For many businesses Customer Service is a necessary evil; it’s something they need to do in order to answer customer’s questions and to deal with customer complaints, but Excel Vending take an entirely different view to Customer Service.

It would be wrong to say we don’t ever deal with customer complaints, however we are pleased to report that compliments are more the order of the day than complaints at Excel Vending,  So why do we need Ian McRitchie our full-time Customer Relationship Manager?

Ian’s role is to ensure our customers are happy with what we are doing for them, he builds relationships and explores what we can do better, or what we can do differently that will help the customer’s operations.  We genuinely believe there is always room for improvement; this may be the timely introduction of emerging technology, or the provision of sales analysis to help the customer optimise their vending solutions.  Equally, it could be arranging tasting days for a customer’s personnel or forward planning to accommodate any operational changes in a customer’s business.  There are many things to keep Ian fully occupied.

Our approach to Customer Service is very much proactive rather than reactive.  Of course, Ian will react accordingly when a customer has an issue, but we truly believe the investment in proactive Customer Service decreases the need for a reactive service.  Ian has a wealth of experience in the vending industry and more recently as a Retail Manager in Marks & Spencer, his ability to understand and respond to the individual needs of each customer makes him perfect for his role at Excel Vending.

Now settled into his new position, here’s what Ian has to say about his experience so far, “I’ve been involved in Customer Service and Customer Relationship for many years and it’s refreshing to join a business that places adequate importance on these activities.  Previous roles have been much more about reacting to customers, but at Excel it’s about working with the clients in an environment of continual improvement.  I’ve already met many of the clients and I’m looking forward to meeting all of them in the fullness of time.  I’m thoroughly enjoying the role and the positive impact I make on the business”.

But, there’s more to it than just Customer Service; the lines between Customer Service and Marketing are becoming more and more blurred and we not only appreciate this, we embrace it.  In today’s highly connected world everyone is a potential publisher, people can express their concerns, complaints, compliments and gratitude to the whole world at the touch of a button.  Equally, the way we communicate can be seen publicly, and instantly.

It’s an acknowledged fact that word-of mouth is one of the best forms of marketing; indeed, much of our growth over the past 25 years can be attributed to referrals from satisfied customers, this is why we have embraced the online space.  We have won awards for our communication such as the UK Chamber Business Awards 2017 for “Best Use of Social Media” and we will continue to invest in our communication in the future.

Excel Vending is committed to every customer, by excelling in communication and continuing a proactive approach to Customer Service we can deliver a better service and effective solutions to all of our customers.  And, whilst it’s not the main objective, hopefully we can add more Customer Service awards like the one we were awarded at this year’s Lanarkshire Business Awards when we were named winners of the “Excellence in Customer Service” award.