Response Time: Vol. 38
In our latest “Response Time” interview, we ask Victor Salinas, Head of Customer Success at VMetrix, about what movie robot he'd choose as his AI sidekick, and more.
You satisfy your customers, but can you satisfy our curiosity?
With Victor Salinas, Head of Customer Success at VMetrix.
Please tell us a little bit about your company and what you do there.
VMetrix is a software as a service (SaaS) platform designed for financial institutions that allows them to manage investments, risks, and treasury operations in a comprehensive way. It includes everything from financial asset trading to portfolio accounting. I’m Head of Customer Success, and responsible for managing the relationship between our users and the company, for which Intercom has become an essential tool.
What word or phrase in customer service jargon should be retired?
“Unfortunately, this option is not available, but we will strongly consider your suggestion for future versions.”
Which celebrity would be really great at your job, and why?
Ryan Reynolds, because he takes everything with humor.
What’s the most valuable thing that working in customer service has taught you?
You don’t truly understand the customer’s needs until you speak with them every day.
Describe the essence of great customer service using only three words.
Care for them.
Which movie robot would you choose as your AI sidekick?
Baymax from Big Hero 6.
What can you do that a bot will never be able to replicate?
Find alternative solutions within our system so that the user doesn’t have to stop their work.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever said/done to a customer?
Responding to a customer with information intended for someone else.
Do you identify more with the title “customer support,” “customer service,” “customer success,” or “customer experience,” and why?
“Customer success,” because I consider myself a partner in their daily growth.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your peers in the customer service industry?
Build solutions based on their (the customer’s) needs.
What’s the worst customer service you’ve ever experienced?
When people are more concerned with charging me than with solving my problems.
What’s your greatest productivity hack?
Make lists and prioritize tasks, then set follow-up reminders.
What book are you reading at the moment?
Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution by Uri Levine.
If customer service was an Olympic sport, what would be the main event?
A marathon, because relationships are built over time and in the long run.
What’s the best thing a customer has ever said to you?
“I knew I needed something, but I didn’t know what it was until you helped me understand it.”
What gif best describes your mental state right now?
Where do you get your support leadership news?
From LinkedIn, Intercom’s blog, and through discussions with my team and leaders.
What do you wish people knew about working in customer service?
Two things: collaborating with customer service is an excellent way to improve and build software, and the client doesn’t always know exactly what they need.
If you wrote a book about your experiences in customer service, what would the title be?
“It Takes Two to Dance.”
Conversation closed… for now 😏