Intercom typical implementation process:

1. Discovery & Design: The implementation begins with an analysis of the business's support history and data to identify trends and high-volume issues. This step is crucial for crafting a data-driven solution that includes macros, templates, rules, routing, and tagging for increased support efficiency. 

    

2. Development & Testing: Following the initial discovery, the Intercom platform is developed and rigorously tested to ensure that all components function correctly. This phase includes the implementation of automations and integration with messaging channels and business systems. 

    

3. Implementation & Training: After successful development and testing, the Intercom system is implemented. Comprehensive training documents are created for current and future support team members to ensure they are well-equipped to use the new system. 

    

4. Optimization & Reporting: The final step involves running ongoing reports to optimize the system continuously, ensuring that it delivers the best possible service to customers. 

Intercom software can be extensively customized to fit specific business needs. Here are several ways in which the software can be tailored: 

1. Custom Actions and Objects: Intercom allows the use of Custom Actions and Objects within its workflows and bots, enabling businesses to integrate with external systems and use stored data to power workflows. This feature supports no-code integrations, allowing live data updates and actions in external tools directly from Intercom. 

    

2. Messenger Customization: The Intercom Messenger can be customized to match a brand's specific aesthetic and functional requirements. Businesses can change the Messenger's color, position, and padding. Additionally, the Messenger can be configured to prevent customers from sending potentially malicious content or sensitive data. 

    

3. Workflow Customization: Workflows in Intercom can be customized to automate tasks such as collecting customer information, updating order statuses, and handling customer requests asynchronously. Custom Actions can be triggered within these workflows to interact with other tools, enhancing the automation capabilities. 

    

4. Security and Advanced Customization: Intercom offers advanced customization options that include security settings to increase protection for team communications. This includes options to block attachments in the Messenger and emails to prevent the receipt of potentially harmful content. 

1. Per Seat Pricing: Intercom's pricing model is based on a per seat per month system, meaning the cost increases with each team member who requires access to the platform. This can significantly impact the overall cost for organizations with many team members. 

    

2. App Integrations: While some basic integrations are included in the lower-tier plans, advanced integrations with other apps may require an upgrade to a higher tier or incur additional fees, adding to the total cost. 

    

3. AI Features and Automations: Utilizing advanced AI features like Fin AI Autofill and Fin AI Summarize can result in extra charges. Specifically, the AI service Fin charges $0.99 per resolution. 

    

4. Add-ons and Overages: Intercom offers various add-ons, such as Proactive Support Plus, starting from $99/month, which includes a set number of messages sent per month. Exceeding usage limits, such as sending more messages than included in your package, will lead to additional costs. 

    

5. Communication Channel Costs: Using SMS, email campaigns, or phone calls through Intercom incurs additional charges based on the volume of emails, SMS, or the duration of phone calls made. These costs can vary and potentially add up depending on usage. 

Intercom offers a comprehensive range of training and support resources to new users to ensure they can effectively use the platform. Here are the key aspects of the training and support provided: 

1. Intercom Academy: Intercom Academy is a free resource that offers a variety of courses for different roles within a support team, including front-line support agents, team managers, and support leaders. The courses cover topics such as mastering the Intercom Inbox, automation-first customer service, and moving to Intercom from another tool. Users can also become certified in providing a great customer support experience or in designing and implementing a conversational framework for support teams. 

    

2. Onboarding Guides and Resources: Intercom provides onboarding guides for its Inbox product, which include videos that explain the steps users will take to set up their Inbox and start chatting with customers. These guides use education techniques to build user confidence, such as starting with simple concepts, showing and telling through interactive guides, and providing contextual information based on the user's prior knowledge and expectations. 

    

3. Community Support: The Intercom Community is a valuable resource where new users can connect with experts, ask questions, and participate in discussions. This community support is particularly important for users to sharpen their skills and learn from the experiences of others. 

    

4. Learning Path for Support Agents: Intercom offers a learning path specifically designed for support agents. This course helps new users get acquainted with their Intercom workspace, set up their profile, and learn how to manage conversations with customers. It also includes tips and tricks from Intercom's own support team to enhance the support provided to customers. 

    

5. Expert Webinars: The Intercom Learning Center is a hub for educational resources, including expert webinars. These webinars cover various topics, including AI and automation in customer service, and provide insights and best practices for users. 

Intercom employs a comprehensive set of security measures to protect data, ensuring robust data privacy and compliance with various standards. Here are the key security measures in place: 

1. Data Encryption: Intercom uses strong encryption protocols to secure data both at rest and in transit. Data in transit is protected using 256-bit encryption, and all API and application endpoints are TLS/SSL only, scoring an A+ rating on SSL Labs' tests. Data at rest is encrypted using an industry-standard AES-256 encryption algorithm. 

    

2. Access Controls and Authentication: Intercom implements strict access controls and authentication measures. This includes setting permission levels for employees with access to sensitive data and ensuring that all access is served over HTTPS. Intercom also employs two-factor authentication (2FA) and strong password policies across various platforms to enhance security. 

    

3. Compliance and Certifications: Intercom is compliant with major security standards, including SOC2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, ISO 27018, and ISO 27701. These certifications demonstrate Intercom's commitment to maintaining high security standards and managing customer data responsibly. 

    

4. Regular Security Audits and Penetration Testing: Intercom conducts regular external audits, penetration tests, and bug bounties to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities. This proactive approach helps maintain a secure environment and ensures continuous improvement in security practices. 

    

5. Vendor Management: Before procuring services, Intercom's IT, legal, and security teams review potential vendors' security and data privacy practices. Only vendors who meet Intercom's security standards are allowed to handle customer data. 

1. Incident Management: Intercom has a disciplined incident management process that includes incident reviews to analyze the causes and contributing factors of any issues. This process is part of their commitment to maintaining high availability and operational health, which suggests a proactive approach to updates and improvements. 

    

2. Customer Communication: When new features are released, Intercom provides guidance on how to announce these to users effectively. This includes targeting the right people, showcasing the feature's possibilities, and tracking the performance of the announcement. This customer-focused approach indicates that updates are communicated clearly and strategically to ensure users are well-informed. 

    

3. Integration with Other Tools: Intercom supports the management of user data through integrations with other platforms and services. This includes automatic updates of user data through various methods such as mobile SDKs, apps, and the REST API. The ability to update data automatically suggests that Intercom's updates are designed to integrate smoothly with users' existing workflows. 

    

4. User Feedback and Community: Intercom's community forum is a platform where users can discuss updates, share feedback, and ask questions. This indicates that user feedback may play a role in how updates are prioritized and managed. 

Intercom's policy on data ownership and portability is clearly outlined in their legal documents and support articles, emphasizing the rights of customers regarding their data. Here are the key points: 

1. Data Ownership: Intercom acknowledges that customers retain ownership of their data. This is evident in their terms and policies, where they specify that customers have control over their data, including the right to access, manage, and delete it as needed. 

    

2. Data Portability: Intercom supports data portability, which is a critical aspect of GDPR compliance. They provide mechanisms for customers to export their data in commonly used formats like CSV or JSON. This functionality allows customers to easily transfer their data to another system or keep it for their records. The export can include various types of data such as user and lead data, message and campaign data, and detailed event history. 

    

3. Support for GDPR Compliance: Intercom has implemented several measures to ensure compliance with GDPR, which further supports data ownership and portability. This includes the use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for data transfer and processing, and providing tools that help customers manage and export their data in compliance with GDPR requirements. 

1. Infrastructure Scalability: Intercom's infrastructure is built to scale alongside its customers, ensuring reliability by default and the ability to accommodate massive scale as the company grows. This includes dynamically scaling systems to handle up to 50,000 web requests per second at peak times, 26,000 background jobs per second, and 11,000 public API requests per second. This scalability is crucial for supporting large volumes of users and data without human intervention, especially during peak periods like Black Friday. 

    

2. Data Storage and Management: Intercom utilizes various types of data storage solutions to optimize for different use cases, including AWS Aurora MySQL and Elasticache. The architecture allows for both horizontal and vertical scaling of database clusters, which supports the indefinite scaling of Intercom's largest tables. This setup is part of Intercom's strategy to ensure that data management systems can grow with the customer's needs. 

    

3. High Availability and Global Distribution: Intercom's data hosting is structured across multiple availability zones in regions including the EU and Australia, ensuring high availability and resilience. This geographic distribution helps in maintaining service level agreements (SLAs) globally, which is essential for international businesses. 

    

4. Observability and Monitoring: Intercom has implemented advanced observability tooling that allows for close monitoring of how traffic is served. This includes auto-instrumentation of their Rails monolith with high-quality, attribute-rich traces, and the ability to dynamically sample valuable requests. This observability supports Intercom's ability to scale effectively by providing detailed insights into system performance and customer experiences. 

The terms and conditions for contract renewal and cancellation for Intercom are detailed in their legal documents, providing clear guidelines on how these processes are managed: 

Contract Renewal:

1. Automatic Renewal: Intercom's contracts automatically renew for additional successive twelve-month periods, unless either party gives written notice of intent not to renew at least thirty days prior to the expiration of the current term. This applies to both monthly and yearly or multi-year subscription terms. 

    

2. Notification Requirements: Customers must send their written notice of intent not to renew to a specific email address ([email protected]) as part of the cancellation process. 

    

3. Effect of Changes on Renewal: Modifications to the agreement by Intercom become effective upon the renewal of a customer's current subscription term or upon entering into a new order form. Intercom commits to using reasonable efforts to notify customers of these changes through communications via the customer's account, email, or other means. 

Contract Cancellation:

1. Cancellation Process: Customers can cancel a month-to-month subscription at any time, with the effective termination date being the last day of the then-current renewal term. For yearly or multi-year subscriptions, the cancellation terms are specified in the order form. 

    

2. Immediate Access Post-Cancellation: Upon cancellation, customers retain access to Intercom until the end of their current billing period, ensuring that there is no immediate disruption to service. 

    

3. Refunds: The terms do not explicitly mention refunds upon cancellation, indicating that any prepaid fees may not be refundable after cancellation. 

Intercom software meets several compliance standards to ensure the security and privacy of user data. Here are the compliance standards that Intercom adheres to: 

1. SOC 2 Type II: Intercom has controls in place to process and manage customer data, which are audited for SOC 2 Type II compliance. This compliance demonstrates excellence in the realms of security, availability, and confidentiality. 

    

2. HIPAA: Intercom complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which requires standards and controls to protect electronic protected health information (ePHI) from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. 

    

3. ISO 27001: Intercom is certified under ISO/IEC 27001:2022, an international standard for information security management systems (ISMS), showing that the organization has a system in place to manage risks related to the security of data it owns or handles. 

    

4. ISO 27018: Intercom holds ISO/IEC 27018:2019 certification, which is an international standard on privacy in cloud computing services, focusing on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII).