Customer Service
I've worked customer service for over 30 years in various fields. I really enjoy dealing with all the varied personalities. It's a lot like raising children--you have the well-behaved ones, the scalawags, and the problem children...
VA Hospital
The first documented stint was working as a pharmacy clerk at a VA hospital in Tucson, AZ. I was much younger then! It seems like a hundred years ago. Some of those vets can get pretty irascible when they want their meds. We used to have to keep a sharp eye out for there were quite a few who tried to get their meds early or tried to double up. Many of them were downright nasty. The time spent working the window was not the most pleasant time I've ever spent. I remember that I used to go home drained from the day's battles.
What I failed to consider then, but realize now, is that by the time the patients waded through all the interminable waiting and unending bureaucracy that are inherent in the VA system of patient care, they had little, or no, patience to deal with more waiting on meds. Meds, I might add, that they needed to make them feel better from whatever ailment was plaguing them at the current time.
Most of the vets were considerably older than I was at that time. Since I'm at that age now that those vets would have been when I worked there, I can quite readily understand their lack of patience. I am a far more patient person than most, but when you're tired and don't feel well, the patience wears very thin very quickly...and irritability sets in and colors your whole world.
Appliance Industry
The longest spell in my customer service years, so far, were spent working for a supplier to a large appliance manufacturer. That sounds a lot less complicated than it really was. Anyone who has ever worked in a production environment will readily understand what I am about to explain.
We supplied parts for the manufacturer that were used directly on the assembly lines. That means that our parts had to be there on time and in the correct order to feed those lines. Different models that ran down that assembly line used different groups of parts--some more than others. We fed not just one line, but three, with different sized units and, obviously, different parts. A few of the smaller parts were common among all units, but many were not. It was my job to not only interact with the customer but schedule those shipments, in the proper sequence, as well. Add to that the fact that I had to analyze customer releases for current, and future, production requirements and let the production department know what would be required. I think you can see that working that job was a bit of a challenge. Oh, did I forget to mention that their schedule could change at a moment's notice? This usually happened because some supplier didn't deliver their required parts in time for the run--or there was a quality issue--and adjustments would have to be made.
If that had been all there was to it, I might still be there. I enjoyed the challenge of getting the parts to them "just in time". We ran five, or more, full trucks each day to the manufacturer and it was part of my job to get the sequence in the proper order. If need be, they wanted to be able to pull the parts off the back of the truck in the proper order to feed the lines.
Alas, that's not really all that was involved in taking care of business. We had a production supervisor who, quite often, decided that what I said we needed wasn't really what we needed. There were also a lot of quality issues with our parts. The people in other areas didn't have to answer to the customer when the complaints rolled in--I did. It was a constant battle trying to get what I needed to supply the customer. I stayed a lot longer than I should have there--almost 16 years. I kept hoping it would get better but it never did. Before I left there, I wound up as the Customer Service manager but that only made things tougher. Leaving there became a necessity.
Poultry Industry
I took a major paycut to change jobs. I was so burned out when I left the previous job that all I wanted to do was work 40 hours a week and go home. I wasn't interested in management--I'd had more than my fill of all the crap that goes with that. I took a position as a regular CSR for a poultry company not three minute's drive from my home. It was the best move I've ever made!
Crossing from one type of industry to another turned out to be more of a challenge than I thought it would be. Silly me, I thought customer service was customer service. Well, yes, it is BUT... It's that but that made all the difference. There's a world of difference between supplying a production line with parts and supplying customers with frozen chicken. The structure is totally different, too. I had never worked with brokers before. At first, I was a little afraid of overstepping my bounds with the brokers--I neglected to realize that they worked for us. It took some time before that sunk in. Brokers are like children, too...some are great, some push the envelope, and some are just downright lazy and/or sloppy and make you want to take up drinking!
I was constantly amazed after I went to work here. At the end of the week, I actually had all the product to ship that I had orders for--week after week!! I didn't know what to do with myself, I was so ecstatic. What an unheard of concept--having product to ship...ON TIME!! Now, the exception is having to short someone because of lack of inventory rather than the rule we live by.
Our production guy is absolutely super! I can't sing his praises highly enough. He makes my job so much simpler by the sheer fact that he makes sure we have product. That's no small feat, either. Consider that there are just under 200 orders each week for a constantly changing combination of our product line--which is not small. I have a great respect for what he does. Maybe my appreciation is enhanced because of the scheduling I did previously but I know I wouldn't want his job.
Something different about working CSR where I do now is the different things that are part of the job--such as credit memos, check requests, and commissions. Where I worked before this was all a secret function of the Accounting Department and really hush-hush. There were a lot of adjustments that I had to make. I learned my area well and bumped along nicely for several years.
Recently, however, the need has been seen to make sure that everyone is cross trained. This has been sorely lacking and we were each pretty compartmentalized. I had Retail, someone else had Foodservice, another individual has National Accounts, etc. It was decided that things should be adjusted to give everyone the ability to fill in in case of vacation, emergency, etc. To that end, our areas have been restructured and we've each been given a georgraphic portion of the country. We've been cross-training all this month and the change is supposed to become official soon. In the meantime, we're handling the accounts we'll have but the official line is that we're cross-training. So far, there hasn't been any comments from the field about what we're doing. That's probably because the thought is that the change is only temporary. Management is expecting some separation anxiety when the change is announced officially.
I'm ready! ...and so is my Foodservice counterpart. Each of us would like to get this show on the road but time marches slower at higher levels. We'll get there eventually. I feel fortunate in the region I drew.
I have a brand new Regional Manager on the Retail side...he's younger than my youngest child and fresh in sales. I really feel he needs someone to help him find his sea legs. I seem to fill that role quite a bit--but that's okay, it fits well. I think he'll do fine--he sure has the gift of blarney! I enjoy working with young people--they keep ME young.
The Foodservice Regional Manager and I are well suited, I think. He's former military and so am I. We're both a bit anal retentive and sticklers for detail. He's firm in his boundaries while still having the ability to be flexible. He'll give me room to spread my wings a bit while still maintaining those boundaries and he knows that I'm familiar with, and exercise respect for, the chain of command. Yup, we'll do fine.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the region I'll be handling. I got to keep my favorite Retail customers--even a couple that aren't in my region. It was deemed appropriate that I keep two other accounts due to the nature of their business. That was fine with me because while I wanted the Region I drew, I hated the idea of giving up those other two customers which were in another region. I've got the best of both worlds, I think.
The thing I'm having fun dealing with is absorbing the volume of orders that the Foodservice side generates in that Region. I know it's only a matter of time before it all smooths out, but right now I feel like I'm constantly behind the power curve. There's this huge black hole whose gravitational pull is sucking me right in and it takes every ounce of strength I have right now to stay ahead of it. I feel like someone barfed paper all over my desk! This is a learning curve, yes, but it's like getting a new pair of shoes. Obviously, I've worn shoes before--they're nothing new. It's just that these "shoes" are new and I've got to wear them a bit before they're "mine". I'll feel much better about things once I'm able to get some files set up. That's always a good sign. Right now, there's barely time to take a potty break!
Well, I didn't even touch on things I wanted to today. Guess I'll have to cover that another time. No matter how many headaches my customers/brokers give me, I really do enjoy working as a CSR. It surely keeps me on my toes...
VA Hospital
The first documented stint was working as a pharmacy clerk at a VA hospital in Tucson, AZ. I was much younger then! It seems like a hundred years ago. Some of those vets can get pretty irascible when they want their meds. We used to have to keep a sharp eye out for there were quite a few who tried to get their meds early or tried to double up. Many of them were downright nasty. The time spent working the window was not the most pleasant time I've ever spent. I remember that I used to go home drained from the day's battles.
What I failed to consider then, but realize now, is that by the time the patients waded through all the interminable waiting and unending bureaucracy that are inherent in the VA system of patient care, they had little, or no, patience to deal with more waiting on meds. Meds, I might add, that they needed to make them feel better from whatever ailment was plaguing them at the current time.
Most of the vets were considerably older than I was at that time. Since I'm at that age now that those vets would have been when I worked there, I can quite readily understand their lack of patience. I am a far more patient person than most, but when you're tired and don't feel well, the patience wears very thin very quickly...and irritability sets in and colors your whole world.
Appliance Industry
The longest spell in my customer service years, so far, were spent working for a supplier to a large appliance manufacturer. That sounds a lot less complicated than it really was. Anyone who has ever worked in a production environment will readily understand what I am about to explain.
We supplied parts for the manufacturer that were used directly on the assembly lines. That means that our parts had to be there on time and in the correct order to feed those lines. Different models that ran down that assembly line used different groups of parts--some more than others. We fed not just one line, but three, with different sized units and, obviously, different parts. A few of the smaller parts were common among all units, but many were not. It was my job to not only interact with the customer but schedule those shipments, in the proper sequence, as well. Add to that the fact that I had to analyze customer releases for current, and future, production requirements and let the production department know what would be required. I think you can see that working that job was a bit of a challenge. Oh, did I forget to mention that their schedule could change at a moment's notice? This usually happened because some supplier didn't deliver their required parts in time for the run--or there was a quality issue--and adjustments would have to be made.
If that had been all there was to it, I might still be there. I enjoyed the challenge of getting the parts to them "just in time". We ran five, or more, full trucks each day to the manufacturer and it was part of my job to get the sequence in the proper order. If need be, they wanted to be able to pull the parts off the back of the truck in the proper order to feed the lines.
Alas, that's not really all that was involved in taking care of business. We had a production supervisor who, quite often, decided that what I said we needed wasn't really what we needed. There were also a lot of quality issues with our parts. The people in other areas didn't have to answer to the customer when the complaints rolled in--I did. It was a constant battle trying to get what I needed to supply the customer. I stayed a lot longer than I should have there--almost 16 years. I kept hoping it would get better but it never did. Before I left there, I wound up as the Customer Service manager but that only made things tougher. Leaving there became a necessity.
Poultry Industry
I took a major paycut to change jobs. I was so burned out when I left the previous job that all I wanted to do was work 40 hours a week and go home. I wasn't interested in management--I'd had more than my fill of all the crap that goes with that. I took a position as a regular CSR for a poultry company not three minute's drive from my home. It was the best move I've ever made!
Crossing from one type of industry to another turned out to be more of a challenge than I thought it would be. Silly me, I thought customer service was customer service. Well, yes, it is BUT... It's that but that made all the difference. There's a world of difference between supplying a production line with parts and supplying customers with frozen chicken. The structure is totally different, too. I had never worked with brokers before. At first, I was a little afraid of overstepping my bounds with the brokers--I neglected to realize that they worked for us. It took some time before that sunk in. Brokers are like children, too...some are great, some push the envelope, and some are just downright lazy and/or sloppy and make you want to take up drinking!
I was constantly amazed after I went to work here. At the end of the week, I actually had all the product to ship that I had orders for--week after week!! I didn't know what to do with myself, I was so ecstatic. What an unheard of concept--having product to ship...ON TIME!! Now, the exception is having to short someone because of lack of inventory rather than the rule we live by.
Our production guy is absolutely super! I can't sing his praises highly enough. He makes my job so much simpler by the sheer fact that he makes sure we have product. That's no small feat, either. Consider that there are just under 200 orders each week for a constantly changing combination of our product line--which is not small. I have a great respect for what he does. Maybe my appreciation is enhanced because of the scheduling I did previously but I know I wouldn't want his job.
Something different about working CSR where I do now is the different things that are part of the job--such as credit memos, check requests, and commissions. Where I worked before this was all a secret function of the Accounting Department and really hush-hush. There were a lot of adjustments that I had to make. I learned my area well and bumped along nicely for several years.
Recently, however, the need has been seen to make sure that everyone is cross trained. This has been sorely lacking and we were each pretty compartmentalized. I had Retail, someone else had Foodservice, another individual has National Accounts, etc. It was decided that things should be adjusted to give everyone the ability to fill in in case of vacation, emergency, etc. To that end, our areas have been restructured and we've each been given a georgraphic portion of the country. We've been cross-training all this month and the change is supposed to become official soon. In the meantime, we're handling the accounts we'll have but the official line is that we're cross-training. So far, there hasn't been any comments from the field about what we're doing. That's probably because the thought is that the change is only temporary. Management is expecting some separation anxiety when the change is announced officially.
I'm ready! ...and so is my Foodservice counterpart. Each of us would like to get this show on the road but time marches slower at higher levels. We'll get there eventually. I feel fortunate in the region I drew.
I have a brand new Regional Manager on the Retail side...he's younger than my youngest child and fresh in sales. I really feel he needs someone to help him find his sea legs. I seem to fill that role quite a bit--but that's okay, it fits well. I think he'll do fine--he sure has the gift of blarney! I enjoy working with young people--they keep ME young.
The Foodservice Regional Manager and I are well suited, I think. He's former military and so am I. We're both a bit anal retentive and sticklers for detail. He's firm in his boundaries while still having the ability to be flexible. He'll give me room to spread my wings a bit while still maintaining those boundaries and he knows that I'm familiar with, and exercise respect for, the chain of command. Yup, we'll do fine.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the region I'll be handling. I got to keep my favorite Retail customers--even a couple that aren't in my region. It was deemed appropriate that I keep two other accounts due to the nature of their business. That was fine with me because while I wanted the Region I drew, I hated the idea of giving up those other two customers which were in another region. I've got the best of both worlds, I think.
The thing I'm having fun dealing with is absorbing the volume of orders that the Foodservice side generates in that Region. I know it's only a matter of time before it all smooths out, but right now I feel like I'm constantly behind the power curve. There's this huge black hole whose gravitational pull is sucking me right in and it takes every ounce of strength I have right now to stay ahead of it. I feel like someone barfed paper all over my desk! This is a learning curve, yes, but it's like getting a new pair of shoes. Obviously, I've worn shoes before--they're nothing new. It's just that these "shoes" are new and I've got to wear them a bit before they're "mine". I'll feel much better about things once I'm able to get some files set up. That's always a good sign. Right now, there's barely time to take a potty break!
Well, I didn't even touch on things I wanted to today. Guess I'll have to cover that another time. No matter how many headaches my customers/brokers give me, I really do enjoy working as a CSR. It surely keeps me on my toes...
posted by Schuetzela | 4:20 AM
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