PPB November 2017

FEATURE | Service Superheroes Laurie Bandas Customer Service Supervisor Pacesetter Awards Chicago, Illinois Years at Pacesetter Awards: 21 Nominators: Scott Sodikoff, custom sales; Kamil Dys, national sales manager; Ryan Schaefer, account executive; Terry Goudie, CSR manager; and Sam Reed, national accounts manager at Pacesetter Awards; and Ashley Fontenot, account manager/inside sales at Boundless Network What Makes Laurie A Service Superhero Laurie Bandas started her career in the restaurant industry, working her way up to manager at Dairy Queen, and then went into retail where she quickly earned her stripes as a store manager with Payless. In those jobs, it was clear to Bandas that her chief responsibility was not to prepare food or sell shoes; it was to serve customers. She says she has always worked in customer service. Perhaps that’s why she’s been able to dazzle her coworkers and customers with over-the-top care for the past 21 years. “Even if Laurie doesn’t have exactly what I am looking for, she always has a solution,” says nominator Ashley Fontenot, account manager/inside sales at Boundless Network. “She is always on top of things and keeps me informed about my orders throughout the order process so that I can keep my customers informed as well.” Nominator Sam Reed, national accounts manager at Pacesetter Awards, adds, “Laurie is a terrific partner whom I can always count on when I am on the road. Whether we are working on a large custom quote or a small stock order, she gives them both the same attention to detail.” He cites a large program the company runs with one of its largest distributor clients. “The client was looking to add a few awards to this program. Laurie provided the client with over 15 different options to be added to this program, including mockups that she created herself. The client added these items to their program and the program is now up more than 50 percent over last year.” How Laurie Saved The Day Nominator Kamil Dys, national sales manager, says, “Laurie is able to talk any customer off the ledge. As a manufacturer, once in a while we will make an error on an order. Laurie has the ability to reassure the customer that we will correct the order and do whatever it takes to keep the distributor and their end user happy. The way she speaks with customers shows how knowledgeable she is about our line and makes everyone feel more comfortable.” In Her Own Words Best Part Of The Job: What I enjoy the most is building great customer relationships. I also love working with my coworkers because we work well together and we have fun doing our day-to-day jobs. Biggest Challenge: One of the biggest challenges in my job is keeping up with all the changes to our product line and making sure the customer service reps are aware of the changes. Most Valuable Customer Service Lesson Learned: Treat people/customers as you want to be treated. If you are honest and show your customers respect, then they will always come back to you for future projects. No. 1 Tip For Great Customer Service: Always listen to your customer, make sure you understand what they are looking for and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most-Wanted Superhero Power: To read minds—then I would know exactly what my customers are looking for and what they want. I feel that this superhero power would help me be a better communicator and allow me to be more productive at my job. Best Personal Customer Service Experience: Several months ago, my daughter’s phone was not charging so I went to a few stores to see about getting it fixed. Everyone told me they could not fix the phone and that I had to buy a new one. So, I took it to a neighborhood business to see what they would say. They did a free diagnostic on the phone and found out it was just the battery that needed to be replaced. They took the time to look into what was wrong with the phone, which saved me time and money. This made me feel positive about going to neighborhood businesses again because these small businesses rely on good customer service to keep going. 28 | NOVEMBER 2017 |