This week is International Customer Service Week, and as such, we’re sharing interviews with unique perspectives on what it means to be a champion of customer service. At Ruby, Problem Solvers & Happiness Makers live up to their job titles by assisting customers with account updates and head-scratching technology questions. They deliver legendary customer service by operating at the top of the Ruby Service Pyramid. Every interaction with a customer is an opportunity to deeply connect with them by going above and beyond, fulfilling their unexpressed needs, and creating stellar service experiences. Together, Ruby’s Customer Happiness team works to define, embody, and elevate the standards of world-class service.
The Customer Happiness team has been lucky enough to have Tonya Pieske as a Problem Solver & Happiness Maker for just over a year. I’ve asked Tonya to share a little bit about herself in today’s spotlight!
What do you think makes you and others on the Customer Happiness team uniquely qualified to be a Problem Solver & Happiness Maker?
We’re a smart bunch of people! More importantly, we all have excellent communication skills, genuine empathy, and we approach challenges with curiosity and enthusiasm. We’re determined to find solutions that support the success of our customers and their businesses—and I have to say, we’re very good at it!
What is your #1 customer service tip?
Go with your gut! Sometimes real concerns come in the form of general questions, so if you suspect there’s something bigger behind it, there probably is. If you can identify and fix a problem before it’s clearly presented to you by the customer, you’ll make a huge and lasting impression.
What was your career like before Ruby?
I worked my way up the retail chain for about eight years before coming to Ruby. I was fortunate to work for some great companies and wonderful people. Several co-workers from my retail life are now employees of Ruby!
It sounds like you’ve been helping people for a long time! When did you discover that you loved to do so?
When I was around 12, I spent a couple months during the summer break with my grandmother. My grandfather had been ill for quite some time and was in an adult care facility at that point. My grandmother and I went to visit him every day. It was heart-wrenching for me to see his physical and emotional health deteriorate. Because it was so hard to be around him, I offered my help to the staff during my visits. They put me to work! Every day I would take wheelchair-bound patients for strolls through the garden, and I ended up becoming very close with a few of them. After that summer, I really embraced the desire to help others. The following year, I volunteered as a peer counselor and organized benefits at my school.
In addition to working at Ruby, you’re also a talented musician. Is there any connection between your music career and your Ruby one?
Any type of art has the potential to connect with others in an incredibly meaningful way. I don’t really think too much about how accessible the subject matter of my songs will be to someone with very different life experiences than mine. It still surprises me when people reach out to me and tell me how my music has resonated with them in a deeply personal way. That’s basically the highest level of connecting you can do! My approach to customer service and writing music is very different. However, when they’re done right, a magical thing happens – human connection.
A big thank you to Tonya for taking the time to chat!
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