Response Time: Vol. 34

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

With Pat Barlow, Support Lead at Dovetail.

Please tell us a little bit about your company and what you do there.
I’m the Support Lead at Dovetail, a customer insights hub that helps teams around the world build better products.

What word or phrase in customer service jargon should be retired?
“Tickets.” There’s nothing people despise more than having to submit a ticket, respond to a ticket, or escalate a ticket. Calling them conversations makes them much more personal. There is a human on the other side reaching out for support at the end of the day, the least you can do is have a conversation with them.

What’s the most valuable thing that working in customer service has taught you?
Empathy and communication. If you can understand what your customers are feeling and empathize with their pain points while also assisting them with clear communication, you can do anything.

Describe the essence of great customer service using only three words.
Adaptable, understanding, expert.

What can you do that a bot will never be able to replicate?
It has to be human emotion. Some conversations require human-to-human interaction, and that’s something that a bot could never replace.

“Some of the most successful people that I’ve worked with have started in support roles and they’re successful because they have a deep understanding of their customer base”

Do you identify more with the title “customer support,” customer service,” “customer success,” or “customer experience,” and why?
“Customer experience!” Everything that we do for customers is part of their overall experience while using our product. The way we reply to them, how quickly issues are resolved, and how we can proactively help them is all part of the experience.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your peers in the customer service industry?
Never forget that you’re the bridge between your product and your customers and you play a vital role in the success of both. Some of the most successful people that I’ve worked with have started in support roles and they’re successful because they have a deep understanding of their customer base. They understand their pain points, they know what they like, and they continue to be an active voice for them even if they move into other areas of the business.

What’s the worst customer service you’ve ever experienced?
When you need to call a company and are put on hold for so long, and the call cuts out for no reason. That’s the most infuriating feeling in the world.

What’s your greatest productivity hack?
Starting early in the morning. I’ve found that I work best in the morning, and getting into the office early maximizes this time while also having the added benefit of a quieter, less distracting office.

What book are you reading at the moment?
Very slowly getting through The Year I Met My Brain by Matilda Boseley.

If customer service was an Olympic sport, what would be the main event?
Who can find that one conversation where you already answered this question and your reply was really good but you can’t remember exactly what you wrote first.

What’s the best thing a customer has ever said to you?
I’m always very happy when a customer says “I know it’s not your fault,” because that’s something you can never say directly to them, so it’s nice to know they understand.

What gif best describes your mental state right now?

Where do you get your support leadership news?
LinkedIn or the Support Driven Slack community.

What do you wish people knew about working in customer service?
It’s not just emails.

What’s the strangest thing a customer has asked you?
Turns out there are a lot of other companies called Dovetail, and one of them made a train simulator game, so we get a lot of questions about random train routes around the world.

What’s your most used emoji in customer chats?

😊

Conversation closed… for now 😏