Service with a Smile

Amy Oldham:

What is your role at Equinox and how long have you been with the company?

Joe Herron:

As Vice President of Support, I oversee all of customer support, including quality assurance, product documentation, installation, upgrades, and the customer support help desk. Our primary task is working with customers on the day-to-day issues, for example scheduling product updates, turning up a new switch, fine-tuning a configuration setting, or helping troubleshoot a technical issue. I have been with Equinox since October of 1996.

Amy:

It's unusual to hear about someone staying with the same company for a sustained period of time these days. Why have you?

Joe:

I've stayed because of the company. I love the Equinox environment. Byron and Wayne founded this company with the goal of making it a great place to work. They believe that family comes first and have created a work environment where that is evident. My daughters have grown up while I've worked here. I can remember bringing them to work with me before they were old enough to attend school. They would watch Disney movies on the conference room projector while I answered calls. And now, they are finished college, and one is getting ready to be married. Knowing that Equinox values my family commitments allows me to focus fully on the business of customer support.

Amy:

What do you think sets the Equinox support team apart from other support departments?

Joe:

First, our mission is to meet and exceed expectations by providing the highest level of service and respect—to our customers and coworkers alike—while striving to create and maintain enjoyable working relationships and environments. As I mentioned, Byron and Wayne believe that family comes first, and we view our customers as important extensions of our business family. We act accordingly, with unsurpassed support and personal service that promotes long-term partnerships.
Second, when you call or email, you are interacting with a human. You do not have to punch a thousand buttons to route your call to “the correct department” or select from a menu of options. Our customers know our names and can ask for us individually.

Amy:

What is your least favorite aspect of customer support?

Joe:

The thought of losing a customer. But this is not a gloom and doom situation...losing a customer is simply unacceptable, which is the driving force behind all that we do in support. Our daily activities in support are guided by these tenets:

• Stay in contact: proactive communication is crucial, follow up is king
• Harness the power of teamwork
• Add value to every single interaction
• Choose your attitude: it matters
• Stay sharp: every interaction is a learning opportunity

Amy:

What would you like to say to our current customers?

Joe:

We are here to help! Please call or email with any questions. I'd much rather us spend five minutes answering a question up front than having a customer be frustrated for five hours over a potential issue. No question is too big or too small for us. If we don't know the answer, we will find it and get back to you as soon as possible.