Response time: Vol. 4

You satisfy your customers, but can you satisfy our curiosity?

With Ethan Rylett, Head of Customer Success and Support at RotaCloud.

Tell us a bit about your business and what you do there.

RotaCloud is a UK-based workforce management platform. Our goal is to improve the lives of employees in the company they work for. If we can improve communication between them and their bosses – and save the company time and money – then our job is done. My role at RotaCloud is Customer Success and Support Manager.

Which celebrity would be really great at your job, and why?

It's difficult. There are many choices! I would probably say Barack Obama, he can clearly keep his cool under pressure - which we all know is needed when an unsuspected bug comes up! But he also appears to be very motivating and could therefore inspire the team.

"If you understand the customer's needs and potential frustrations, you are more likely to end the conversation with a satisfied customer"

What's the most valuable thing you've learned from working in customer service?

Take the time to listen, and actually listen and pay full attention to what they are saying. If you understand the customer's needs and potential frustrations, you're more likely to end the conversation with a satisfied customer. You see it all the time when customer service reps are multitasking. The question I then ask myself is, "Are they going to provide the best result?"

What's your best productivity hack?

Plan your day to the best of your ability. If you have a super important task that you need to complete, write down the time in your journal to complete it. If it's just small tasks, a simple to-do list should suffice. Having an idea of ​​what you want to accomplish in a day is key. Knowing the CS world, your day can get heated...but that's the fun of the job, isn't it?

What's the best customer service experience you've ever had?

I think sometimes we forget our best CS experiences and remember the worst. Which goes to show why, as industry leaders, we need to make sure we always deliver the best in our game! However, the one that really stands out is when I was in a restaurant a few weeks ago; the waiter made sure I always had everything I needed and made sure the food was excellent. It's the little things!

What's the worst customer service you've ever experienced?

I needed to contact a parcel carrier. Each time I called, I had to enter my tracking number, which the automated system did not recognize. I had to enter a fake number in hopes it would work. When I finally spoke to a rep, the service was ok, but it took over 20 minutes to get there.

"Automation is good (when it works), but it can never replace humans"

Is a burger a sandwich?

No.

What's the strangest thing a customer has asked you?

Lie for them so that they are better seen by their bosses.

What can you do that a bot can never replicate?

Yes, automation is great (when it works), but it can never replace human beings, especially for more detailed and complex tasks.

What do you doodle when you're on a video call?

It varies depending on the call...usually just random words that get stuck in my head!

“Customer service, support and success are ever-changing industries. Change with the times or get left behind”

What advice would you give to your peers in the customer service industry?

Never stop learning. Talk to your peers, read articles, keep up to date with new processes. Customer service, support and success are constantly evolving industries. Change with the times or get left behind.

What book are you reading at the moment?

I just finished The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Excellent reading, especially if you are or wish to become a leader.

What's the best thing a customer has ever said to you?

"Your team is the reason we chose your product." It always makes my day when I get comments like that!

Where do you get your supportive leadership news?

LinkedIn and its peers.

How would you explain your job to an alien?

I help people help people? But if they've been watching us, wouldn't they already know? :)

What is your most used emoji in customer chats?

Are we discussing notes with the team or with customers? No, it's really just a smiley.

Do you identify more with the title “customer support”, “customer service”, “customer...