My role in Customer Service
It's very funny how people have different ideas about Customer Service. When I share with my friends that I am working in a helpdesk. Some of them think I work in a kind of call center. Others think I'm just in front of the laptop using standard response templates. And yes, as in all other helpdesks we have a CRM system, phones to answer, and some standards to follow. 

Thinking about the cases I solve daily, there are also many situations where the solutions are common and standard. But there are many other cases where the solution is a challenge, or the case is a "chicharron" as I use to call them. (Chicharron is Spanish for Cracklings, and is a nice and positive way to describe a situation that looks almost impossible to solve). I love these cases where the solution is not obvious and the opportunity to create a new solution.

There is one more special element that gives a lot of meaning to my work, “People” the dealers and the internal colleagues who request the help of Customer service. Ultimately, my mission in customer service is to keep the dealers engaged with DAF and, of course, to be excellent support for the internal processes and business.

As I said before, there are many stories and efforts behind the resolution of a case: I remember very well one day when I spoke by phone to a very stressed dealer.  He had a vehicle of road situation, and he urgently needed a long block (a spare part of XXX kg and XXX cm long). Just as I told the dealer by phone, I intended to do my best to solve his situation. So I made my plan: I checked the part number in the system and I saw that I could get 1 unit from the *Remanufacturing workshop. Wonderful!.. Having 1 unit available made me go straight to the transport office, asking if I could pick up this part. They asked me, "Dora, do you really want to pick up this part yourself? Full of conviction and with the best attitude, I said "YES".

Picking the part myself was part of the solution I had in mind. I started to drive and when I arrived at the factory I realized that this part was a long block, and I would not be able to move it myself. At this point, I understood my colleagues’  questions. 

So yes, my plan failed. My good intentions ignored important details such as the weight and size of the part. But this example is just to show what a customer means to someone in customer service. At the end of my day's work, I only wish that the dealers and the people who receive our answers and solutions could perceive all the love behind a solved case in the support center. 

*Remanufacturing workshop = Part of DAF factory that re-manufactures used parts.