Rep Spotlight

Stacey Larson
Travel Tags Inc.

After 15 years in customer service, Stacy Larson has three pieces of advice that she shares with newcomers: Stay calm, make sure that you ask for help when you need it, and form good relationships with others within the company. Even when Larson receives a call from work in the middle of the night, she keeps point number one in mind.

Sueanne Larson
3M Sales Support Center

Taking a giant leap outside of her job description, Sueanne Larson took on the job of finding ways to better support 3M’s sales staff. Her efforts led to the creation of a new sales support team and, as supervisor Patti Leslie notes, “despite doing two jobs at once, her energy level never went down.”

Nathaniel Parkinson
VA Maryland Health Care System

For Nathaniel Parkinson, customer service is all about listening. And, as a mediator and patient advocate he knows this from experience. “If you can’t listen to what people are saying to you, and you aren’t hearing what their problems are, then you can’t fix them,” he says.

Christopher Benjamin
Pinellas County Housing Authority

Making customers feel comfortable can help defuse anger and resolve problems says Christopher Benjamin. When working with customers in person, he likes to, “sit down with them, side-by-side, and look at them in their eyes so that they feel comfortable and welcome in this setting.” That level of care can make a huge difference in service outcomes.

Justin Prescott
Navy Federal Credit Union

Justin Prescott is well known for his ability to handle any call. Here’s his secret: “When I am making a customer service call, I think how nice it would be to have a friend there that I could speak with who could help me out. So I try to be that friend when people call in — especially if there is a problem, because that is when you need a friend the most.”

Linda Kristensen
VA Outpatient Clinic

Scheduling time to work with busy patients, clients or customers can be a challenge. For Kristensen and other staff members, the solution is strenouous ten-and-a-half-hour days when needed. “We try to make time for those whose schedules leave them time only early or later in the day,” she says.

Beverly Reese
Arkansas Oncology Associates

For Beverly Reese, “going above and beyond” is more than a simple catch phrase. It’s what service is all about. Take the time that a patient couldn’t afford frequent trips to the medical office for his treatments, Beverly purchased a discounted bus pass for him at her own expense. Actions like that make the words come alive.

Leon Doty 
Battle Creek VA Medical Center

Leon Doty has learned a lot about working with people in his 30 plus years on the job. But perhaps the most important lesson for service providers, in all fields, is to remember to deal with the person before dealing with any problems.

Michael Gervasi 
Ice.com

When Michael Gervasi learns that a customer is having a special anniversary, returning from the hospital or marking some other milestone, he doesn”t hesitate to request that flowers be sent to the customer. It”s the kind of personal touch that makes Gervasi a top rep and his customers devoted fans.

Larry Martindale 
Solid Cactus

Martindale keeps a quote in his cubicle that reads, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” And that’s what he tries to keep in mind when he gets a difficult call. “You just want to back off, let them vent, extend empathy, and apologize for whatever the situation was,” he says.