Often companies develop programs where new hires sit in on customer service calls or answer support tickets, however, Warby Parker thinks only requiring new hires to sit in isn’t enough.
Warby Parker’s Customer Connection program ensures team members from every department regularly take shifts in Warby Parker’s retail locations. It creates regular opportunities for the team to connect with customers in person or on the phone to learn more about who they are, their motivations, pains, needs, and desires. It breathes life into an employee’s understanding of who our customers are and reminds them that they’re people just like you and me.
Most important of all, require senior leaders to engage in this experience. Warby Parker co-founder David Gilboa says, “So many big companies fall victim to their top decision-makers moving further and further away from customers and customer data. Neil (Blumenthal, co-founder) and I still take shifts on the phone talking to customers.” Gilboa continues “When people see very senior people doing this, the ethos of engaging with customers trickles down to everyone at the company.”
