In our CX – Connection Experts series, we celebrate the people at ArvatoConnect who deliver outstanding customer experiences every day. This time, we’re highlighting Stephanie Smith, Team Manager, whose empathy, professionalism, and commitment to doing the right thing make her a standout.
For Stephanie, it’s all about putting herself in the customer’s shoes. Whether she’s handling an escalated query or supporting her team, she focuses on delivering the kind of service she’d want to receive -respectful, helpful, and human.
A great example? A customer wanted to return a vehicle on time but faced a large settlement due to an 18-month delivery delay. Stephanie stepped in, worked with the client, and helped secure a £0 settlement, resolving the issue with care and fairness.
She believes teamwork is key: “We don’t always have the answer alone, but together we can deliver the best experience.” Her advice? Learn from feedback, stay open, and never underestimate the power of empathy.
Q: What do you enjoy most about connecting with customers in your role?
Stephanie: I enjoy helping customers to the best of my ability, and I feel a real sense of achievement when I’m able to support them – no matter how small the request may be. Being part of the management team allows me to fulfil this passion even more, as taking manager calls gives customers confidence that I can resolve their issues effectively and provide the support they need.
Q: Can you share an example of a time you made a meaningful difference for a customer?
Stephanie: There was a customer that had taken a finance out with us and was ready to return his vehicle. The customer’s vehicle was delayed by 18 months, and the agreement wasn’t activated until he had received the vehicle meaning the contract was going to run for 18 months more than expected. Customers have the option to return the vehicle at the end of their contract free of charge providing they have made the relevant payments. This customer wanted to return his vehicle when it would have ended if the vehicle was on time but had a hefty settlement figure to pay. I was able to liaise with our client to see if we could honour a £0 settlement for this customer so they could return the vehicle without making a payment.
Q: What strategies or habits help you maintain a consistently high level of customer service?
Stephanie: I’ve been with ArvatoConnect for 4 years and I have always had in the back of my mind that if I was in the customers shoes I would like to be treated with respect and with complete professionalism. Every call I have taken I sit back and think I would like to be treated like this so I’m going to treat this customer how I would like to be treated.
Q: How do you stay empathetic and customer-focused, even in challenging situations?
Stephanie: I always think to myself how would I feel if I was in this customers situation. I base my responses and support on the situation.
Q: What role do collaboration and teamwork play in delivering great customer experiences?
Stephanie: I am a firm believer of teamwork makes the dream work. As much as we would all like to be able to fix someone’s query by ourselves sometimes it isn’t always the case. We have multiple departments where we do need to send things to other people to sort out. Sharing the workload is important to ensure no one is burning out and the customer is getting the best experience we can provide them.
Q: What advice would you give to others looking to excel in customer experience roles?
Stephanie: Note everything down. Any sort of feedback you receive take on the chin and see it as a learning curve rather than a negative. We’re all human mistakes happen it’s how you learn and progress from the feedback that shows how passionate you are to excel in your role.
Q: In your opinion, what makes someone a true Connection Expert?
Stephanie: Showing how passionate you are able your job role. Striding to succeed in everything you do and learning from mistakes made. Showing empathy and passion when dealing with a customers query. Taking pride in everything you do at the end of your working day even if you don’t feel you have achieved a significant amount.
As we continue our series, we’re excited to share more stories like Stephanie’s – showing how connection, care, and collaboration drive customer experience at ArvatoConnect.
