standard
- WrittenIn your voice, from your policies
- HandledRefunds and credits within your rules
- AnsweredLogged, and in your daily summary
Set the rules once
We pull your policies from your help center and store, close any gaps in one short call, and you sign a one-page Policies & Refund Rules sheet.
Work in your tools
We connect to your inbox, Shopify Inbox, Gorgias or Zendesk. No migration, no new software for your team.
Triage, reply, report
Every ticket is triaged and answered, money actions stay within your rules, only exceptions come to you, and every money action is listed in your Monday report.
The everyday, done beautifully.
- Order status and tracking
- Returns and exchanges
- Refunds, within your rules
- Product and sizing questions
- Shipping delays and follow-ups
- Daily summaries and weekly reports
The right attention, first.
- VIP customers and orders over $500
- Upset or frustrated customers
- Shipping delays
- Chargebacks and legal threats, escalated within 1 business hour (8am–8pm ET, 7 days)
- Distressed customers, escalated to a person within 1 business hour (8am–8pm ET, 7 days)
Your voice and your data, protected.
Your rules, set once
Fully hands-off ticket handling, answered in your brand voice. We act within your signed limits, and only exceptions come to you.
No invented policies
We answer only from your documented rules. Anything unclear is flagged, never guessed.
Private by design
Each brand has its own workspace, playbook and log. Your data is never shared with or used for another client.
Least access
We use only the inbox and helpdesk access you grant, can work through your own accounts, and you can revoke access at any time.
How Tendcrest compares.
An honest look at the usual options, using published prices.
Swipe to compare →
| Tendcrest | Hire in-house | AI helpdesk tools | Outsourced agents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | From $1,500/mo, ~500 tickets, no setup fees | ~$3,730/mo median wage for one rep, before benefits and tools1 | ~$0.90–1.20 per AI resolution, plus helpdesk and platform fees2 | $2.25 per resolution, or ~$9–11/hr per agent3 |
| Who runs it | We run it, within your rules | You hire, train and manage | You set up and maintain the AI | Their agents, your oversight |
| Your brand voice | Written playbook for your brand | Yes, once trained | Varies with setup | Varies by agent |
| Human review of sensitive tickets | Always | Yes | Only if you add it | Yes |
| Coverage | 7 days a week | One person's schedule | 24/7 for simple questions | Depends on plan |
1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, customer service representatives, 2025 median pay $44,770/yr (bls.gov). 2 Gorgias AI Agent $0.90–1.00 per automated resolution (gorgias.com); Yuma ~$1.20 per resolution at entry tier (yuma.ai). 3 Simplr $2.25 per resolution (PR Newswire); Hugo from $9–11/hr per agent (hugoinc.com). Prices as published at time of writing; check sources for current terms.
What you get every week.
Support you can see, not just support you pay for.
Your Customer Insight Report, every Monday
Your top five reasons customers got in touch, product issues we spotted, what's driving refunds, gaps in your policies, and the orders we saved. Every number traces back to a real ticket.
Full visibility in your own helpdesk
Full visibility inside your own helpdesk (every ticket tagged and timestamped), plus SLA stats in your weekly report.
Refunds within your rules
You set refund, credit and replacement limits once. We act within them, a person checks every money action daily, and each one is listed in your Monday report. No bots making promises your team has to undo.
Chargeback prevention
Messages that mention a dispute, a bank claim or a lawyer are escalated to you within 1 business hour, with the order history and tracking already gathered.
Your voice, protected
A brand-voice library built with you in week one, plus a monthly scorecard of 20 random replies graded on accuracy, tone and policy.
Coverage that doesn't take weekends off.
Your customers write at midnight and on Sundays. We work through your queue seven days a week, and anything urgent (a chargeback, a legal threat, a distressed customer) reaches you within 1 business hour (8am–8pm ET, 7 days), not in tomorrow's summary. 95% of tickets are answered within 4 business hours (we aim for under 2), and overnight tickets are handled by 10am ET.
- 7 daysa week, including weekends
- 1 hoururgent escalation, 8am–8pm ET
- 4 hoursto a reply, 95% of tickets
- Dailysummary in your inbox each morning
We put our first month in writing.
If we miss any of these targets in your first month, request a refund in writing before day 30 and we refund your first month's fee.
- 1 hourUrgent tickets escalated to you within 1 business hour, 8am–8pm ET, 7 days a week.
- 4 hours95% of tickets answered within 4 business hours (we aim for under 2).
- On policyNo reply that contradicts your written policies.
Targets are measured from your helpdesk's tags and timestamps. Full terms are in our service agreement.
Book a 15-minute call.
Tell us about your store, your ticket volume and your tools. We'll show you how we'd handle your support and recommend the right plan.
Questions, answered plainly
What does Tendcrest do?
Tendcrest handles customer support for Shopify brands end to end: order status, tracking, returns, refunds and product questions, written in your brand voice. Fully hands-off ticket handling: you set the rules once, we handle the rest, and only exceptions come to you.
Which tools do you work with?
We work inside your existing support setup: your email inbox (including Gmail), Shopify Inbox, or a helpdesk such as Gorgias or Zendesk. You do not need to switch tools.
How hands-off is it?
Fully hands-off ticket handling, answered in your brand voice. You set the rules once: we pull your policies from your help center and store, close any gaps in one short call, and you sign a one-page Policies & Refund Rules sheet. We handle the rest, including refunds, reships and credits within your limits. Only exceptions come to you.
What gets escalated?
Chargebacks, legal threats and clearly distressed customers are escalated to you within 1 business hour (8am–8pm ET, 7 days). VIP customers, orders over $500, angry customers and shipping delays are prioritized in triage.
Do you make up policies?
No. Replies follow only your documented policies. If a question is not covered, it is flagged for review instead of guessed.
How is it priced?
Monthly retainer, no per-ticket pricing. Essentials: $1,500 per month, up to about 500 tickets. Boutique: $2,000 per month, up to about 750 tickets. Signature: from $3,500 per month for higher volume. No setup fees. See pricing.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes: our first-month performance guarantee. In writing, we commit to three targets: urgent tickets escalated to you within 1 business hour (8am–8pm ET, 7 days), 95% of tickets answered within 4 business hours (we aim for under 2), and no reply that contradicts your written policies. If we miss any of them, request a refund in writing before day 30 and we refund your first month's fee.
Can I see a sample weekly report?
Yes. Here is a sample Customer Insight Report for a fictional brand. It is an illustrative example, and all figures in it are invented.
Can I see what you're sending my customers?
Yes. Every ticket is tagged and timestamped inside your own helpdesk, so you can see every reply at any time, and your weekly report includes SLA stats. Every money action (ticket, amount, reason, rule applied) is listed in your Monday report.
How are refunds handled?
Within the limits you set once on your Policies & Refund Rules sheet: refund and reship limits, credit limits, replacements with proof, cancellations, a monthly cap, and one goodwill gesture per customer per 90 days. A person checks every money action daily. Over-limit or out-of-policy requests, filed chargebacks, legal or safety issues and PR risk come to you within 1 business hour.
What does "revenue saved" mean?
Only logged events: cancellations reversed, exchanges instead of refunds, VIP orders saved and disputes withdrawn, counted at their order value. No estimates.
Is client data kept separate?
Yes. Each brand's data, policies and playbook are kept separate and never shared with another client.