JobTalk with a customer service associate
JobTalk with a customer service associate
About our participant
■ Name/age: Wan Saengvanpheng, 29
■ Occupation: Customer service associate
■ Employer: Deluxe Corp. in Greensboro
■ Years in field: Eight
■ Salary range: $22,000 to $39,500, according to Deluxe Corp’s human resources department
■ Education:
• Graduate of Smith High School, Greensboro
• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management from Strayer University
■ Goals of the job: Assist customers with ordering checks and other business and marketing products that help businesses grow and thrive.
■ Tasks:
• Handle inbound phone calls from customers (financial institution representatives and small-business owners)
• Assist small-business owners with placing orders and answer their questions about business and marketing products Deluxe offers, from checks, T-shirts and office supplies to Web site design
• Recommend services and products to satisfy customer needs
• Maintain current knowledge of products and other general customer information
Editor’s note: Answers are submitted by e-mail and have been edited for space and clarity.
How did you become involved in this line of work?I’m a graduate of Smith High School. I started out working part-time at another call center for a co-op class while in school working on my high school diploma. I have always enjoyed working on the computer as well as with people, both face-to-face and on the phone.
What kinds of issues do you help customers address? My primary role is to ensure that we do all we can to meet all of our customers’ needs. I do this by: placing new orders for customers or reorders for existing customers; answering questions pertaining to orders that have been shipped and inquiries about delivery options and dates; and responding to product and billing inquiries. I take steps to ensure that our customers receive their orders correctly the first time.
What skills and strengths do you feel you’ve acquired from this job so far? I have become more proficient and comfortable with different computer applications and software. My sales techniques, communication and interpersonal skills are stronger. My problem-solving skills have strengthened from talking to our customers with a variety of different situations. I have learned that to create customer loyalty it’s important to put yourself in your customers’ shoes, and treat them as you’d like to be treated.
What advice do you have for people interested in this job? The advice I’d give to anyone interested in this job is to be dedicated. You have to like serving customers. I pride myself in providing a great customer experience for every customer I talk to by being professional and pleasant. Deluxe encourages employees to get involved with committees and volunteering, and to be flexible and open to new ideas. For anyone interested in a job at a call center, keep up with your keyboarding and communication skills, and be flexible regarding a work schedule.
Wan Saengvanpheng 091309
Wan Saengvanpheng works at the Deluxe Corp. call center in Greensboro. The company offers checks and other business and marketing services for financial institutions and small businesses.
