At A Glance

Dissatisfied with her remote job as a software engineer during the COVID, Julia Mason took a leap of faith and switched careers to her first true passion – customer service. You’ll want to read how after taking the role of Customer Service Manager at Pooky, a design driven lighting company, Julia built a team culture focused on empathy, personalized communication, and fostering meaningful relationships.

Who is Julia?‍

Meet Julia Mason, Customer Service Manager at Pooky! 

About Pooky

Pooky is all about beautiful, decorative lighting. Lights that look as though they cost a fortune, but don’t. Pooky is a brand ethically and environmentally committed to designing products that will last for their quality of build while avoiding skittish fads. Pooky recognizes the value that diversity brings to society and that business can play a valuable role in promoting it, believing that companies that embrace diversity and inclusivity are likely to do better as a result.

Julia’s Customer Service Journey‍

Julia was introduced to customer service at just 16 years old and continued to work various CS related jobs through college. She studied computer science with a major in software engineering and after graduation, went on to start a career in the field. “I did that through COVID… there’s a lot of great sides to software engineering,” she says while noting that the remote aspects of the position didn’t suit her. It was then she decided to revisit customer service remembering how much she loved interacting with people and helping customers.

Just as Julia was considering going back to school, Pooky reached out to her about plans to expand its UK location to the US with a warehouse in Carlisle, PA (where she had just signed a lease on a house). After meeting the president and warehouse manager, Julia went to the UK for a two-week training session. “I got to see their massive warehouse, then go to London and see their showroom,” she recalls. “And just really immerse myself in the world of lighting and interior design, which had been foreign to me until then.” She immediately connected with the company’s story and emphasis on team culture. In 2023, Julia was directly hired to the role of customer service manager at Pooky.

The Customer Service Team at Pooky‍

When bringing new members onto her CS team, Julia looks for people who are empathetic with strong interpersonal skills. She believes having a diverse background experience and the ability to handle stress and high-pressure situations are necessary for working in CS. “You need to be able to respond in ways that are different for every single person,” she adds. Instead of quizzing a potential hire about their job history listed on a resume, Julia asks them about their hobbies and how they would ‘handle situation X and Y.’ “All of those software skills can be learned, but it’s those personal skills that are really hard to teach someone,” she says.

Julia on the Ever-Evolving Landscape of Customer Service

Asked what excites her most about CS, Julia responds, “It’s an ever-evolving world. There are different programs, going back to my experience in computer science, and platforms that can be used in customer service.” That the CS space is an open field full of opportunity to try new strategies and tools also inspires her. Above all, she is passionate about helping people. “You do have a big impact on peoples’ lives – their conversation with you can change their entire day.”

CS Team Success Factors

Customers’ Preferred Channels: Personal vs. Automated

Customers prefer to contact Pooky either by email or phone if they have a question or issue (emails occur more during work hours while calls increase in the evening once people are home and settled). Chat is also used, but the channel is used more for quick exchanges. “Customers use Chat less,” Julia notes. “They would rather call or email, because they know there’s going to be another person on the end of the line.”

Data Points Julia Looks at to Improve Customer Service/Experience
With over a year under her belt as manager, Julia is taking a holistic view of CS performance to evaluate how her team is doing and ultimately, make improvements. A main focus for her is why customers are reaching out. “We’re gathering as much information as possible to identify the reasons people are contacting us,” she explains, “so we can dial in on the biggest issues and combat them moving forward.” Return rates and response time are also a priority. Julia elaborates, “We never want our customers to go days without response or be on the phone for 30 to 40 minutes before someone answers.”

Expanding a Team to Enhance Customer Experience
Moving forward, Pooky realizes that expanding its customer service team is necessary to support its growing business. “I’m currently in the process of hiring more people,” Julia reveals while noting “it’s not just about scaling our team but also making sure that the quality is there too.” Communication between members will be key during this building phase to understand how customers are experiencing products. Julia is also focused on fostering an atmosphere of learning. “This isn’t your standard customer service job in retail,” she explains. “We have a lot of new products by interior designers who have high standards, and it’s important that everyone is well trained on product knowledge.” Lastly, she looks forward to identifying software to incorporate into the team’s CS strategies and processes.

Topics of Interest

Julia’s Thoughts on AI

For Julia, AI is an asset for the backend of CS - measuring metrics and KPIs or doing a quick grammar check before an email goes out. But she questions its place in ‘real’ customer interaction. “On a personal level, AI is not where I want it to be to have my team use it on a daily basis or be a voice for Pooky.”

The Relationship Between Customer Support and Revenue at Pooky

While not trained interior designers, CS team members are often asked about their opinions on a product. The goal is not to push a product or make a sale, but rather “inform the customer about options so they can make their own decision.”

Pooky has a strong repeat customer base made up of both ‘for-the-home’ buyers and professionals in the interior design trade world looking for insight on unique products. “They want to know about our more obscure lighting for their ‘quirkier’ clients. And that’s where we thrive – making a connection with the ‘quirkiness’ that those customers are looking for,” Julia says while emphasizing Pooky’s commitment to being a genuine brand.

Julia’s View on the Future of CS

Julia does see a future in CS where AI based software feels more natural. “I think that it’s going to create a more efficient experience for customers, eventually.” But she underscores the fact that when a customer is talking to a CS agent, they feel their issues are being heard and are in the process of being resolved. “There’s a reassurance for the customer that ‘yes, we made a mistake, but we want to make sure that you are happy at the end of the day. AI is not going to give you that.”

Julia’s Advice for CS Leaders

Julia’s first piece of advice for CS leaders is to be genuine and open with your customers. Knowing your product and/or service well means you should be able to guide people in making a choice if they need help. “Don’t rush your customers off the phone, have those conversations and nurture that relationship because most often, you’ll build that repeat base with people coming back.” Nurturing an open communication environment within your team is equally important. She also stresses the importance for leaders to keep learning about the new techniques and perspectives in the field. Unsure about a new strategy? Then do a trial run on a small group of people and listen to feedback. “It’s always about learning, improving, and taking in as many opinions as you can.