Response Time: Vol. 18
You satisfy your customers, but can you satisfy our curiosity?
With Maxime Manseau, Co-founder and VP of Support at Birdie.
Please tell us a little bit about your company and what you do there.
Birdie is software for support teams that lets agents request screen recordings from customers and start co-browsing sessions directly within Intercom. I’m the VP of Support, and also a co-founder.
Which celebrity would be really great at your job, and why?
Marge Simpson from The Simpsons. Marge is the epitome of patience and understanding. With her calm demeanor, she handles her family’s various shenanigans. This skill set would be ideal for handling difficult customer situations.
What’s the most valuable thing that working in customer service has taught you?
Customer service taught me that if I ever start a band, it’ll be called “Unforeseen Delays.” Our first album? “Hold Please.”
What’s your greatest productivity hack?
Requesting a screen recording from the customer when they face a complex issue. This way, I can see for myself what’s going on and resolve their request at first touch.
What gif best describes your mental state right now?
What’s the worst customer service you’ve ever experienced?
Calling airline companies to make a slight change to my reservation!!
What’s the strangest thing a customer has asked you?
Not strange, but I wasn’t expecting it: “I’m in Paris. Wanna go for a beer tonight?”
What can you do that a bot will never be able to replicate?
Go to the bathroom.
“Support is emotionally tiring. You need to be well to be able to support others efficiently”
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to your peers in the customer service industry?
Take care of yourself first. Support is emotionally tiring. You need to be well to be able to support others efficiently.
What book are you reading at the moment?
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
What’s the best thing a customer has ever said to you?
“I love you.”
Where do you get your support leadership news?
We have a private Slack with other support leaders – it’s the best way to help each other and get answers to questions you wouldn’t find online.
“Our team is a key bridge between our company and users”
What words make your skin crawl?
“Sea.”
How would you explain your job to an alien?
I oversee a team that helps Earthlings resolve product issues, ensuring happiness and trust in the product. Our team is a key bridge between our company and users.
What’s your most used emoji in customer chats?
🙌
Do you identify more with the title “customer support,” customer service,” “customer success,” or “customer experience,” and why?
As long as it includes “customer,” it works ;) – customer support, customer delight, customer care, customer happiness, customer experience, customer hero…
What was your “15 minutes of fame” moment?
A head of support reached out to me because he got fired the day before. His wife was expecting a baby the following week. He HAD to find a job as soon as possible to support his family. I made three very qualified intros and he got a job two days later. He sent me the warmest message ever a few weeks after to let me know how much of a lifesaver it was.
What do you wish people knew about working in customer service?
The people are very talented. Some of the sharpest minds work in support!
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 explaining things to aliens – with us here.
