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Otus, Chicago, Illinois, United States: Otus' Customer Service Department

Company: Otus, Chicago, IL
Company Description: Otus helps every student reach their full potential by providing educators with one platform to gather, visualize, and act on data. With an integrated suite of assessment and grading tools, educators can easily determine where students are now and use data to drive instruction and personalized learning plans forward. Learn more at otus.com.
Nomination Category: Customer Service Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Customer Service Department of the Year
2024 Stevie Winner Nomination Title: Otus' Customer Service Department
  1. Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated customer service organization's achievements since the beginning of 2023, OR an essay of up to 650 words? (Choose one):
    An essay of up to 650 words
  2. If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video:

     

  3. If you are providing an essay of up to 650 words, place it in the following space:

     

    Total 650 words used.

    “I’ve seen other programs fail because the teachers or administrators don’t feel like they’re supported. Our staff is eager to learn about Otus because they know they’re going to get support when they have questions. And it’s so user-friendly. This is what stands out from any of the competitors I’ve ever used – it’s that responsiveness. They understand, because it’s made by teachers.”

    – Dr. Vicki King, Superintendent, Salem School District

    Otus, a K-12 assessment, data, and insights solution, has earned a reputation not only for its powerful data tools but also for the exceptional support it provides to its users. The customer service department is a cornerstone of Otus' success, as it focuses on understanding the specific needs of schools and districts.

    From day one, Otus pairs each district with a dedicated Client Experience Partner who assists throughout the onboarding process, crafting personalized implementation plans and delivering both virtual and on-site training to ensure smooth adoption. This personalized support helps districts get fully integrated into Otus within a short timeframe, with data organization and upload managed entirely by Otus' team to lift the burden off educators.

    The real-time assistance Otus provides is one of its defining characteristics. Through an in-platform chat feature, users receive responses in under three minutes, delivered by Client Support Specialists—all of whom are former educators. This hands-on experience means that the Otus team understands the challenges teachers face and can provide relevant, empathetic solutions. Otus’ 98.7% customer satisfaction rating speaks volumes about the department’s dedication to helping educators overcome challenges quickly and effectively.

    In addition to real-time support, Otus has expanded its professional development offerings. In 2024, Otus nearly doubled the viewership of its Otus Live video series, jumping from just 6,500 views in 2023 to over 13,000 so far in 2024, helping educators build their skills and use Otus’ features to their fullest potential. These live, weekly training sessions are supplemented by an on-demand resource library, ensuring that learning can happen on any schedule.

    One of the most unique aspects of Otus’ approach to customer service is its commitment to listening to user feedback and incorporating it into product development. Through the Canny platform, Otus tracks suggestions and feature requests from users, which directly influence product updates. In 2024, Otus introduced over 50 new features based on over 300  user votes, showing how deeply user input shapes the platform’s evolution.

    As Megan Glazebrook, Elementary Instructional Coach at Conestoga Public Schools, puts it: "One of the nice things about Otus is that we can put our data in, and Otus helps us customize it to look the way we want. If we can’t answer the question with data, then I call our Otus specialist, and she helps us figure it out."

    Otus’ Client Experience Partners and Client Support Specialists work together to provide an unparalleled customer experience. John Camp, of New England Innovation Academy, captured it best when he said: “The turnaround on the support is literally unbelievable.” The team’s responsiveness and deep understanding of the platform, paired with their ability to help districts customize Otus to meet their exact needs, ensures that users are never left without answers.

    The Otus Certified Educator Community program is another standout initiative. In 2024, Otus saw a nearly 100% increase in certifications as over 250 new educators joined this growing group of power users. These certified educators not only deepen their knowledge of the platform but also share their expertise with colleagues, amplifying the impact of Otus in their schools.

    Ultimately, Otus’ customer service department is not just a support team—it’s a partner in helping schools succeed. Whether through real-time problem-solving or acting on feedback to drive new features, Otus consistently exceeds expectations. This commitment to being a trusted partner in education has led to an impressive 98% customer retention rate, proving that Otus’ service is as valuable as the platform itself.

     

  4. In bullet-list form, provide a brief summary (up to 150 words) of up to ten (10) of the chief accomplishments of the nominated customer service organization since the beginning of 2023:

     

    Total 91 words used.

    • 98% customer satisfaction rating from chat interactions.

    • Implemented over 50 new features in 2024, driven by over 300 user votes.

    • 92% customer retention in 2024, highlighting the trust and loyalty Otus has built with its districts.

    • Increased certified Otus educators two-fold, empowering over 250 new educators.

    • More than doubled Otus Regional Workshop attendance from 2023, with over 320 total attendees in 2024 compared to just 156 the previous year.

    • Increased Otus Live professional development video viewership by 99%, jumping from 6,500 views in 2023 to over 13,000 in 2024.

     

Attachments/Videos/Links:
Otus' Customer Service Department
URL [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION]