When it comes to customer service roles, clichés die hard. Constant stress, difficult calls, routine. Yet the reality is often quite different.
In this first episode of Inside Armatis, we hear from Axel, who has been a customer service representative in Calais for three years. His career path highlights another aspect of the role: listening to customers, problem-solving and ensuring customer satisfaction.
“I thought it would be much more stressful”
Like many people before joining the customer service team, Axel had a few concerns.
“When I mentioned it to people around me, they told me I’d be getting hung up on all day long. I, too, thought it was a very stressful job. As it turned out, not at all.”
This is a common misconception. However, the day-to-day work of a customer service representative is based, above all, on communication, active listening and the ability to support customers in resolving their enquiries.
A skill that isn’t listed on the CV
When we ask him what the most important skill is in his line of work, Axel doesn’t mention any particular software or technique. His answer is simpler:
“A cheerful disposition.”
This is a quality that may seem trivial, but which plays a vital role in the quality of communication. Over the phone, a smile can be heard. It helps to create a more natural rapport, to put callers at ease and to make every interaction more pleasant, even when dealing with an urgent situation.
Customer satisfaction: the heart of our business
For Axel, the task is clear:
“Responding to customers, ensuring their satisfaction and making sure that, by the end of the interaction, they have no further doubts or questions.”
Behind every call lies a specific situation that needs resolving. Sometimes, the impact is immediate.
He recalls a Friday evening, shortly before closing time. A restaurant owner made an urgent call: his restaurant had lost power. Thanks to the support provided during the conversation, the situation was resolved.
“At the end, he thanked me. He was relieved and happy. That gave me a great sense of satisfaction.”
Moments like these illustrate what makes this job meaningful: knowing that your actions have had a tangible and beneficial impact on the client.
A profession that also relies on teamwork
Customer relations are not just a series of phone calls. They also involve teamwork.
For Axel, one of Armatis’s key strengths is the day-to-day support it provides:
“We always have colleagues and supervisors we can rely on. There’s always someone there to help us.”
Skills development, sharing experiences and mutual support are an integral part of the teams’ day-to-day work.
More than just a job – a human experience
Behind every interaction there are people, expectations and, at times, complex situations. Being a customer service representative means listening, understanding, reassuring and supporting.
It also involves developing skills that are in demand across many sectors: communication, prioritisation, problem-solving, empathy and a commitment to service.
Axel’s experience highlights a reality that is often overlooked: customer relations are, above all, a human endeavour.
About Inside Armatis
‘Inside Armatis’ is our series of testimonials dedicated to the women and men who bring our business to life every day. Each episode features an employee, giving them the chance to share their career journey, their experience and their vision of customer relations.
Find out about upcoming episodes on our blog and on LinkedIn.
