Nick Abbott has over 20 years experience in customer service and sales operations, consultancy and training. He has been a logistics officer in the Royal Air Force and has vast experience working with large companies such as General Electric, Bank of New York and more. In 2012, he started the front line evolution, which provides consultancy services for customer service and sales. Nick is currently engaged full-time with Milvik AB, a Swiss microinsurance multinational organization.
When asked how the industry has changed, Nick says it has and hasn’t changed in the past 20 years. The core level is still the same but the things that changed are customers are more knowledgeable, technology has changed and people have become more demanding and less patient.
“The basics didn’t change, but it’s more challenging to deliver great service now and also I think markets are more competitive now and margins are tighter.”
Nick believes that it is more important, now than ever, for customers to get customer feedback.
“I think it is very important for companies to take the time to get customer feedback. I mean nobody likes bad feedback, but actually bad feedback is a gift.”
Nick Abbott says if the customers are not happy it doesn’t matter what the companies metrics are, it doesn’t matter what happens in the board room. You have to get inside the customers’ heads and see what they want from you as a business.
Leadership in Nick’s opinion is the reason why customer service is poor and managers need to engage.
“For any manager, recruitment is a single most important thing that a manager does; getting the right people, taking the time to get the right people on board, understanding what you are looking for.”
Nick Abbott talks about current employees and what they can tell you about how your business and how well it’s being managed. Sometimes, you need to look outside recruitment and look at management, as changes may be necessary.
“If you have a situation where you have staff and it’s not a case of one or two, but the vast majority are not motivated, I would guarantee you the problem is sitting across the desk from me.”
“I would have said I was engaged, I would have said I was an inspiring leader, and I was anything but.”
While reading the book “Straight From The Gut” by Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, Nick learned how the power of leadership can live on in the company long after that leader is gone.
LINKS AND RESOURCES:
“Straight from the Gut” by Jack Welch
“Getting Things Done” by David Adams
