PPB November 2021

FEATURE | PPB Service Superheroes Anna Ruska Director of Administration Artina Promotional Products Powell, Ohio A nna Ruska started her career in banking, as a teller and brand manager, both customer service-related roles, which she says helped make her a stronger leader and able to pitch in whenever needed. She joined Artina 14 years ago as a temp in customer service and then was asked to join the team full time. Most of her day is spent managing the support team and helping them prioritize their workload. “Our support team is cross-trained which allows me to pull in non-CSR employees to help keep our orders as current as possible and our team running smoothly,” she says. “Anna understands the importance of managing an order from start to finish, keeping the client informed along the way and does everything in her power to avoid surprises,” says President Matina Zenios, one of five nominators. “She builds good relationships with clients and suppliers for a common goal, leads our service providers and is a great mentor/coach to them. She doesn’t just tell people what to do or how to do it, she explains why and is extremely patient. She’s also not afraid, on any day at any hour (and I mean any hour), to pull up her sleeves and get involved. She is an amazing leader and an amazing service provider. We are so lucky to have her.” Another nominator, Jennifer Tipple, VP of finance and operations, adds, “Another great example of Anna’s superior service is the way she tries to find the best possible solution for our clients and our company as well. She always thinks outside of the box when it comes to dealing with order errors that can take up the majority of a day, laying out all possible scenarios to come to a solution to benefit everyone.” In Anna’s Words What inspires you to go above and beyond what customers expect? My inspiration is to maintain and strengthen the relationships we have built with our customers and to maintain the strong partnership between our CSRs and sales reps. I want the customer to know and be assured that they are our focus and I always strive to deliver their order on time or ahead of schedule. What’s your best advice for others wanting to improve their customer service skills? Always put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Be proactive, especially when delivering disappointing news to them. Provide options, whether it is to change an item that is out of stock, ship short, expedite the freight method or to wait for stock with an ETA date to the customer. Be transparent and honest upfront with the customer on the current supply chain challenges we are facing every day. We need to be ahead of the order and try to anticipate any issues that may arise and address our follow-ups accordingly. What’s an example of the best service you’ve received, why was it impressive and how did it make you feel? Any customer service where empathy is shown to me, and I am offered options on how to proceed with the situation, makes me feel that I am in control of the outcome. The customer service rep delivering the news to me is not the one who caused the issue with my order. However, when they show a personal interest for my situation, and want to make it better, shows they work for a company that values their customers. 36 | NOVEMBER 2021 |