“When you manage to turn a call around, it’s such a boost – that’s when you feel you’ve got the best job in the world.”
Meet Jens Karlsson, expert in customer service at 3C Online, who is a real pro at solving customers’ problems, loves talking to people with different dialects, and values a high pace and variation.
What were you doing before you joined 3C Online?
I was working with translations, so something completely different – in particular technical manuals from English to Swedish. After about ten years, I got a bit sick and tired of the industry and recalled my first ever job, which was in customer service. I felt then that I wanted to work with that again.
When you applied for a job at 3C Online, what were you looking for in a job, and what was your impression of 3C Online?
I wanted to work with incoming calls, talk to customers and help them with typical issues like invoicing queries and similar. I didn’t want a normal sales job, even if I knew that sales would be part of it – but the customer contact in particular was something I found enjoyable and interesting.
I noticed early on that this is a company where you’re truly seen, where everyone’s strengths are considered and you get to work with the types of projects that suit you best.
What do you remember about the onboarding process and what it was like when you first started at 3C Online?
It was intense – I had to be introduced to two different projects, all in one week. It was a case of ‘learning by doing’ and everything moved quickly, but at the same time that was fun as it meant I became one of the team very quickly.
I ended up being part of a team that really suited me, so that meant I felt they got me. As is often the case when you start a new job, I didn’t know for how long I was going to stay; I thought I’ll try a year and see what happens. Then new projects came along, things got more and more fun by the day, and the years went by and now I’ve been here nine years.
Tell us about your job at 3C Online now.
I have a few key projects, mostly related to book clubs. They all have in common that the queries relate mostly to invoicing and deliveries. Customers call or email, ask where a parcel is or when it’s scheduled for delivery – and that’s not just in Sweden but across Norwegian and Danish markets as well.
On top of my key projects I also act as back-up for a few other projects, where I jump in as and when they need me. This means that I often work across many different projects in a typical day.
Since I’ve been here for quite some time now, I also have an expert role in which I help other agents with questions and information. I also train other agents in case management for some of the projects and support our clients with administrative tasks and analysis, in addition to looking after all the post we get.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
The first thing I do when I arrive at the office is to check what the queue is like and where the calls are coming in. Then I log on and check the total queries the various teams have to deal with, and get started with administrative work and dealing with the inboxes. This morning there was a queue from the get-go, so then it’s a case of just getting started. Sometimes we work our way through the queue and it calms down for a little bit – but that really varies.
Most days, I make a plan for myself of what I need to get done that day, if there’s specific information that needs to go out to the team, that sort of thing. So when there aren’t too many calls, I work through that list, in agreement with the workforce management, who keep track of all the queues.
What is it that makes you enjoy your job at 3C Online, and that makes you stay?
It’s two things. Firstly, it’s the work itself, the projects – I really enjoy talking to people from all over Sweden and Scandinavia. Each day is unique, and you never know which types of people you’ll be speaking to. Each call is different, so it’s always varied and fun.
Secondly, 3C Online is just a really nice company – you’re always truly seen, and the company cares about the staff, at work and beyond. There’s a clear distinction between work and leisure time, and if there are issues or something is bothering you, that’s never an issue – you just chat to a coach or your manager about it. It feels good to know that you never have to keep concerns to yourself.
How would you describe the culture at 3C Online?
It’s fast-paced, you need to be prepared for that. You’re pretty tired come the evening, after so many calls. Customers have problems that need to be solved, obviously, and ideally as quickly as possible – so it takes a lot of energy.
But it’s incredibly varied and enjoyable, and I always look forward to going to work. It’s kind of the opposite of what I used to do, when I worked with text and weeks could pass without me talking to another human being. Now I really do talk to all of Sweden, from north to south. And when you manage to turn a call around, it’s such a boost – that’s when you feel you’ve got the best job in the world.
