Customer Support Leaders Charlotte Ward
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- Business
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Customer Support Leaders have been there, on the front line with customers. They understand how things work, and the value of support. They understand the needs and foibles of their customer base. Unlike most other disciplines, there’s no training for this role. No two CS Leadership roles are alike. No two CS Leaders are alike. So this is our opportunity to hear from those leaders and learn from them. Whether you’re a CS leader now, or you aspire to be, this is the podcast for you! Hear different leaders discuss a topic with me, Charlotte Ward.
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260: Revolutionizing Customer Support: All-Hands Support Delivery from across the Organisation; with Sarah Caminiti
Get ready to revolutionize your perspective on customer support as Sarah Caminiti joins me, Charlotte Ward, to unveil the power of all-hands support. Imagine a workplace where the CEO and the newest developer alike roll up their sleeves to tackle daily customer queries. This is the reality at Sarah's company, DNSimple, where fostering a deep understanding of customer needs across all team levels has led to a transformative support experience. We delve into the nuances of creating a knowledge-rich environment that empowers both customers and engineers, ensuring the latter aren't swamped by trivial issues. Sarah's approach has not only streamlined support but has also cultivated an atmosphere where engineers embrace customer interaction with confidence and stress-free ease.
In our second chapter, the art of managing a remote support team takes center stage. Striking the perfect balance between responsiveness and team cohesion in a virtual environment is no small feat. I open up about the meticulous orchestration behind our 24-hour response policy, highlighting the vital role of documentation and transparent communication in keeping our remote wheels turning smoothly. Through mentorships and performance reviews, I strive to spotlight process optimization over finger-pointing, fostering a culture where feedback leads to growth. We share our strategies for keeping dialogue channels open, ensuring that our team feels supported in voicing any concerns. Join us for this compelling exploration of cultivating trust and efficiency in the ever-evolving realm of customer support.
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259: Mastering Adaptive Leadership in the Face of Change; with Neal Travis
Steer your team through the rollercoaster of change with wisdom from Neal Travis, Support & Admissions Manager at the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) and host of the Growth Support podcast. Neal is a seasoned leader in customer support, who joins me, Charlotte Ward, in unpacking the secrets of adaptive leadership. Discover how to not only navigate but also communicate the often turbulent waters of change, ensuring your team remains unified and forward-moving. Neal's expertise shines as we explore the different needs of team members and the importance of learning from each twist and turn. Uncover the delicate art of timing in information sharing and how transparency can transform uncertainty into a powerful team-building tool.
As we dissect the journey towards embracing paradigms like Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS), we shed light on the essential role of evolving together. This conversation is a trove of insights for any leader aiming to guide their team to new heights of achievement amidst the ever-changing landscape of team management. Tune in for a thought-provoking dialogue that promises not only to enlighten but also to prepare you for future goal-setting and the consequences of standing still. Join Neal and I as we lay down the roadmap for leading with clarity and adaptability in an era where change is the only constant.
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258: The Danger of Assumptions and Navigating the Nuances of Effective Customer Communication; with Sarah Caminiti
Have you ever wondered what sets exceptional customer support apart? Join me in a thought-provoking conversation with Sarah Caminiti, the Vice President of Customer Success at DNSimple. Together, they dissect the subtle yet pivotal practice of shedding assumptions to enhance customer interactions. Sarah, with her extensive background in support, illuminates the path to nurturing customer relationships with patience and empathy. We venture into the delicate balance of communication, refining the art of crafting email responses that empower rather than overwhelm. This dialogue promises to equip you with the strategies to elevate your customer's confidence and transform them into staunch advocates for your brand.
We also tackle the nuances that can make or break the support experience. Sarah shares cautionary tales and the wisdom gained from years of ensuring technical staff connect with customers on a human level. By rejecting the convenience of assumptions, we uncover the power of personalized service that resonates with the individual needs of each customer. Whether you're on the front lines or orchestrating the strategy behind them, this episode is an enlightening guide to fostering a culture of thoroughness and understanding that will redefine the way you perceive and execute customer success.
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257: Debunking Benchmarks and the Real Power of Customer Feedback; with Ty Givens
Debunking Benchmarks and the Real Power of Customer Feedback; with Ty Givens
Join me and the insightful Ty Givens from CX Collective as we confront the common myths of benchmarking in customer support. Get ready to discover why pursuing industry standards might not be the golden ticket to enhancing your customer service game. With Ty's extensive experience, we delve into the importance of customizing your customer support to outshine the competition. We dissect examples such as response times and satisfaction scores to show that the benchmarks which work for some companies can be utterly irrelevant for others. By the end of our chat, you'll understand why creating internal goals based on your company's unique data and customer interactions is the key to delivering excellence in service.
As we continue our enlightening conversation, we switch gears to the power of feedback – the kind that numbers alone can't capture. Prepare to see the value in the stories and detailed experiences shared by customers, which often hold more weight than any statistic. We discuss how these narrative reviews can influence everything from recruiting to purchasing decisions, driving home the point that businesses need to listen intently to their audience. We explore how to harness this feedback to refine strategies, adapt to customer expectations, and truly embrace a customer-first approach. By the time you're done listening, you'll be equipped to shift your focus from chasing numbers to building a brand that resonates with people on a personal level.
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256: The Hidden Advantages of Less Local Remote Teams (or “Get Good at Calendars!”); with Alec Moloney
The Hidden Advantages of Less Local Remote Teams (or “Get Good at Calendars!”); with Alec Moloney
Unlock the secrets of thriving within a globally distributed team as Alec Moloney and I, Charlotte Ward, reveal the unexpected benefits and strategies for success from our experiences at Snowplow. Imagine the energy and innovation that stems from a melting pot of cultural backgrounds and time zones – that's what you'll discover in our latest podcast. Alec, all the way from Australia, joins me to share the vibrant mix of perspectives that fuel creativity and problem-solving in a remote work setting. We confront the complexities of communication across continents and discuss whether having fewer local teammates could actually be a hidden advantage.
Navigating the remote work landscape requires more than just good WiFi – it demands smart, adaptive strategies to keep everyone connected and informed. Tune in as Alec and I tackle the art of flexible scheduling, rotating meeting times for fairness, and the crucial task of intellectual capital management, ensuring that no valuable insight or experience gets lost in the digital ether. Learn about the importance of establishing knowledge-sharing systems from the start, as we reflect on how to better navigate the shifting sands of roles and responsibilities. Join us for a discussion that's as diverse and dynamic as the distributed teams we're a part of.
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255: Mastering Outage Management; with Lauren Rose Eimers
Mastering Outage Management; with Lauren Rose Eimers
Imagine being at the helm of customer support when technology fails us—navigating the stormy seas of software outages is no small feat. That's why this episode has us sitting down with Lauren Rose Eimers, a sage in the art of crisis management, to share the secrets and strategies for thriving amidst system instabilities. We'll guide you through the nuances of pinpointing and recreating issues, equipping our development comrades with the essential intel to combat bugs and breakdowns. But it's not all tech talk; we also address the human element, acknowledging the strain on customer emotions and how to manage expectations when the digital world falters.
As the dust settles on a system outage, the true work begins. Lauren and I traverse the less-charted territories of post-crisis communication—revealing how to nurture customer relationships and express gratitude to those unsung heroes in the frontline trenches. Discover the 'growth edges' that each challenge offers, enabling us to bolster our processes, procedures, and training. We moreover delve into the critical adjustments that fortify our defenses against future failures, touching upon the importance of code reviews and quality checks. And let's not forget the heart of our operations—the support team. Learn why their well-being post-crisis is paramount and how acknowledging their dedication can reinvigorate the entire crew. Join us for a candid conversation that's essential for every customer support leader.
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