Journey of a Customer Success Representative

A day in the life of an Inbound Agent/Account Manager

Please introduce yourself:

My name is Stephanie Anene and I’m a Customer Success Executive, currently working at Piggyvest as an account manager on the Calls team. I also run a small business where I make clothes and beaded bags. 

What motivated you to become a Call Representative for a Start-up? 

I’d like to believe I speak really well and communication is one of my super-powers. So imagine doing what you love and getting paid for it a win-win. I love helping people and I enjoy solving complex issues, there’s this joy I get after fixing something difficult, and what better way to do that than through customer success (*whispers, well since I can’t code*)?

How do you prepare yourself for a typical day on the job and what does your daily activity look like? 

Basically, I prep myself so I'm in a good mood to start talking to people. Usually, I would have my water set by my table because I have to ‘stay hydrated’ since I’ll be talking for a couple of hours, and it's very important to stay hydrated.

After that, I check the Slack channel for pending resolutions, conversations, or important information I would need and then say a little prayer before I start picking up calls and talking to customers till my shift is over.

What strategies do you use to maintain a positive and professional demeanor when dealing with customers, even in challenging situations?

Well first off, I had to learn and recognize that it's not personal when a customer gets upset at you. They're just upset at the situation, not you. So you have to remove your feelings from the situation and still attend to them in a very professional manner.
Then I also try to put myself in the customer's shoes. You have to be empathetic and realize that this could have been me, and understand how they feel and how best to assist them. When you show the customer that you're willing to help them, it helps de-escalate the situation. 

What skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a call representative to have?

Well, I'd say empathy. Empathy is very important.

The second would be patience! You have to be very patient because you meet so many customers on a daily basis. You’ll talk to people from different cultures, with different temperaments and various diversities. So you have to be patient, you have to be understanding, you have to have active listening skills so you don't get distracted in the middle of the conversation and you've zoned out.
You also have to have clear communication skills. You have to know how to communicate what you're trying to say without sounding rude and still sounding professional.

What are some common misconceptions that people have about the role of a call representative?

So one I hear from people is that it's not a serious job and there’s no career path. They’ll say; “you're just on your laptop all day, speaking, talking from beginning to end, go get a real job”. But I'll let you know that this is one of the most important roles in any organization. You're literally the bridge between the customers and the actual organization.

On growth, contrary to beliefs, there's actually growth but people expect it to happen in a jiffy, forgetting ‘you have to cook before getting your meal’.

Growth doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a gradual process and it happens on a personal and professional level. I realized that by talking to different people on a daily basis, I’m picking up different skills, and qualities that make me better and while learning on the job, I’m growing and advancing in my career. There’s an attainable career trajectory and you just have to work towards it.

How do you measure success as a Call representative? What metrics are most important to you and the team? 

This is very simple and straightforward. Quality! The quality of your calls and conversation is very important.

Another important success metric is Quantity! The number of calls per shift, and this is dependent on the time spent on a call, hence why I try to work smart by being concise and helpful.

How helpful has your current employers being in terms of professional development and career growth?

Piggyvest really does a great job in this aspect. From training sessions by internal and outsourced professionals, to free access to online career development courses and certifications, to meetings that broaden our knowledge of the product and eco-system, and a lot more. These are very important as they help us through our daily activities on the job.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job as a call representative and how do you stay motivated during challenging times?

I’m a sucker for fixing and resolving issues in a prompt manner. There are some customers that you help in resolving issues and the gratitude they show is way off the charts. And you think but I'm just doing my job. That gratitude is so fulfilling and rewarding, it just reminds you that, regardless of the fact that there are going to be irate customers, there are still some customers who are appreciative of your efforts and love what you're doing to help them. So gratitude is one of the most rewarding things on the job and that keeps me motivated…. And in this economy, let’s not forget the salary. LOL

What advice do you have for anyone interested in a career as a Call Representative?

One advice would definitely be to go for it and keep an open mind while at it! Be thrilled that you are doing one of the most important roles in an organization.
It's an amazing role that affords you the opportunity to learn and improve your personal skills on a daily basis. So be open-minded and just do it!

Final question, how has your experience as a call representative for a startup impacted your overall perspective on the tech industry and entrepreneurship?

Hmmm…I have learned that good customer service is just as important as the product itself. So if your product is great, make sure your customer service is great as well, because you can’t have a good product and offer bad service. This would have a negative effect on your business. Remember, CS is literally the bridge between the customer, the product, and the company.