Continuous improvement
To celebrate Customer Experience Week, we spoke to Customer Solutions Director, Lisa Dunn, to get her take on what perfect service looks like.
It is a scenario that most of us can relate to: we go to a shop, or we call a customer service department, and we are left disappointed by the service that we receive. A bad customer service experience can be hard to forget and for the business, it holds the power to breakdown a relationship that has taken years to build.
“A company can have the best products in the world,” says Lisa, “but if their service doesn’t match that quality, they will find it very hard to retain customers.
“One of the most well-known investors in the world, Warren Buffet, famously said, ‘it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it’ – it really is that fragile.
“That’s why we put such a dedicated focus on achieving high standards of customer service across Saint-Gobain Glass.”
Experience
As Customer Solutions Director, Lisa is no stranger to understanding the needs of customers.
“A key goal of my role is to actively listen to what our customers require from their supplier and ensure that our service reflects that – both in terms of the products that we offer, and the customer experience that we provide.
“One of the most frequent topics that comes up when I am visiting customers is the element of ‘support.’ No matter how many years a customer has been in the industry, there is often a time when they require our help with something – whether this is a new product, a piece of machinery or even marketing.”
At Saint-Gobain Glass, a wealth of experience and knowledge is readily available to offer full assistance to our customers when required. In addition to its dedicated Customer Experience Team, which holds a wealth of expertise in the glass industry, its partnership package includes a team of technical experts who can visit customer’s sites and offer direct support and guidance, ensuring that they have the resources they need to succeed every step of the way.
But its commitment to its customer’s success does not end there.
Saint-Gobain Glass also provide comprehensive marketing materials that empower its customers to effectively promote their products, as well as training support for its customers’ teams, covering essential topics such as product knowledge, regulations, and sustainability practices. This comprehensive approach ensures that customers are not only well-equipped to market their offerings but are also prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of the glass industry.
“Our core ethos is centered around being a true partner to our customers. We don’t see ourselves as just a supplier who sells glass; we are committed to supporting our customers at every stage of their journey, from start to finish.
“When challenges arise, we want to hear about them—our goal is to help. What sets us apart is our extensive range of tools and resources, enabling us to quickly address their needs and get them back up and running in no time. Our customers’ success is our priority, and we’re dedicated to being by their side every step of the way.”
Perfection
As hard as any business may try, perfection is simply unachievable 100% of the time.
“I’m not going to give empty promises about perfection: in fact, the one thing I can guarantee you is that we won’t always get it right,” says Lisa. “We are a company made up of humans, and people occasionally make mistakes.
“We are also dealing with an extremely fragile material that is unfortunately easy to break or damage. But it is how we fix our mistakes that really demonstrates our high level of service.”
“We learn from our mistakes,” explains Lisa. “We listen and adapt, and we use the full power of our business to rectify issues as quickly as we possibly can, causing minimal disruption to our customers.”
People
At the root of the business is a network of committed, passionate and highly skilled teams, who exemplify its motivation to deliver excellent customer experience, daily.
“Anyone who knows me, knows how passionate I am about the people within the organisation– and for good reason”, says Lisa. “I can confidently say that our teams have the customer in mind with everything that they do.
“At Saint-Gobain Glass, we believe that employee experience and customer experience are interconnected. That is why we prioritise investing in our employees through comprehensive training and development programs, ensuring they feel heard and supported in their daily roles.”
And this knowledge and care is then passed onto customers within the business; all new prospective customers are assigned an Account Manager who is an expert in the industry. Liaising with a new supplier can potentially be a confusing time, with new terminology to understand, new methods of delivery and new products to contend with.
As such, the Account Managers are there to guide customers through this process, going out to site to meet with customers first-hand to offer support, and providing a single point of contact for any queries.
“Both our Account Managers and Customer Experience Teams are there to support our customers every step of the way. We pride ourselves on having a team of people who are not just experts on the products that they are selling, but are also helpful, friendly, and more than happy to go above and beyond for customers,” explains Lisa.
And with customer feedback regularly sought, collated and monitored, any relevant adjustments can be implemented where required, such as new digital innovations to enhance the customer experience or increased sales support.
A desire to succeed
For Lisa, the investment in its future is a key attribute that sets Saint-Gobain Glass’ service apart within the marketplace.
“We are constantly anticipating the challenges of the future and working across our wider organisation to utilise our research and development centres to provide innovative solutions that can meet the developing needs of our customers.
“Our goal is to continuously improve and reach new heights, opening even more opportunities for customers along the way and staying true to our purpose as Saint-Gobain to ‘Make the World A Better Home.”
