Contact Center Trends

Inspiring Customer Experience Stories – Part 5 – Not All Heroes Wear Capes

By Gavin Gustafson

August 2, 2018

0 min read

A brand’s reputation for customer service can make or break customers’ decisions to give them business. Customer experience (CX) has become a buzzword for brands across sectors, and providing a high-quality CX is imperative in today’s fast-moving, low-loyalty, consumer-driven climate. Companies must differentiate themselves with a CX that makes interactions simple and seamless for the customer. Gone are the days when customers were willing, albeit begrudgingly, to repeat their account information and their issue to several agents through multiple transfers. Consumer brand-loyalty is already low and a poor CX can sound the death knell for each bad experience.

While shifting your focus to customer experience is crucial, and learning new ways to improve will set your company apart from the others, the heart and soul of the experience your customers have is the agents they interact with. They must be as competent as they are caring, and they must care. Being a customer service representative, or agent, is a demanding job that can often feel thankless. The agents often take on the brunt of customers’ frustrations, and if your CX is not where it should be, an already frustrated customer may be pushed to a breaking point and take out their frustrations on the agent they speak to. Despite these challenges, most agents still have a strong desire to help customers and care about resolving issues. Are you hiring people who care to be your agents – the representation of your brand? Or, are you just filling seats?

The following blog, Part 5 in our series focused on the individuals behind the headset or desk, highlights an agent whose small gesture had a big effect on her customer. This story was submitted to Talkdesk and included as part of our 11 Stories of Brilliant Customer Interactions to Inspire Your CX Team.

Smart parking company proves that not all heroes wear capes

When I was working as a Customer Hero for a smart parking company I had an experience with a customer that I will remember forever. The call started similar to how many others start: a new user calling to book a spot and get more information on our parking app. We got to talking while exploring her parking options and she opened up to me about having recently undergone a life-changing surgery. After many years of being sick and disabled, she and her husband were finally taking a trip together now that she was able to. She came across our app when searching for parking for their trip. I was humbled by her story and her positive outlook on life despite everything she had been through, so I gave her my personal discount. She cried on the phone, thanking me and informing me that the surgery had cost them so much money and that the discount I gave them helped more than she could express. It was a small gesture on my part, but her outlook on life inspired me and I will remember our conversation for years to come.

Want to create your own Magical Moments: Amazing Customer Experiences? Register for the CX event of the year, Opentalk18. For more inspiring stories, explore our Customers page for success stories from our amazing customer.