“Happy customers are loyal customers.” – Enamul Haque
Join us as we sit down with Adewunmi to learn more about her experience leading the Customer Experience team— the very heart and soul of Sycamore.
How long have you worked here at Sycamore?
SeamlessHR says two years and seven months 🌚
How did you find yourself pursuing a career in customer success? And evidently, doing Customer Success here at Sycamore?
I found myself there, actually. My first job after NYSC was in the Customer Engagement Unit at Access Bank. I spent about five years there and went on to be a team lead before venturing into the Human Resource world—learning and Development specifically. It was somewhat of a customer-facing role because I dealt with all the clients and accounts we had.
Now, here I am again— in another customer-facing role. This time, in charge of all things Customer Experience here in Sycamore. And I like it honestly. Because if I don’t do it, who will? 🤭
What’s your favourite thing about working and leading the customer experience team here at Sycamore?
Apart from the Sytizens that make everything better (because it’s never about the journey but the company), I think it is also about who it affords me the chance to be.
I have become a more patient person, honing my empathy and problem-solving skills amongst other things! Plus, leading the customer experience team is knowing that you are at the heart of the business, helping to shape customer relationships and having a lasting impact on how the company is perceived.
What’s one popular misconception people have about customer experience?
Thank you very much for that question!
I think it’s the notion that you can use the terms Customer Experience, Customer Support or Service, and Customer Success/Engagement interchangeably. They are quite distinct!
Simply put:
Customer Support or Service – Helps customers when they have issues or questions, providing technical assistance and/or resolving product and service-related problems.
Customer Success/Engagement – This person’s role is to ensure customers achieve their goals by using the product/service and works to prevent problems before they arise. They do regular check-ins and help customers get the most value out of a product or service.
While Customer Experience is in charge of the holistic end-to-end experience of the customer. So all the touchpoints a customer has with the company are in the purview of this person. That’s why I am always in everyone’s business. Sorry not sorry guys 🌚
If you could learn one skill unrelated to your career, what would it be?
Taekwondo! In fact, I am starting my classes soon! I am pretty excited about it
Can you share one striking experience you’ve had with a customer that has stayed with you till today? What made it so special?
Honestly, the blueprint is usually the same. It always starts with a problem obviously. The most important part of this journey is when you realize you have the chance to turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one.
I honestly might not even be able to pinpoint one, but just know that what makes these experiences special is the transformation from frustration to partnership or at least goodwill on the customer’s part. Once you show the customer that you are fully invested in resolving or fixing a problem, that sense of trust stays with them and just like that, they tell ten more people about your business and how you are heavily invested in listening and resolving your customers’ issues.
You know what they say about word-of-mouth marketing…
What’s one superpower you think will make doing your job a lot easier?
If only I could be Professor X from X-Men so I could get into people’s heads. You know how he is supposed to be a very powerful telepath who can read and control the minds of others? Imagine if I could do that.
Telesales would be selling like 100 billion dollars every month. How about support and Engagement? Everyone will be happy because I said so!
Have you experienced any culture shocks while working here at Sycamore?
Yes, I have! Specifically, when I first came in. I mean I had worked in Access Bank for about 5 years so I was quite confused 😂.
But being in the system this long, I can see that the freedom you think you have here in Sycamore is actually a big chance for you to showcase yourself and what you can do.
You can also choose not to do so much and we will boot you out ASAP 😂. However, with the right POV and seeing that you have so much autonomy over a lot of things, you should be motivated to do a lot. As long you can prove how what you are doing aligns with the bigger overarching goal, you are good to go.
It’s a good culture honestly. Congratulations to the Founders. It’s really not easy.
What’s one thing about Sycamore you think makes customers choose our services over our competitors?
Because I deal with customers, I have an interesting point of view on this. I think it’s because of how thorough our process is. I mean, some people complain, but far more people actually applaud the process. The thoroughness gives some sort of notion that we know what we are doing. Which of course we do, right?
What’s one fun fact about you that no one would have guessed?
Well, I am still discovering myself. But to answer your question, I will say people don’t know that the reason I am physically active is because I eat a lot. If I don’t work out, I don’t know what would have become of me.
That’s all I have to say please.
