Tip No. 6: Be a partner
Devin Martin
Key Account Manager, Advance Corporation (UPIC: ADVANCE)
Industry Career Snapshot: One-plus year at Advance; 15 years in the industry
Nominated by: Allison Mikle, Signature Concepts; Rena Ashfeld, CAS, Advance Corporation
How She Earned Superhero Status: Nominator Rena Ashfeld, CAS, has been working with Devin for 15 years. “She is the yin to my yang. To have that person you can count on to get it done—that is Devin. I am a better salesperson because of her,” says Ashfeld.
In Devin’s Own Words
Best Part Of The Job: “The people. This industry has so many creative and dynamic people. I love to be able to help customers solve problems and I love to learn from the people around me. It’s very rewarding to help someone come up with a product or solution, and then to get positive feedback. The best compliment I can get is: ‘You made me look good to my customer.’”
Most Valuable Customer Service Lesson Learned: “I was fortunate to have some wonderful mentors early in my career. The best advice I got was to never say no. If the answer is not a definitive ‘Yes,’ try to have another solution to offer your customer.”
Tip For Great Customer Service: “Be a partner with your customer. Consider yourselves to be on the same team, be honest and, of course, the old cliché: under-promise and over-deliver.”
Wish For One Superhero Power: “Telepathy. Just imagine how much more efficiently and quickly we could all work together if we could read each other’s minds. It would certainly make anticipating my customers’ needs much easier.”
Best Personal Customer Service Experience: “I can’t say enough good things about Discount Tire. They fixed a flat tire for my mom on a blustery winter day at no charge, and she had never purchased a tire from them. They are always friendly and willing to be honest and work with a budget. Each time I deal with them, they go above and beyond and they will have my business for as long as I drive a vehicle with wheels. They understand the importance of building a relationship before they have closed the sale. That is impressive to me and I will forever refer family, friends and strangers to them.”
How Devin Saved The Day
Devin recently worked with her client and nominator, Allison Mikle, on an anniversary project for a large customer. “Devin jumped right in and made sure I had great ideas to show. She understands the urgency that goes along with these types of projects and is always there to help,” says Mikle.
