PPB December 2019

ERIN WRIGHT- SIMPSON Senior Account Manager Ideas Unlimited Years At This Company: 4 N ominator Evan Mann, director of strategy, engagement and innovation at Ideas Unlimited, calls Erin Wright-Simpson “customer- centric.” What she means is that Wright-Simpson puts her customer’s wellbeing and concerns at the center of the order process. “This begins with the way she forms a personal relationship with every contact for each of her accounts,” says Mann. “Erin knows the names of each individual, their likes/dislikes and their interests, and stays abreast of what’s happening in their lives. From knowing about their families, to their vacation plans, to deaths in the family, Erin is on top of every relationship detail. Erin is also customer-centric in the way she manages her calendar. She always knows when a seasonal or annual project is coming and proactively communicates with clients to get the ball rolling—they expect her to be there for them, and it’s clear she expects this of herself.” Wright-Simpson takes excellence at work personally, too. “We call her ‘Speedy Gonzales’ because she’s the first to answer the phone, to get the mail, to return a proposal to a customer or to do any other job that needs doing; usually before anyone else thinks to do a job, Erin’s gotten it done,” says Mann. How Erin Sees It Best Part Of The Job: I value the personal and professional relationships I have with my clients and the vendors I work with. My clients know that when they call me at 4:45 pm and need those tumblers in two days, I won’t stop until it gets done. Her Inspiration To Go Above And Beyond: This quote from the Wonder Woman comic: “Because no matter how small an act of kindness or generosity or simple positivity you put out into the world, it will make a difference.” No. 1 Tip For Enhanced Customer Service: As Diana Prince reminds Captain Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman movie, “A deal is a promise and a promise is unbreakable.” Best Personal Customer Service Experience: A recent personal experience was on my birthday last year. While visiting Boston, my boyfriend made reservations at a restaurant that had wonderful reviews. After sitting for almost an hour without even being offered something to drink, we decided to leave. Needless to say, I was very disappointed with how the night was turning out. We walked down the street just a few blocks and tried again. This time, when we explained the situation, we were guided to an intimate table for two and brought out course after course of food by two of the most amazing servers I have ever had. They sang to me, talked my boyfriend into splurging on a bottle of Dom Perignon (first and only time) and turned the entire night around. All it takes for exceptional service is a little time and attention. Tina Berres Filipski is editor of PPB . FEATURE | Service Superheroes 72 | DECEMBER 2019 |