Written by 
You satisfy your customers, but can you satisfy our curiosity?
With Kelly Burnette, Classroom Success Manager at Writable from HMH.
Please tell us a little bit about your company and what you do there.
Writable builds lifelong writing and reading skills for students in grades 3-12. We are now a part of HMH, and our team helps drive innovation in education technology through thoughtful and intentional AI tools. As a Classroom Success Manager, it is my job to make sure that educators using our program are supported when they need it most – usually in front of a class full of students!
What’s the most valuable thing that working in customer service has taught you?
The power of listening. Oftentimes, a customer will think their problem is one thing when it is actually something entirely different. By truly listening and knowing my product, I can help resolve the problem at its core and improve their experience.
Describe the essence of great customer service using only three words.
Timely. Clear. Kind.
Which movie robot would you choose as your AI sidekick, and why?
EVE from Wall-E. She knows her mission and isn’t going to back down from it, even when she’s told to. My mission is to help the customer, and sometimes I have to break some rules to do so!
What can you do that a bot will never be able to replicate?
I have a shared experience with our customers, knowing what it’s like to use technology in the classroom as a teacher. No bot can combine my product expertise and personal experience to understand our users’ unique realities.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever said/done to a customer?
I’ve mistyped a lot of things because we respond very quickly, but I don’t really get embarrassed! I find my customers usually appreciate the humanity of the interaction.
Do you identify more with the title “customer support,” “customer service,” “customer success,” or “customer experience,” and why?
All of the above! We have a very specific role – “Classroom Success.” That’s because in the world of education, the most important place our app needs to work is in the classroom. Our teachers don’t have time to wait for us to escalate issues or ask other teams, so we are uniquely trained to be tech support, curriculum experts, implementation gurus, and customer advocates all at once.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your peers in the customer service industry?
Tag those kind comments for a rainy day. Most customer experiences are positive, but those negative ones can really mess up your attitude. I like to tag my bright spots and appreciative chats so when I’m feeling run down I can go back and remember that I do make a positive difference in my customers’ days.
What’s the worst customer service you’ve ever experienced?
I refuse to call our internet provider – I make my partner do it. The hoops I have to jump through to get to the correct person, and the way they try to manipulate customers into buying higher speed internet when they can’t deliver the quality we already pay for is insane.
What’s your greatest productivity hack?
I block the first 15 minutes of the day to lay out my priorities for this day, this week. I block the last 15 minutes to check on whether I accomplished those things, which gives me a chance to celebrate my wins and feel prepared for what comes next.
What book are you reading at the moment?
I am a fan of fantasy and fiction. I just finished Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig – it’s a really great duology!
If customer service was an Olympic sport, what would be the main event?
Juggling multiple high priority conversations at once! If a customer asks, “Are you still there?” you are disqualified.
What’s the best thing a customer has ever said to you?
“I am going to go teach all my teammates what you showed me.” Turning customers into champions. 💪
What gif best describes your mental state right now?
Where do you get your support leadership news?
I always attend Intercom’s webinars and check out the resources. I also stay active on LinkedIn and the communities there.
What do you wish people knew about working in customer service?
It’s not as awful as it’s made out to be. Yes, we have our bad days, but you get the chance to connect with a lot of different people. More often than not, our customers are grateful and kind to us, and we get to make a difference in their day. I love getting to turn a negative experience into a positive one for them.
If you wrote a book about your experiences in customer service, what would the title be?
“Is There Anything Else I Can Help You With?”
What’s the strangest thing a customer has asked you?
I once had a customer ask if I could come over to help them figure out how to check their work email at home. They were in Oregon, I’m in Virginia.
What’s your most used emoji in customer chats?
😅
Conversation closed… for now 😏
If you’re interested in being featured in our Response Time series, you can share your insights on customer service – and what Olympic sport customer service would be – with us here.
