PPB November 2018

Service Superheroes | FEATURE I afford that? I seriously must have had the “deer caught in the headlights” look. In one booth, a woman with a wonderful smile greeted me as if I was an old friend. She listened to me and was able to make what I felt were the most unmanageable tasks easy to deal with. She provided me with many answers to my questions and took the time to find what I needed. She made me feel like I was important to her and she was there to help me with whatever I needed. It’s that feeling the customer gets that makes the difference between good and great customer service. TINA KUSAL Customer Service Representative International Merchandise Concepts Years At The Company: 2 T he ability to anticipate customers’ needs and communicate quickly and clearly are two things that set the standard for exceptional customer service. Tina Kusal exhibits those qualities every day, along with attention to detail and handling very complicated orders, says her nominator and boss, Karen Proano. Kusal is also extremely knowledgeable about the company’s product line and regularly looks for opportunities to educate her customers. Her quick thinking recently saved an order—the customer wanted to cancel after seeing a proof because they felt the logo was too small. Kusal convinced the distributor to change to a larger and more expensive product with a larger imprint area and gave them an additional discount as well. The order was saved and the customer and distributor were happy with the outcome. Best Part Of The Job: I enjoy problem-solving and finding unique products to match the needs of our customers. When they look to us for ideas on what will best suit their logo and needs, I enjoy researching and presenting options to help them. Biggest Challenge: It is most challenging when customers are upset with an order. Whether it is a decorator, shipping or processing error, the end result of a dissatisfied customer is disappointing. I like to do my best to get their issues resolved and fix any problems to partner with our clients. Motivation To Deliver World-Class Service: I pride myself on attention to detail and, as a consumer, I know what I would like to receive in terms of customer service. It helps to imagine how I wish to be treated in certain situations. I always challenge myself to do better, and I feel this drives me to give my best with every project. No. 1 Tip For Great Customer Service: Put yourself in their position. Whether they have a tight deadline, or the items were damaged or decorated incorrectly, you want to empathize with them. The success of the company depends on the business relationships you generate, and it goes a long way when you are understanding of their needs and concerns and can address them accordingly. Best Personal Customer Service Experience: I always have felt that T-Mobile’s customer service was outstanding because they seem to always go above-and-beyond whenever I had to contact them with a question or a service problem. You can tell they are trained to engage the customer and they come across as very helpful. BRANDY LASTER Elite Distributor Services Supervisor Ariel Premium Supply Years At The Company: 4 B randy Laster honed her customer service skills as a hotel front desk clerk and maid, making sure guests had clean, comfortable rooms and a pleasant stay. But she knew she could do more. Four years ago, she was ready for a change. She says Ariel Premium Supply took a chance on her and, in return, she | NOVEMBER 2018 | 31