PPB November 2020

JENNIFER MARKULIN Account Manager PCNA/Leed’s Years with this company: 20 J ennifer Markulin’s level of customer care is so extraordinary that it’s the “benchmark by which I measure all other customer service representatives,” says her nominator and client Ashley Moss, a sales professional at distributor Geiger. She says Markulin is extremely responsive and helpful, and if a product Moss needs is not available, her rep is quick and thorough at suggesting alternatives. “If it’s a complicated project, she’s always willing to talk through the logistics and help me best plan how to tailor the order so that it meets the customer’s needs, but also flows through their systemwith ease. If we run into an issue, she is fantastic in helping us with solutions and resolutions. She understands the importance of the client relationship and helps us be successful in what we do,” says Moss. After working in administration for a local university, Markulin joined the Leed’s team 20 years ago and worked her way up through roles as account service rep, key contact, corporate phone monitor and service specialist before earning her current position as account manager for the Kensington, Pennsylvania-based supplier. Moss recalls one of her many memorable customer service experiences involving Markulin. “I had a customer who had a complicated wearables order involving a systems jacket that had to be decorated on both the inner and outer shells, in three different locations on each,” she says. “Most of the decoration locations were non-standard, which required getting product and decoration reviews for each decoration method and location. Jen facilitated all of that and then helped me make sure that the order flowed through their systemwell. It was not a large order, but the attention to detail and assistance was exceptional.” One-On-One With Jennifer Markulin How the pandemic has affected her approach: I personally feel that the pandemic has brought me even closer to my customers. We talk more personally on how we are dealing with the changes and are trying to remain positive. It is nice to hear so many of my customers are feeling exactly as I am and it’s not just me stressing too much. Her inspiration to deliver great service: I value my customer service skills. I continually dedicate my efforts toward improving what my customers hope to achieve from my services. I always strive to go above and beyond even when it is not expected from me. My goal is to always stand out and know that my customers can always count on me. No. 1 tip to share with others: It is very important to have clear communication skills, not to over-promise and most importantly to be an effective listener. Best personal customer service experience: I ordered a cosmetic product from Rodan & Fields that a friend had suggested to me because she strongly liked it. I tried it for a few weeks, and I didn’t really notice it working for me as it did for my friend. I was very disappointed and upset because the item was very expensive. I called the company and found out they stand behind their products 100 percent. The customer service representative showed me true empathy and expressed her concern that I was not happy but disappointed. The company gave me a full credit refund for the product and sent me a few samples of other products to try. I was hesitant to give their products another try but I did find something different among the samples, so it was a win-win. FEATURE | Service Superheroes 22 | NOVEMBER 2020 |