What World-Class Support Feels Like: Creating a Culture Clients Remember

What does world-class support really feel like to the people receiving it?

In this episode of Edge of Excellence, Bryon Beilman and Jessica DeForge sit down with Bethany Haley to talk about the human side of exceptional service. The conversation explores how trust, empathy, communication, preparation, and team culture shape the client experience long before and long after a problem is solved.

Bethany shares her perspective on what it means to make clients feel heard, supported, and confident, especially during stressful situations. The episode also looks at the invisible work behind great service, from documentation and follow-through to team collaboration and emotional intelligence.

Whether you lead a team, work in a client-facing role, or want to create stronger customer relationships, this conversation offers practical takeaways for building a culture clients remember.

Learn more about iuvo at iuvotech.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

This is The Edge of Excellence, empowering people to shape the future. Let's inspire, innovate, and explore together. Welcome to The Edge of Excellence, the podcast where we explore how leadership, culture, and technology can empower businesses to grow and thrive. Today we're talking about something universal across industries, world-class service, and specifically what it feels like to people we serve. No matter what field you work in, clients remember how you show up, not just what you deliver.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

That's true, true. I'm Brian Beilman, and at IUVO, our culture is built on technical excellence and human excellence. And very few people model that balance as well as Bethany Haley. I've seen it in action. I've seen I've been with her on customer calls and uh perfect guest today. She blends deep expertise with a level of care, communication, and client partnerships that stands out inside and outside of tech. So today we're exploring what it means to create a client experience people remember and how culture is the backbone of world-class service in any industry. Bethany, welcome to the edge of excellence.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Thank you so much, Brian, and thank you, Jess. Happy to be here. It's a pleasure.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Yes, excited to have you on, Beth. So, Beth, when you think about world-class support, what does that mean to you beyond just the technical or task-based work?

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Oh gosh, I would say kind of hitting on what Brian just mentioned a moment ago with the feeling. Um, I think an important aspect of it is people remember how you made them feel. And that's huge. Um, the experience will stick with you, whether it's a great experience, which of course is the preferred, um, or if it's negative, that sticks with you too. So, of course, you definitely strive to have a favorable, pleasant experience. Um, and that that expands beyond yourself. That can go to other people, other organizations. It's just kind of a domino effect.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Yeah, I think the domino effect is uh a perfect example or a perfect way to think about it for sure. So, what qualities make clients feel genuinely cared for, regardless of the industry that you might be in?

SPEAKER_00 2:30

I think an important piece would be the client feels heard. They want you to understand what their mission is, what they're looking to accomplish, how they want to be supported. Um, also in alignment with that, what their concerns are, if they've you know maybe had negative experiences in the past, how you can, you know, prevent that from happening going forward. Um, I think just the client knowing that you're on their side, you're there to advocate for them, support them, help them, you know, determine the best path forward and you know, be their trusted partner along that journey.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Oh, I love that trusted partner. Brian, you said a few times that IUVO is a customer service company that happens to do IT consulting. So what does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_02 3:24

Yeah, exactly that. I will say that in we're we're, you know, I think so many companies are actually customer service companies, they don't realize it because you gotta deal with you deal with customers. In the IT industry, it's pretty it is challenging because there's a lot of uh there's a lot of uh people who've really developed their technical skills but haven't developed their personal skills. And you know, there's been um I think there's a Saturday Night Live skit where uh Jimmy Fallon's like he's like a rude to IT guy, and he's like, move, get out of here, you know, and and just treating he's you know, he's he's obviously you know much better than them and technology. So that is those kind of people that never make it into Iuvo. We have this balance. And it is uh I'll even say that it's a it's a it's a delicate blend because oftentimes when technology goes awry with people, they can get grumpy, right? And you have to realize it's not about you, it's about what they're experiencing, and I think and that's what thing I think that Beth does really excellently is is kind of be that zen, like, oh it's I I understand you're frustrated. Let's get to the root of the problem here. And I think in any organization, but especially in IT, I think if you can like I think maybe maybe Beth said that, it's like be heard, feel like people people feel like they were they were heard, and then you can say, Oh, like they they care less about really like they care about you you acknowledging them and and so forth almost more than they care about you solving the problem at that very second. But they they want that solved. But there's it's it you got to it's a takes some masterful uh experience to do that white.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

No, absolutely. And I think we could probably all think of experiences where that hasn't been the case, uh, where we've been super frustrated or we don't feel heard. Can you, Beth, share a moment when the way you showed up mattered more than the actual fix or solution?

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Yes, there are there are a few examples that pop into mind. Um, I would say it's almost getting ahead of the curve. Um in this particular instance that I'm thinking of, it was anticipation of something that was going to happen. Um, I know that sounds kind of vague, but um, and this wasn't this wasn't a known issue that could have been prevented. It was just kind of more being proactive. Um, but in this particular instance, it was getting ahead of the curve, um, offering support, kind of rallying up the team and letting the customer know that we're here for you, um, we've got this, you know, instill that confidence in them that what is going to happen or or what could happen, for example, um, you know, not to worry about that because we have the expertise, we know what to do, um, we're there with you, and you know, we'll we'll be there for you. And I think that in itself spoke volumes, um, just the trust aspect there was huge. And after, you know, every everything ultimately went well and things were, you know, great, but it did come up afterwards where there was that gratitude, the thank you, you know, we know you're there for us. This just demonstrated it even further. And I think that just kind of stuck um, you know, both with the customer as well as an internal. It was just kind of a group effort.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Well, you said something, uh, an important word there, I think, is trust. Right. And so it takes a little bit to develop trust. And really your actions are the things that develop the trust, right? So we all say, we'll help you, but then when you actually do that and you follow through in a in a certain way, I think that uh what you know building trust is very takes a while to do, and it takes very little to lose trust for people to lose trust. So yeah, that building that trust uh on a regular basis is is powerful, I think.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

And this can be a question to both of you when you have a new client, so there's no relationship there, there's no trust built yet between you and the client. What are some things that you can do, or are there, you know, certain habits that you have that you work with a new client on to like help build that trust and build that relationship?

SPEAKER_00 7:51

I think that's a great question. Um, I'll go ahead and kind of speak to that a little bit. Um, I would say one of the important keys would be to, you know, right off the bat, get to know them as a person, their personality, kind of figure out what makes them tick, what works well, their communication style. Everybody's different. So what may work well for one individual may not be the case for somebody else. So, you know, it's it's learning to be flexible in that regard and kind of maintain an open mind. Um, I think once you get a good understanding of um, you know, the individual's personality, uh, what they're looking to accomplish, um, kind of find those common denominators, uh, you're able to set the foundation and work from there and build from there. So I think it's important to start small, even though the end goal is much bigger. It's a much bigger version, excuse me. I'm sorry, much bigger vision.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Yeah, absolutely. And I think I love that you just talked about, you know, the their communication style. And I assume even like their learning style could come into play here if you have to explain things to them. Um, and I I guess I never looked at it from that perspective as far as like the technical side of the team and their work with clients, needing to have that skill set to be able to kind of really understand and get to know clients in order to have world-class customer service. Um, so that's a very interesting perspective for me as a former teacher because it's something I thought about all the time in the classroom and absolutely applies to like how you can, you know, deliver this in a business.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

I was well, so this I just saw this post by Simon Sinek, there's a person I follow, and he was telling this experience of working with an airline and trying to change a flight. And in one, and in one experience, he's like, they said, Nope, that's our policy, you can't do it, you know, and then and and uh and so he's like, uh, you know, it was just a bad experience, like just a blanket no. And uh, and so he asked another, you know, another airline. If they said, you know what, we don't normally do this, let me try. And they and they come back, uh, let me check my manager, let me try all these different ways. In the end, they couldn't help him. But he he developed this trust and a likeness because they they were willing to try something. It wasn't just nope, sorry, this is our policy, you know. So it's it's kind of how how when people when people are struggling or or just need support, it's how you how you respond to them sometimes can make a big difference too. I think that helps that communication style you you refer to.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

Yeah, I thought of the airport when we first started talking about customer service and just how you know, Brian, you mentioned when people's IT isn't working, they can get a bit grumpy. I feel like the airport can be really grumpy place.

SPEAKER_02 10:45

Yeah, yeah. You're trying to make make your flight or whatever, it could uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Yeah, and I don't envy the folks that have to manage that, but there's absolutely a skill set to the to the air airlines that do this well. And I think that exactly what you're saying, Brian, and what you've said, Beth, is is a big part of that, is just making people feel like you are on their team and making them feel heard and understood and like you were going to really try to find a resolution for them, even if you can't. Um, I think a lot of people just appreciate feeling like you put some effort behind trying to help them with, you know, whatever their problem may be. Um, Beth, how do you feel preparation, documentation, follow-through like help shape trust and predictability for clients?

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Uh I would say, in regards to documentation and preparation, um, I think having the greater knowledge also sets a good foundation. Um, you know, when you're working with a client, for example, it's not just you, it's the team. Um, and that reflects, you know, everybody is a contributor and that reflects as a whole to the client. So um, it is very important for the team to have, you know, knowledge of the client in terms of their business, what their goals are, what they're looking to achieve. Um, and then documentation can play into that if they have whether it's a you know specialty application or it's something that's more generally used, it is important for folks to you know have knowledge as to how to you know use that, how to troubleshoot it. How does it come into play with the bigger picture? Um, I know I keep going back to bigger picture, but um, all those gears, they they work together and um outcome comes the final product. So um, and I think it is important too with the documentation, communication, um, you know, you're on you're on the same page with each other. Uh, the goal would be to kind of make sure that you're addressing something, you know, in a similar fashion and keep things consistent. Uh, consistency, stability is is definitely a big factor in in satisfaction.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

This this goes beyond for me, goes beyond this concept you just talked about, goes beyond customer service. Because I've uh I've had the pleasure of of using uh having Beth with me on a sales call as a sales engineer. And I know nobody comes more prepared than she does. And uh and so there are times when we can't prepare, like something happens, you gotta react, you know, you get a question you didn't didn't expect. But coming in saying, Oh, I know what you're we're gonna talk, we think we're gonna talk about this, just having as much knowledge you can and or and being able to just even if you don't know the answer, say I'll get back to you on this in a in a more detail. So, but I think it's it goes beyond us, we're a customer service company, but even the sales process, people want to feel comfortable, like, hey, you you know what I'm about. You've you you looked at my industry or or you kind of understand my problem. I think I want to consider using you as a as a provider.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Yeah, no, absolutely. And Beth, you brought up a good point too, um, in that a lot of times there's a whole team, not just a one-on-one situation with the client. And so making sure that the team is up to speed and that everybody is on the same page, um, I think is really important to developing this world-class customer service. Um, do you have any advice or feedback on how you do that with your team? Like how is there a system or a way to make sure that everybody's on the same page so there is that consistency?

SPEAKER_00 14:30

That's a great question. Um, I would say kind of similar to the client themselves, um, each team can be a little different, although I would say as a whole, everybody has the same, you know, goal, um, the same desire to want to help the client. Um, but I think in terms of uh, you know, that vision of success, is just making sure that there's open communication, uh, trust is huge. Um, it's very important to have a team that you that you trust, that you know they're going to do the right thing, get what needs to be done, done, um, and make sure that they understand that if there are questions, they're welcome. It's not something to be, you know, scared about asking or nervous about asking. Um, in the end, we're all kind of learning from each other. Um, and certain, you know, personality traits, for example, are very beneficial. Other people can pick up on things that, you know, will work for them in the end, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

Yeah, no, absolutely. And I I'm thinking about experiences I've had. Oftentimes it's on the phone where you're passed from one person to another and you just feel like it's Groundhog's Day. Every person you talk to is like you're starting over with explaining your problem and what's going on. And each conversation, you get more and more frustrated, and the trust just starts chipping away. And so I think that's you know, a very important message for listeners to make sure that if you have a team that's going to be interacting with the same client, that you have some sort of streamlined communication within the team to make sure everybody's on the same page. And then as a leader of the team, you know, holding a certain expectation of your team members to make sure that everybody's, you know, delivering consistent um quality uh to the client is also important. I'd be curious, Brian, if you could share a moment when this like invisible work behind the scenes either prevented an issue or helped a client to really supported or maybe impressed a client and helped develop and nurture that relationship.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

Sure. I think in our industry, uh we are in charge of people's computers and so forth. And so we put quite a bit of effort into uh patching and by antivirus and and just the basics, make sure that all the settings are correct and we have these tools and so forth that all give us a central viewpoint. And what that allows us to do is I think people allows us to focus on what's really important to their business or to them personally because the basic stuff is taken care of. And I and so often when I talk to people who are not customers yet, they say, well, you know, how much time are you gonna spend on this particular thing that happens all the time for us? I'm like, well, we're not really comfortable, we don't know because that doesn't happen to our clients because they're because we've taken care of the basics, and what you're getting is you're getting high-level high-tech services from somebody like Beth. And and and you know, sure, things happen from a time to time, but but the basics are covered because we've thought ahead of time. This is the best way to get you that support. We're gonna take the kind of the basic stuff out of the way. So I think that's a a general way we we do that. Um there's probably many clients, probably Beth could probably speak to dozens of examples of that, but I I do think that we we try to focus on what's really important and that when you get to do that, you have to have the basics covered.

SPEAKER_01 18:02

Yeah, no, absolutely. And Beth, we talk a lot about culture, you know, on this podcast. I'm curious, and and actually, Brian, your input would be interesting as well. How does team culture influence the quality for services that clients are receiving?

SPEAKER_00 18:20

I would say with team culture, um, again, the trust aspect, the respect aspect. Um when you're working with good people, as is the case with that IUVO, um, that extends beyond IUVO and goes into the client relationship. Um, people pick up on that. It's not necessarily something that's verbalized outright, but you can kind of tell, you know, not only with your client work, but even just regular day-to-day interaction, um, that there's kind of that, you know, that vibe going on. And I know with the internal teams, for example, everybody has a great relationship, everybody is focused on teamwork, collaborating, um, you know, working together for the greater purpose and wanting to make sure that again, everybody's succeeding. Um, it's not just you, it's it's everybody. So I think that's a huge part. Um, you know, and I think another great thing about Iuvo, for example, is that um the open communication, people, people know when to reach out, if they need help with something. Um, there's just that level of support there, um, you know, which is great. It's an it's encouraged. And that's definitely a unique, rare thing within a company.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Yeah, absolutely. And Brian, I know you've spoken a lot about the fact that your culture within your business, within your teams, has a huge impact on the quality that's then delivered to the client. So I don't know if you want to speak to that a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 19:57

I've seen this in action so many times is when when someone's working on something and and people jump in and say, put it on a Slack channel and say, hey, what about this? And like, like out of the woodwork, like five people jump on. Let's let's let's get on a call, let's solve this. And it happens so fast, and and somebody in there is an expert on something. And so we have this collaborate collaborative environment. And so uh yeah, in general, I think it's it goes to the core values of the culture of collaboration, of empowerment, of having each other's backs. Yeah, and so I think and it happens in when you sell a service to somebody, we we try not to sell a person, we sell a service. And there's and and often we have multiple people per customer so that they have some good coverage and they would get the same experience. So I think that everybody's on aligned of service and and and the documentation you asked about earlier that kind of goes in play. It's all people know where to access things and it's like it's very consistent. But I think it's the I don't know, I seen many examples, not just Beth, but of where people are just I'm amazed how well they work together. And it I did, you know, like as a culture, as a CEO, I didn't say you guys work together. It was like you guys just found each other and said, I love working with you, I love working with you, and you know, and so uh I I I get I swoop in and go, wow, that's amazing. How did that happen?

SPEAKER_01 21:29

And Brian, you mentioned Slack. Beth, can you share with listeners? Um, we are 100% remote company. Um, how do you create that consistency within your team as far as sharing information and communication? Um, can you talk about some of the tools that you use that maybe others um listening could implement in their own business?

SPEAKER_00 21:51

Definitely. I think um, in terms of the communication channels, right, Slack being a big one, um, Microsoft Teams, um I think what personally I find very important isn't necessarily so much the formal check-ins, formal meetings and whatnot. It's those, you know, side kind of check-ins, that communication, checking in with your team, sending a quick note to somebody, hey, how are you? I know with the remote aspect, um, it makes it a little different than say just popping by somebody's desk or somebody's office. Um, but I think having that informal connection is huge. Um personally, I feel as though people just enjoy knowing that you care. Um, you may not see them in person daily, but you're still there for them. Um, and I think in terms of, you know, Ayuvo, for example, um the lines are blurred in the sense of it's not just where people are concerned about business only. People are genuinely, you know, concerned and care about the team members individually. I think that, for example, with Slack, with the different channels that we have going, just tapping into people's lives, day-to-day lives, what their interests are, you know, what they're doing. It's it's to be honest, kind of fascinating to see everybody's, you know, life outside of work and to have that, you know, knowledge and be able to talk about it, it definitely allows for some uh pretty strong bonds to be formed, I think.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

How do you differentiate between completing the task and supporting the human behind the task? You talked a little bit about this earlier, how you have to kind of see that there's not just a problem to be solved, but there's a person behind the problem. Do you have suggestions on how to approach that and to do that well? Because it is definitely something you excel at.

SPEAKER_00 23:53

Oh, thank you. Um, I appreciate it. I would say for that, um again, knowing the individual and kind of their style, how they problem approach, how they communicate, um, maybe even to a degree, what you know, some of their concerns are. Everybody works differently, everybody, you know, has their analytical problem-solving approach, but they may just go about it, you know, a little bit different than somebody else. So I think it's it's understanding, you know, what works best for that individual. Um I know in terms of what the potential, you know, issue is that might come up. Um I think what's great about the team is that nobody's afraid to step outside of their comfort zone and tackle something that comes up. It's not where you have to force somebody to, you know, kind of dive in and figure out the issue, which is amazing. Um, that's definitely not something that some people are comfortable with. And, you know, even if they may not be, they're still doing it. So that that speaks volumes.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

Yeah, I'd like to turn this back over to Jess because like you also uh you have a lot of tasks to complete. You have different audiences. Sometimes the audiences are customers, sometimes they're internal. Your marketing, your marketing is not just to let the world know about our services, but there is to keep our culture and the communication alive. And so you, there's humans involved there. Can you can you elaborate on that from your point of view?

SPEAKER_01 25:28

Yeah, I think um it may have been you or Jesse had said at one point that my lack of technical knowledge, I'm not a tech expert here, um, is my superpower. And so it allows me to kind of be a filter because a lot of the people that we communicate with are not technical experts, hence why they're coming to us. Um, and so we want to be able to communicate to that audience. And so I think that naturally I just have a filter for that because I can have a conversation with one of our technical experts and think, what? Help me understand that. And you know, it allows me to kind of like help walk them through how to break it down to my level of understanding and then allows me to communicate, you know, with others. Um, but as far as tools go, I mean, we we are a big HubSpot company, and so HubSpot is the main tool of how I'm communicating with people in the world about Iuvo, and it offers a lot of different features that help me do that. We use SharePoint, which is where we you know have a lot of our information stored, and that's how I share internally with our teams so that they can find the information that they need to empower them, to empower our clients. Um, Slack obviously is a big component to that. And I am a big fan of chatting and talking versus typing. I'm the same way on the phone, which I feel like is a dying breed, people that like to talk on the phone. Um, so I love jumping on uh Teams call. And luckily, my manager Matt does not seem to mind that because he and I will often just like call each other and just like have a conversation versus like going back and forth in Slack. Um, but those are some of the key ways that I am like managing the people, um, whether it's my coworkers or trying to communicate externally to you know the outside world about IUVO.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

That's great.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

I love that. Yeah, it's a lot, right? There's a lot of different moving pieces to try to communicate, especially when we are remote. Um, and so being able to have Slack and the teams meeting so that we can see each other face to face is really helpful. And then obviously we are constantly throwing things on the calendar to get together in person um whenever we can as well, which is really helpful as well.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

I will say, too, in general, that we're a Teams company, but if uh our if our customers want to use Zoom or they want to use Google Meet or whatever, like it's we we try to meet them where they're at and say, hey, we'll use the tools that you want to use. And if they if they get on Teams, great. So again, trying to customizing that experience.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Yeah, and I think customization is a huge piece to world-class customer service. If you have that ability within your business, I think that that goes a long way. And I think it's one of the differentiators that AIVO brings to the table that makes us you know unique and um that our clients appreciate about us is that we do meet them where they're at. Um, and I think Beth, that's something that you do really well, not just from a what technical needs do you have, but meeting people where they're at emotionally, meeting people where they're at on their level of understanding of technical, you know, information. So I think that being able to do that no matter the industry you're in, is just like you said, like learning the person first in early days of that relationship, so that when problems arise, you kind of know how to approach that conversation or that problem. And I imagine, Beth, in your role, you probably deal with um clients that are going through some difficult times, like layoffs, or you know, they're dealing with really sensitive things that are difficult for us as human beings to deal with. And so you're having to, I'm sure, have these conversations with them about things that you need to assist them with that may not be easy for them to be going through. Do you have any advice on how to like remain professional, but also like support the human in those situations?

SPEAKER_00 29:18

That's a great question. Um, I would say for that, uh personally, I found that a huge part of it is the in-person interaction. There's a lot of value with having that, you know, face-to-face interaction with a client, whether that be, you know, in-person on site, hopping on a quick phone call, even, um just letting them know that you're there for them, the group is there for them. Um, that's a relief in its own. Um, whether or not they choose to, you know, reach out if they do need anything extra is on them, but they know that you're you're there if if they do need that. Um and I would just say, right, in terms of the individual that you're interacting with, um, again, knowing knowing what makes them tick, knowing their style, their communication, picking up on those cues are huge. Um, I think once you have an understanding of that, it kind of just goes naturally and they know what to expect from you, and vice versa. Um, it's not to say that things can't be you know adjusted in the sense of maybe down the road something else is needed um support-wise, but um I think once you have that foundational trust and respect, um, the world's your oyster essentially.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

Well, yeah, but this but this question made me think about something you both said, and that is uh there's a term we haven't used yet, but it's kind of used often is trusted advisor. But there's a when you're when a company or a client or even a friend is in a in a bad situation, they want somebody that they can trust. And when you're like, for example, we've had help, we've had to either a layoff or somebody gets terminated for cause, and and and IT they generally have to shut off their access. And and you're doing this for somebody who is still a human. And you you know, so there's you you try to if you if you're we're involved at all, we try to A, we have we have the trust of the company ahead of time, so we know before they do, uh, because that's best practices, but so there's a trust level there, there's uh treating the situation, nobody wants to do that, you know. Uh doing that well and stuff like that. So we get involved in a lot of those types of situations. We love that the hiring and the the new stuff and uh the happy times we're going, we just broke our new sales record, but that's that's not life, right? That's it's ups and downs. And so I think uh having that in mind is being that trusted person, they you know, they can whisper in your ear saying, I'm a little worried about this right now. And you say, you know, don't worry, I got your back.

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Would you say that there are any small behaviors that help build trust fast in those early days that you could give as like advice to listeners?

SPEAKER_00 32:04

Uh I would say that setting expectations and coming through or, you know, basically showing up. If you say you're going to do something, you do it. If you're, you know, promising this or or that, you know, see to it that that gets done. Um, that right there is huge because you want to you want to make sure that the customer knows that you're responsible, that you're, you know, reactive and proactive. Um, but when I say reactive, I just mean that if they ask for something, you get that done. Um so I would say that those little things are actually in turn quite big things. Um and then in terms of just the initial aspect of it, um, yeah, I would say just let let them know that they're important, you're there for them, um, and you're essentially a team. You're going to work together and make sure that they have what they need.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Yeah, I think setting expectations is a is a big part of that. And um I'm glad that you brought that up because I think that that's really important. And sometimes laying out those expectations can be really helpful because then they're not making assumptions. Um, and it's much easier to meet the expectations when you are laying that out and agreeing on that those terms early on in the relationship, I think. So, how would you say that you maintain trust when there is a stressful situation or an escalation? So it's like, like Brian said, everything's going great, life is good, the birds are singing, everybody's happy, but that's not reality. And I'm sure that you've had to deal with some stressful situations or escalations with clients. How do you like continue to maintain that trust with them during those situations?

SPEAKER_00 34:03

I think um, again, the setting expectations, making sure that you're in alignment with what the end goal is, um, ultimately there are there's a desired outcome from the customer side, also the IUBO side and working together, and you want to make sure that you know you're you're on that same path. Um the open communication is is key there. Um also rallying the team. No, the customer, you know, wants to know and should know that you're all there for them. Um, you know, it's a group effort, and I think it's important and letting them know that they're not alone, they're they're stressed out, they're human, they're going to feel, you know, potentially nervous or uneasy, whatever the scenario may be. Um, and I think it's important to recognize that, right, they're human. Um, compassion, caring, just going a little bit above and beyond and letting them know that they're not alone. They, you know, you're you're there to support them is is a huge factor.

SPEAKER_02 35:09

Yeah, I want to add on to that, we we've we really focus on on some of the human aspects of this whole thing, which is super important. But I I do think uh along that line is is when there's when there's stressful situations, it's often uh I found a correlation that during deadlines, uh people get stressed, computers get stressed. We're like here's an example. Uh we're in a uh we had we we have customers who are in EDA semiconductors, and there's a period of uh they're they have called tape out, which basically says we have to get our design to the manufacturer by this date. And then all the computers are running in full mode, and and and the whole it's like uh it's just a very people are stressed, deadlines like and so forth, and so stuff stuff that happens. And and I think that uh our ability as a company from uh even though we're a customer service company that has ex at excellent technology, that excellence at technology makes a difference too, because we can say, Oh, we can solve this fairly quickly, and let's let us let's totally catastrophic. We haven't, I can't think of a situation where we haven't collectively put our heads together and solved things faster than should be possible, um, or or typically possible. And so there's a good combination of that uh that the people like Beth have. So, how do we keep up with that? It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 36:50

Yeah, no, it is. For people that are listening, this is a question to both of you, Beth, I'll put it to you first. If there's people listening who want to elevate their client experience, um, Avo has an MPS score of 91, which is just kind of incredible, not even just for the industry, but just in the business world, period. Um, so I think there's something to what we're doing and that people could learn from here. And so if you had a piece of advice on uh what someone could do to start elevating their client experiences, where do you think they should start?

SPEAKER_00 37:26

I would say a good place to start would be to, you know, understand the bigger picture. What are you looking to accomplish? What are you looking to solve? Um, in order to have a destination, you have you need to know what you're going towards, right? So I would say if you need to take a step back and understand what the goal is, what you're what you're trying to solve or improve, um, that's that's a big piece. And then from there, have an understanding of you know the foundational pieces, you have to start somewhere. So um whether you're looking at maybe completely redoing or largely redoing or just making small changes, you have to have a starting point. So um it can be overwhelming, and and that's definitely understandable, but little steps amount to big progress. So I think it's important just to keep that um, you know, that mindset, keep it in perspective.

SPEAKER_01 38:23

Yeah, no, absolutely. I think too, about um if you haven't done it already for your business, mapping out your customer journey, I think is really helpful in being able to do this because having a very clear understanding of what the journey looks like for your clients from the moment they're searching for your services to when they become a client to then their life with you as a client. Um, I think that could help highlight any areas that maybe you have gaps that you could, you know, work on. So I think that speaks to what you were talking about, Beth, of this like zooming out and getting a clear picture of where you are right now, and then looking for those areas of opportunity, and then making sure that the team is all, you know, on board and that they have the training and the tools to be empowered to deliver, um, would be another, I think, key piece for for people to look at.

SPEAKER_02 39:14

Yeah, I'll add I'll add to the both uh both excellent things uh you you've added here. Um I will say as a seamless plug, you can there's a book called Leadership at the Edge and describes some of the elements of it. But what but if I back take a step out back, what you're saying is that there's got to be a good foundation of culture and based on we use core values significantly because I think we all agree with these core values, and we and and just as important is for people to understand why we're doing things. Why are why Beth, why are you doing this? And and or why Brian, why are you doing that? And we and when you understand why people are doing this, and you go, Oh, I see, we could get together and do this. So there's not a I think we it's a it's a it's a culture of trying to understand each other and not only and what we're doing together, so we're all kind of aligned. And I've seen this I've done it wrong on many a times, and so now we're you know kind of elements are going right again, but I think not again, but we're just like a kind of a clarity of of of what how this works. So I think uh yeah, this foundation that Beth says a bit bigger picture of of how this is gonna work in the long run. It it doesn't it takes a lot of effort and get everybody aligned and and and everybody has a voice, so you're all empowered. So I think it's it's a bunch of that, but uh you both said it much more eloquently than I did, actually.

SPEAKER_01 40:39

But I think you said something important there too, Brian, where it's okay to not get it right the first time. You know, I think that these things take time to become world class in anything, takes a lot of time and dedication and conscious thought and practice. And so that applies to this as well. Um, delivering that world-class customer service. There's so many components to it. But if your team isn't happy at the end of the day, if you don't have a good culture to support your team, that's going to show to the client, like you said, Beth. And then beyond that, having a system of expectations, making sure that you have the level X of expertise required to deliver what you're saying you're going to deliver is another, I think, key component. So we have like the highest, I think, expert density in the industry. Like our we just we're very fortunate in that way, but it's also very intentional based on the people that you've hired here. And so you can feel confident as a client to know that we have the level of expertise to solve whatever issues, you know, may come to the surface. And I think for businesses that maybe aren't doing that, whether it's cutting corners, trying to hire young, because obviously that's you know, a smaller salary or whatever, you know, there's an impact to that because those people are not going to be fully equipped or supported in a way if they don't have the level of expertise and other roles to be able to do that. And so I think there's a lot of different moving parts when it comes to being able to deliver this level of customer service.

SPEAKER_02 42:11

Well, Jess, you mentioned you know this phrase a few times, world-class customer service. And I will just you know point out that you've kind of put a framework, you talked about the customer journey and and and you know, uh you're leading an effort in the company right now that's going to be world-class customer experience. Okay. Okay. Customer, yeah, like from end to end, from the moment we touch them to the time we we uh you know that they're happily getting our invoices or whatever, you know, you know, like it's just all the way to the end. So it's it's it's paying attention to all those little things and each delivering custom delivering technical service, or if you you know, if you're uh elevator company and you're you know and your elevator is always running on time, or it doesn't matter what it is, is like every step of that, everybody you touch has something about it. So it takes a focus on that. I think it not only a focus, but a collaboration amongst everybody. You can't know if it can't be just one, like if I it was just my idea, it wouldn't happen. It has to be everybody has to be in on this, and I think that's uh something that you kind of touched on here that uh it's that you could you can do that, and it it's it's it's a communication amongst yourselves, and then when you actually do it, like Beth does hey day to day is is is delivering on that promise that we've promised them.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

Yeah, I mean it and it has to matter to you at the end of the day, too. You know, it's one thing to say, yeah, I'd love to achieve world-class customer service. It's another to really want it and for it to be important and for it to matter to you, because if it matters, you're going to look at all those little details, like you mentioned, Brian. You're going to be hiring people like Beth that have these skills that they bring to the table. Not only is she an expert technically, but she has the people skills. So it's like you're looking for people in the Interview process that can meet both of those needs, whatever industry that you're in, is going to be important. But if it doesn't matter to you, it will fall off because it is a lot of work. It's a lot of work to deliver this. Everything that Beth you've been describing is a lot of work. It's a lot more work than just receiving a ticket, calling it what it is, solving it or not solving it. But the fact that you're putting so much effort into building these relationships and all of the communication that you do with clients on top of just the standard that you hold yourself to and your team to is a lot of work. But you do it because it matters to you. And then therefore the client is on the receiving end of, you know, all the goodness that comes from that.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Oh, definitely. Thank you. And and yes, I would agree in the sense of right, there's the passion behind it. And I think I speak for everybody within Iuvo that they have that, you know, that drive, that passion, that desire to see, you know, not only the internal team succeed, but also customers succeed. It's it's definitely an awesome thing.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

So I can't believe that I feel like the time has flown. We're like approaching the end of time for our episode for today. So I want to leave the floor open for any last thoughts before I ask my final question to Beth. All right. So, Beth, we like to ask this question to all first-time guests on the podcast. Can you share a fun fact about yourself that might surprise people?

SPEAKER_00 45:29

Oh, that's a good one. Um let me think here. I would say um folks may not know that I've gone skydiving before, which was such an awesome experience. I don't know if I would go and do that again, but it was definitely fun.

SPEAKER_02 45:49

Wow. Was that recent or younger, or when was that?

SPEAKER_00 45:55

Oh gosh, this was actually this was a while ago. Um yeah, but it kind of goes with you know, the the pushing your boundaries with being comfortable. That by no means is something that made me feel comfortable, but the feeling afterwards was incredible. And um, I would say to a degree, I I try to apply that just in you know, current day-to-day life. Like can push yourself, get out of your comfort zone, and um, it makes a difference.

SPEAKER_01 46:26

That is cool. It's something I I think about as a cool experience. I don't know that I could ever bring myself out of the plane though. So that is so cool that you did that. Yeah, that did surprise me. I would not have pegged that for you. That's really cool.

SPEAKER_02 46:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:42

All right. Today's conversation reminds us that world-class service is universal. It's about empathy, predictability, clarity, and culture. It's the human experience behind the work, no matter what industry that we are in. If you'd like to learn more about how IUVO helps organizations through transformative IT consulting, visit iuvotech.com. You'll also find this episode along with past and future conversations available there.

SPEAKER_02 47:09

Yes, and thank you, Beth, for being our uh awesome guest today. Um, and thank you, everybody else, for listening. Uh, until next time, keep showing up with intention, empathy, and excellence because clients remember how you made them feel long after the work is done.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

Thank you for tuning in to the Edge of Excellence. We hope today's insights empower you to shape your future and rise to your full potential. Let's continue to grow, innovate, and lead, pushing the boundaries of excellence.