By Danielle Faitelson

CPS WINS STEVIE® AWARD IN 2019 STEVIE AWARDS FOR SALES & CUSTOMER SERVICE

“The customer was happy, so I was happy.”

Simone, a CPS customer sales representative, concluded a testimonial with the above seemingly simple statement. Often overlooked, this quote echoes the imperative foundation of both the individual and group mentalities here in the CPS Customer Service Department. However, it’s this philosophy, coupled with the innovative ways in which our employees go above and beyond the call of duty, that has inspired me to nominate our team to be named the Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year.

It’s not uncommon for our representatives to offer the kind of help that’s nowhere to be found in their job descriptions. Deborah once gave a tutorial on basic emailing, after a customer mentioned he’d spent his life avoiding email correspondence. Not only did he leave with a positive regard for CPS, but he thanked Deborah profusely- via email!

Alec spoke with a woman who was upset that a manufacturer refused to replace her TV. Alec easily could’ve called the manufacturer, been denied, and closed the case. Instead, he offered to be her personal point of contact, and vowed to call the manufacturer on a daily basis until the issue was resolved. Once granted the replacement she deserved, she was “overwhelmed with gratitude” and “had never had someone in customer service take such initiative as Alec had.”

In addition, our employees are constantly working to personalize the customer experience. A frustrated caller spoke with Nicole, who patiently coached him through the process of a complicated policy. He was so thankful that he called back weeks later for further assistance, and by chance, was retransferred to Nicole! He was thrilled as he “knew he was in good hands.”

Upon hearing that a customer with special needs children desperately needed her washing machine fixed, Nathan thought on his feet, and determined that a repair would be neither time nor cost effective. He suggested a buy-back option, so that the frazzled mother could immediately purchase a new unit, and receive a check from CPS. Overjoyed with this personalized solution, her stress was instantly alleviated.

Through our continuous training programs, our representatives learn advanced communication techniques to deal with tricky situations. Eric received a call from an expletive-spewing customer who was irate after a claim regarding her broken refrigerator was denied. While many call centers would disconnect a call for such behavior, Eric instead let her vent in order to understand the psychology behind her reaction. Once finished, Eric explained, “As far as I’m concerned, my only job here is to help you. Let’s pause and take time to relax, because you don’t deserve to be this stressed. I’ll put a plan in motion, and call you back this afternoon to discuss.” Eric made some calls, and when he called the customer back, her mood had flipped 180 degrees; she’d heard from the OEM team Eric contacted, and they offered a superb resolution in her favor. Bursting with gratitude, she insisted on emailing his boss to “sing his praises.” Eric recounted the experience: “Even though our contractual obligation had ended with the claim denial, I was simply happy to have been able to help her, as I truly felt she deserved a replacement. There’s always time to do the right thing.”

Eric’s “do the right thing” instinct and subsequent execution may be rare and/or discouraged elsewhere, but here at CPS, it’s encouraged and respected. We value morality and humanity, and prioritize our customers’ happiness. This sentiment has fostered a culture of happy, morally fulfilled, driven, and successful representatives, deserving of the Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year Award.

Judges’ comments:

“Within standardized processes they personalize the customer experience.”

“The personal customer service experience provided by Alec, Nicole, Nathan and Eric are praiseworthy. Great job by the team to ensure the customers are satisfied with the service.”

“The last story is an incredible example of going above and beyond, especially when initially confronted with an extremely irate customer. It takes a special team member to be able to see towards a solution considering how that contact started!”