PPB November 2018

FEATURE | Service Superheroes I was purchasing, but also the hoodie that I had purchased at a different store. That sales associate made me a loyal customer for life. She went above and beyond my expectations. STEPHANIE CONKLIN Customer Service Supervisor The Vernon Company Years At The Company: 41 F or over four decades Stephanie Conklin has worked at the Newton, Iowa-based distributor, first as a switchboard operator, then as an order auditor and as a customer service representative before being promoted to supervisor. Over the years she’s learned how to support the company’s salespeople so they can focus on selling, says nominator and sales rep Michael Propst. When he’s out of the office, she reaches out to customers if questions arise so the orders keep moving forward and she handles most of the issues before they ever get to Propst and the other salespeople. For example, on one order, the supplier had indicated significant deviations from what the customer requested. Before the problem ever reached the salesperson, she jumped in, straightened it out and sent a resolution to the customer, then updated the salesperson. By taking personal responsibility to correct the errors, she made a potentially big problem a non- issue for the salesperson. Best Part Of The Job: Working with our account executives. Biggest Challenge: The business has become fast paced so [it’s challenging] getting accurate responses in a timely manner. Motivation To Deliver World-Class Service: Work ethic was instilled in me by my family, so I do my best to provide great service to all. No. 1 Tip For Great Customer Service: Friendliness. Work with people to provide the best results. Best Personal Customer Service Experience: What stands out in my mind did not happen to me, but to someone else. I was shopping at a retail store and noticed a woman who appeared to be of meager financial means. As I shopped, I watched her untangle a necklace which took her a long time. She finally got in line to pay for the necklace and the customer service gal said, “For all your work, you can just have the necklace at no charge.” That has stuck with me for over 20 years. Really being able to see the person you are working with, and making them appreciate you and the company is important. MARY CROSETTO Program Manager 1338Tryon Years At The Company: 2 A s a former manager for a national drugstore chain, Mary Crosetto has handled her share of customer service problems and knows how important it is to come through for the customer— even when that “customer” is her supplier rep. “Mary manages five million things at once and keeps it all together—I’ve never seen anything like it,” says one of her two nominators, Jill Rogers, who is field sales manager for supplier PCNA/Trimark. “She is patient, detail-oriented, knowledgeable about the products, knows her clients extremely well and makes sure they are always taken care of—no matter what.” Best Part Of The Job: I enjoy that every day is something new and I am challenged to come up 28 | NOVEMBER 2018 |