PPB November 2021

PPB Service Superheroes | FEATURE Nicole Tasca VP of Sales Administration Starline USA Grand Island, New York N icole Tasca joined the New York-based supplier 19 years ago after a stint as a volunteer coordinator at a nonprofit agency where she trained and scheduled volunteers who handled child custody and divorce mediation. At Starline, she immediately found her niche and moved up in the company from a business development coordinator through sales roles to her current position. Along the way, her dedication and enthusiasm for customer service has set her apart. “She always finds the solution rather than concentrating on what caused the problem,” says nominator and client H.A. Gross, sales manager at distributor Plaza Printers. “She provides us with the resources we need to increase sales and is the one person in the industry I can call on and know I will get a ‘yes!’ If I had more people like Nicole in my corner, I could get more sales done. This industry needs more Nicoles!” Nominator Brian Porter, senior VP of sales and marketing at Starline, says Tasca runs his inside sales department, as well juggles territories that are open, and handles some of the industry’s largest national accounts. “She’s an absolute hero to not only Starline and its sales team, but also to her clients. Not a day goes by that I don’t say a prayer of thanks for who she is and what she does. In a world where it’s hard to find someone who wants to work one job, she works sometimes up to four and five and does so with a smile.” In Nicole’s Words What inspires you to go above and beyond what customers expect? I go back to the old saying, “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” I want to be treated with respect and honesty and that is how I treat our customers. What’s your best advice for others wanting to improve their customer service skills? Stay in touch, be honest and genuine. Even if you don’t have the answer right now, let your customer know you are working on it. Even if you don’t have the answer they want, be honest. People just want to know they are not being ignored. People also want to know that you genuinely care about them and their situation, so make sure they know you do. Always bring solutions. What’s an example of the best service you’ve received, why was it impressive and how did it make you feel? I recently went to a restaurant with my family on a Saturday evening. It was a casual dinner, but the restaurant was extremely busy. Our waiter had the most amazing personality and treated us like we were his only customers. After talking to him a bit, we learned he was at the end of a 12-hour shift but based on the way he treated us, you would have thought he just started his day. Making people feel special, and like they are your only customer, goes a long way. | NOVEMBER 2021 | 37