Blog

Having shaken up our employee Q&A, we’ve delved into our staff’s specialist subjects to gather more information about the powers of technology in the early years sector.

This time we’ve tasked our head of customer support, Stephen Brady, to tell us why providing excellent service to Connect’s customers is vital. Here are his thoughts…

Firstly Stephen, why is delivering exceptional customer service so important to you?

Making sure that customers are at the front and centre of everything we do is essential, without them, there’d be no Connect. And by going above and beyond for our settings, we can retain loyal customers who see the value not just in our technology, but also in the support that our team provides — which, ultimately, enhances our growth and reputation within the sector.

This commitment to customer service also has a broader impact upon our team culture. Everyone genuinely cares, which hopefully means that we’re not only a lovely bunch of people to do business with, but also to work alongside too. 

What do you see as the three most important factors in delivering a fantastic experience to Connect customers?

It has to be patience, knowledge, and active listening.

And how do you address any instances where things don’t quite go to plan?

Firstly, we apologise. Then we make sure the customer is clear about what we’re going to do to help. From there, we do everything we can to make sure the issue is resolved in a timely manner and with as little impact for the setting as possible.

Once we’ve resolved said challenge, a really important part of optimising our service moving forward is learning from those mistakes and ensuring that the process can be improved for next time. 

What tips would you offer to others who want to improve their customer service skills?

When contacting customer service, it’s likely that the person has a problem they need fixing. Always make sure that you understand the customer’s issue clearly — this means taking detailed notes so that they don’t need to repeat themselves. Acknowledge their issue and apologise. Then keep them informed with your progress on the matter. 

Patience is also incredibly important. Viewing a problem from the perspective of the customer can really help here. 

Finally, remain relaxed and don’t stress. When you’re calm, it’s easier to reassure a client and put in place a rational and productive plan to move forward. 

When it comes to nurseries, what customer service challenges do they come up against?

With such an active role in taking care of young children, it can be tricky for practitioners to have enough hours in the day to complete other tasks – communicating with parents being one of them. 

But with technology, they can bridge this communications gap — ensuring that parents are adequately informed regarding activities undertaken and learning outcomes, while also reducing handover time at the end of each day.

What role does Connect play in helping nurseries to provide an excellent experience for their customers?

Our software helps nurseries to spend less time on admin and more time being creative with the children – after all, that’s what parents and carers want from their childcare settings. 

They want to see what their little ones get up to during the day and feel involved in their fun. Our software gives them that opportunity, without placing an unnecessary administrative burden on the settings.  

Connect’s childcare software combines everything nursery managers, practitioners, and parents need in one simple solution. Book a demo by calling 01282 507945, enquiring here, or visiting our website.