Kel Kurekgi - "CCOs: How to Drop the Victim Mentality to Earn Your Seat at the Table"
Kel Kurekgi, Director of Support at Zapier, delves into the transformation of customer support teams, focusing on how to drop the victim mentality and gain a seat at the table. Kel discusses his journey from media to customer experience, sharing insights on overcoming challenges in the customer support sector. He emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and strategic storytelling as key elements in transforming customer support into a recognized business asset.
WOW-24-7
Contact Centers
What’s Inside [0:59] Introduction to Kel Kurekgi [31:45] Full Podcast Episode [2:50] Full Episode Highlights [2:20] Breaking Down Barriers Between Sales and Support Teams [6:59] Empowering Support Teams by Dropping the Victim Mentality [2:46] Building Stronger Relationships Across Internal Teams for CX Success [5:11] Strategic Approach to Solving Customer and Business Issues [3:15] Defining the Difference Between Customer Support and Experience [3:55] Building a Strong CX Foundation Through Empathy [1:48] Take Responsibility for Your Career and Growth [0:51] Short - Breaking Down Barriers Between Sales and Support Teams [0:56] Short - Empowering Support Teams by Dropping the Victim Mentality
Full Episode "We need to stop focusing on why we can’t do things and start focusing on what we can do. When people start realizing that the power is in their hands, to be able to tell the right story, their seat at the table, get their voice heard, that whole victim mentality in support will shift." - Kel Kurekgi
(2:50 Video) Full Episode Highlights
(2:20 Video) Breaking Down Barriers Between Sales and Support Teams "The only difference between sales and marketing is that sales is generally more proactive, while support tends to be more reactive. Otherwise, there are so many similarities. I believe that if the two departments worked more closely together, it would eliminate a lot of internal friction." - Kel Kurekgi
(6:59 Video) Empowering Support Teams by Dropping the Victim Mentality "Victim mentality is a learned behavior from previous leadership, where support was very much just seen as a cost center. Until we move out of our way and remove that element of victim mentality and egocentric thinking, we're pretty much going down the wrong road." - Kel Kurekgi
(2:46 Video) Building Stronger Relationships Across Internal Teams for CX Success "In support, what you are craving is that seat at the table, and until you can articulate yourself in a way that resonates with the person you are trying to get to buy into you and your department, you're always gonna be losing a battle." - Kel Kurekgi
(5:11 Video) Strategic Approach to Solving Customer and Business Issues "If I'm able to craft a story around what the problem is, why it's a problem, and what will happen if we don't solve it, and then go straight into that story, doors will start opening." - Kel Kurekgi
(3:15 Video) Defining the Difference Between Customer Support and Experience "The support element often focuses on reducing the number of customer inquiries and efficiently resolving issues when they do arise. The experience aspect aims to minimize the need for contact while ensuring customers enjoy the entire journey." - Kel Kurekgi
(3:55 Video) Building a Strong CX Foundation Through Empathy "I came up with this term called PESH, and it stands for personable, empathetic, simple, and human. For me, if you are the frontline, make sure every single person that contacts you is approached in a personable, empathetic, simple, and human way." - Kel Kurekgi
(1:48 Video) Take Responsibility for Your Career and Growth "Some people need to stop being a baby, get over themselves, and allow themselves to bring on that mentality that got them the success in the first place." - Kel Kurekgi
YOUTUBE SHORT: Breaking Down Barriers Between Sales and Support Teams "The only difference between sales and marketing is that sales is generally more proactive, while support tends to be more reactive. Otherwise, there are so many similarities. I believe that if the two departments worked more closely together, it would eliminate a lot of internal friction." - Kel Kurekgi
YOUTUBE SHORT: Empowering Support Teams by Dropping the Victim Mentality "Victim mentality is a learned behavior from previous leadership, where support was very much just seen as a cost center. Until we move out of our way and remove that element of victim mentality and egocentric thinking, we're pretty much going down the wrong road." - Kel Kurekgi
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