Iggy Pintado 

Before joining UXC Connect in July this year, I'd seen and heard the company describe itself as "customer-centric". The old website even declared "The Customer is at the heart of everything we do." I thought to myself, easy to say but hard to prove. So a few weeks after I joined, I set out to find some evidence of this customer centricity. As luck would have it, I found it right outside my office door in the form of 37-year veteran, account manager Mike Ward. Having started with the organisation when the company was known as Olivetti, Mike had recently been presented with his 30+ years Service award by our CEO Paul Timmins (Paul pictured on left, Mike’s on the right). 

I had a raft of questions to ask Mike about the company culture when I arranged to meet him. As one of the longest-serving employees, he'd know how things get done around the place. When I approached his desk for our meeting, I saw a large box with Chinese markings and the Apple logo on it. My curiosity got the better of me and had to ask: "What's with the box, Mike?" 

"Do you really want to know?", he replied. He then related this story. 

One of our key customers used a special camera to process identification cards for their customers. Years ago, we had set up the system for them and had been managing their requirements ever since. They required an additional 12 Apple cameras for a new office they were setting up. Mike checked if Apple still made the camera but they'd ceased production a few years ago. The camera proved to be very special indeed. For the customer to change over to a newer model camera, they would have to modify over 10,000 lines of software application code. As this wasn't a desired option all round, Mike needed to find another solution which was to try and source the original cameras elsewhere. "So where did you search?", I asked. "Where would YOU look for something no longer being produced?" I didn't expect his answer. 

"I found a supplier on eBay." 

Mike found the same model cameras from a supplier in China who could ship in 7 days. He placed the order on his own credit card and the box with the product arrived on his desk a few days later. He had already informed the delighted customer and was preparing to ship, install and bill them. As the company representative responsible for the customer outcome, Mike felt empowered enough to take the initiative on this predicament and mentioned it to his management as a courtesy. "I was compelled to solve the customer problem - I took the necessary action to do so knowing that my management would support me." 

There are many stories like this about our culture that we'd like to share with you over the coming months on our blog, now called "Stories of Our Culture".