Magic that scales: how Virgin Red built support for millions
Virgin Red partners with Zendesk to power a support experience as dynamic as its rewards programme, giving its Reward Genies the tools to serve millions of members with speed and consistency—achieving >99% faster first response times vs SLA, an 87% ticket deflection rate through self-service, and a 50% reduction in query handling time.
“For us, it’s about having one system that can do everything. Zendesk gives us what we need to run support the right way—for the team and for our members.”
Rebecca Bell
Member Support Manager at Virgin Red
“Anytime we want to reconfigure a brand, release something new, or make a change, Route 101 are there. It just works.”
Rebecca Bell
Member Support Manager at Virgin Red
HQ
London, UK
Industry
Loyalty & Rewards
Members
3.5 million
Monthly tickets
~2,500
>99%
faster first response time vs SLA
87%
ticket deflection rate
50%
faster query handling time
87.6%
CSAT
Wishes granted, the Virgin Red way
Virgin Red brings the Virgin brand’s iconic energy to loyalty. As the official rewards club for the Virgin Group in the UK and US, Virgin Red allows members to earn and redeem points across the Virgin ecosystem and with over 200 external partners. Whether it’s coffee for the morning commute or a bucket-list getaway, the result is a loyalty experience that’s as varied and vibrant as the Virgin brand itself.
The business launched during COVID-19, but growth has been anything but slow. Virgin Red has added a million members every year for the past three years. Today, it supports 3.5 million members, with nearly one million actively earning or spending.
At the heart of this operation is a uniquely named team: the Reward Genies. Operating fully remotely across the UK and Channel Islands, it supports both B2C and B2B needs across three brands—all within a single Zendesk instance. And like any good genie, they’re here to make wishes come true—be it resolving a points request or delivering a surprise boost just when it’s needed most.
With 66% of queries coming through a dynamic form, 31% via email, and just 2% by phone, Virgin Red has built a self-service-led model that’s fast, friendly, and flexible. “It will always be human-first—for the Virgin brand, that’s really important. But we’ve designed our support operation to scale smartly—so we don’t need to grow the team for every thousand new members,” explains Rebecca Bell, Member Support Manager at Virgin Red.
Before the lamp was lit
Before Virgin Red launched in its current form, there was Virgin Red Vaults—an early version of the programme with a far smaller member base and a far less structured support setup. Back then, queries were handled manually via a shared inbox, without any tools to organise tickets, surface trends, or offer members a way to help themselves. It was functional—but only just.
As the brand began preparing for its relaunch, those limitations quickly became barriers. Support content was tucked away in notebooks and disconnected files, making it difficult for agents to find accurate answers or for new joiners to get up to speed. There was no reliable way to collaborate, measure impact, or deliver a consistent experience at scale.
Zendesk was introduced as the support backbone for the new Virgin Red platform, bringing structure, visibility, and self-service to the forefront. And while other platforms—including Freshdesk—were later explored as part of ongoing technology assessments, they lacked key functionality Virgin Red required—especially around multi-brand flexibility, robust knowledge management, and the ability for agents to seamlessly collaborate on shared tickets.
As Rebecca puts it, “For us, it’s about having one system that can do everything. Zendesk gives us what we need to run support the right way—for the team and for our members.”
Setting the Genie free, with Route 101
To support a smooth and confident launch, Virgin Red partnered with Route 101—a certified Zendesk partner with deep expertise in implementation and optimisation. While the team already had Zendesk experience in-house, capacity was limited, and they wanted a trusted partner to help shape the instance for long-term success at speed.
“We actually signed them up within three months—which for our procurement process is very fast,” Rebecca says. “We needed someone who could just get it done, and they did.” Route 101 supported the branding of the help centre, structured the multi-brand setup, and advised on best practices as Virgin Red prepared to go live.
Since then, the partnership has evolved into ongoing collaboration. Virgin Red now uses Route 101’s enhanced product package for day-to-day support and larger-scale initiatives. “Anytime we want to reconfigure a brand, release something new, or make a change, Route 101 are there. It just works,” explains Rebecca. “It means we can stay focused on delivering the exceptional experience our members expect.”
The magic lamps behind the Genies
Having laid the foundation with Zendesk and Route 101, Virgin Red set out to shape a support experience that matched its ambitions: scalable, consistent, and ready for millions.
Guide sits at the centre of Virgin Red’s self-service strategy. It powers both the public-facing help centre—easily accessible through the app and website—and an internal knowledge base that serves as the single source of truth for Reward Genies. “Everything we do is built around the knowledge base,” Rebecca explains. “It means the process is clear and the experience stays consistent.”
Zendesk Voice ensures that when members do need to call, nothing gets lost. The team can track, record, and link calls directly to tickets, giving any agent the full context to continue the conversation. As Virgin Red launched in the US, they used Zendesk to quickly spin up a local support number, maintaining a smooth experience for members on both sides of the Atlantic.
Behind the scenes, it’s all designed to fit the way the team works. With shared access to every ticket, Reward Genies can step in and out of conversations as needed—essential in a model where handovers happen across shifts. “Tickets might be assigned to someone, but we all work across them,” says Rebecca. “Everyone can see what’s happening and jump in if needed.”
Proof that the magic works
Virgin Red’s human-first, tech-enabled model has delivered results that speak for themselves. First response time is a key differentiator. While the SLA sets expectations at 48 hours, Virgin Red regularly responds in under 30 minutes, often closer to 20 minutes, thanks to smart workflows and a highly engaged team. “We take real pride in this—especially for a team of our size,” Rebecca notes. “It’s not just about speed though—it’s about showing up for members the right way.”
Customer satisfaction reflects that commitment. Virgin Red maintains a strong CSAT score of 87.6%, rarely falling below 80%, even during periods of peak volume or rare technical incidents. The team handles an average of 2,500 tickets per month across multiple brands and channels—while still keeping ticket resolution times low and on-hold volumes minimal.
Self-service is another clear success. The knowledge base receives around 20,000 article views per month, with only 13% of those views leading to a ticket—a strong signal that most members are finding what they need independently. On the internal side, the agent-facing knowledge base has helped halve query handling time and streamline onboarding, giving new Reward Genies the tools they need to succeed from day one.
“What we’ve built gives us the control and flexibility to keep improving—without overcomplicating things,” says Rebecca. “We’ve got big ambitions, and the tools in place to support them.”
The next chapter in wish fulfilment
With a fast-growing member base and a wide ecosystem of partners, Virgin Red’s focus now is on evolving its support experience to meet growing expectations—without compromising on what makes it personal. The team is actively exploring ways to bring in more AI-driven efficiency while keeping the human-first philosophy at the core of every interaction.
That includes assessing tools that can help automate routine tasks, streamline complex workflows, and further empower Reward Genies to focus on delivering thoughtful, high-impact service. “There are a lot of small, repetitive tasks that could be handled by AI,” says Rebecca. “But when it comes to real decisions or complex situations, we’ll always want a human there. That’s who we are as a brand.”
As Virgin Red grows, the combination of Zendesk’s flexibility and Route 101’s ongoing support ensures they can keep refining what works—and stay ahead of what’s next. “At the end of the day, great service isn’t about doing everything,” Rebecca highlights. “It’s about doing the right things, really well—and having the right tools and partners around you to make it happen.”
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