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.

Please tell us a little bit about your company and what you do there.

RotaCloud is a UK-based workforce management platform. Our aim is to make employees’ lives better at 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 Head of Customer Success and Support.

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

That’s a tough one. There are a lot to choose from! I’d probably say Barack Obama, he can clearly keep it cool under pressure – which we all know is needed when an unsuspected bug comes along! But he also comes across as very motivational, so could inspire the team.

“If you understand the customer’s needs and potential frustrations, you are more likely to end the conversation with a happy customer”

What’s the most valuable thing working in customer service has taught you?

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 are more likely to end the conversation with a happy customer. You see it all the time when customer support reps are multi-tasking – the question I ask myself then is, “Are they going to be providing the best outcome?”

What’s your greatest productivity hack?

Plan your day to the best of your ability. If you have a super important task that you need to complete, mark some time in your diary to do it. If it’s just smaller tasks, a simple to-do list should do. Having an idea of what you want to accomplish in a day is key. Knowing the CS world, your day may go up in flames … but that’s the fun of the job, right?

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

I think that sometimes we forget our best CS experiences and remember the worst ones. Which shows why, as industry leaders, we need to make sure that we are always providing the best of our game! However, one that really stands out is when I was in a restaurant a few weeks ago; the waiter made sure that I always had everything I needed and made sure that the food was great. It’s the small things!

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

I needed to contact a parcel delivery provider. Every time I called I had to enter my tracking number, which the automated system was not recognizing. I had to enter a fake number in the hope that it would work. When I finally spoke to a representative, the service was okay, but it took over 20 minutes to get to that point.

“Automation is great (when it works), but it will never be able to replace human beings”

Is a burger a sandwich?

No.

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

To lie for them so it made them look better to their bosses.

What can you do that a bot will never be able to replicate?

Yes, automation is great (when it works), but it will never be able to replace human beings, especially with the more detailed and complex tasks.

What do you doodle when you’re on video calls?

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

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

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your peers in the customer service industry?

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

What book are you reading at the moment?

I’ve just finished The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Great read, especially if you’re in or want to get into leadership.

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

“Your team are the reason we chose your product.” Always makes my day when I get feedback like that!

Where do you get your support leadership news?

LinkedIn and 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 that? :)

What’s your most used emoji in customer chats?

Are we talking notes with the team, or with customers? No, it’s genuinely just a smiley face.

Do you identify more with the title “customer support,” “customer service,” “customer success,” or “customer experience,” and why?

I lead both the Success and Support teams, so perhaps both of those? They are very different areas of CX, and I love them both – sorry, I can’t choose between them!

What do you wish people knew about working in customer service?

We do our best with what we have. Sometimes we can’t fix something instantly, but we really do care about our customers and are doing our utmost to make sure you are happy!

Conversation closed… for now 😏