Tip No. 5: Be a good listener
Donna Zasman Lomazini
Director of Business Development, ZOOMcatalog
Industry Career Snapshot: Co-founded ZOOMcatalog in 2009
Nominated by: Arthur Weiss, Perry Ellis International and Callaway Sportswear; Jeanne Abercrombie, Pepco Promotional Products; Dale Jalovec, Scully; Sherry Maresh, Brandwear; Bryony Zasman, ZOOMcatalog
How She Earned Superhero Status: Nominator Jeanne Abercrombie, Pepco Promotional Products, says, “I love her passion and how she makes you feel every time you speak with her that your company and business is the only one that matters. She doesn’t back down on a challenge, and my company has thrown a few at her; she has jumped in and made us shine.” Sherry Maresh at Brandwear says, “This may sound corny, but she actually picks up the phone when you call her. If she does not answer, you know you will hear back from her in a flash. This sounds basic but it is not in today’s world.” Lomazini’s sister and business partner, Bryony Zasman, adds, “We continually get feedback on Donna’s ability to understand her customers’ challenges and translate them into a solution that we can provide for them. She is extremely responsive to requests from our clients.”
In Donna’s Own Words
Best Part Of The Job: “I enjoy helping customers identify and find solutions for their business pain points. Helping my customers integrate and implement new technologies and having them see real, tangible results is very rewarding. I also enjoy working with everyone on our team, from our distributor support team to our developers. We have an amazing culture at ZOOMcatalog.”
Most Valuable Customer Service Lesson Learned: “The most important thing is communicating with and asking your customers questions to ensure you tailor the solutions you provide to their specific needs. This helps build a long-term and trusting business relationship. By doing this, I have become friends with my customers and we enjoy working together. I have learned this time and again throughout my career in sales.”
Tip For Great Customer Service: “Listen. Make sure you fully understand the needs of your customers before trying to help them. Go the extra mile—doing something extra for customers helps build your long-term relationship with them.”
Wish For One Superhero Power: “I would like the ability to clone myself. Today, most people are always busy and wearing many different hats at the same time. I am sure I am not the only one who has wished for a couple of clones at times.”
Best Personal Customer Service Experience: “Without a doubt, REI [the outdoor gear retailer] provides some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. They are extremely customer-focused and embrace the ‘customer is always right’ attitude. From the moment you walk in their doors, you know that their team is there to help you. They offer solutions for your needs. It is not about having you spend as much as possible, it’s about you walking out the door feeling confident that you made the right buying decision. I think the reason they stand out for me is that they listen and offer solutions rather than trying to sell you what is new on their shelves.”
How Donna Saved The Day
“We have many independent sales reps based all over the country,” says nominator Arthur Weiss, Perry Ellis International/Callaway Sportswear. “We needed ZOOMcatalog training for each of them, however, they are all in different time zones and hard to pin down so one training session would not suffice. Being the quintessential account rep, Donna accommodated our entire sales team, managers, CRSs and new hired at times convenient for them—and with a great attitude. Because of Donna’s enthusiasm on how to use ZOOMcatalog, our staff is well trained and equipped with another tool to promote our brand.”
