Darin Fiorendino
Quality Manager

Q. You've been in customer service for 15 years. What's your perspective on where the customer care industry is headed?

A. I think it's heading in a great direction. In the recent past there was an emphasis on the tools, technologies and methods of quantifying customer satisfaction and loyalty. While that's important, there's a renewed commitment within the industry to focus on how individuals feel. When people hang up the phone or end a web chat with TMP Direct, I want them to be able to say "Hey, I just got great service." It should be so good that people tell their friends about it.

Q. People surely tell their friends when they've had a bad experience. What do you think is the secret to handling angry callers?

A. Good customer service representatives (CSRs) know that anger is a fact of life. Companies make mistakes. When they do, we've got an opportunity to handle the complaint so well that loyalty replaces anger. I think the secret is to be patient, compassionate, and really listen to what the customer is saying. People not only want their complaint addressed in a fair and appropriate manner, they want to be heard. They appreciate it when their anger is addressed with the professionalism that every human being deserves.

Q. You're also responsible for quality management for TMP Direct's new WebWatch service. What's the secret to effective social media monitoring?

A. It's not just a matter of monitoring -- many technologies and organizations can do that. It's a matter of responding in a way that's consistent with the time-tested best practices of good service. Even though social media monitoring is a relatively new phenomenon, our WebWatch clients know that they can count on responses that are timely, accurate, professional in tone, and "reader friendly."

Q. When companies respond to blogs, micro blogs or forum posts, in your opinion what are the biggest mistakes they make?

A. Sometimes responders don't address the exact issue that has been raised; instead, they address a related issue that they have a good answer for -- but readers can see through that. The other thing that's really tough for responders who aren't trained customer service professionals is knowing how to correct misinformation in a tactful and sensitive manner.

Q. What do you think of TMP Direct's new InSight service?

A. It's a great development. No caller wants to spend time on the phone talking with a customer service rep. TMP Direct Insight will shorten the duration of phone calls so it respects the fact that callers have other priorities. Plus, it will give our CSRs more time to focus on listening and problem-solving, rather than data entry.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself -- for instance, what's the best vacation you ever had?

A. That's an easy one! A few years ago my wife and I were on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, where we took a canoe trip in a bioluminescent bay. They have one of the highest concentrations of bioluminescent life forms anywhere in the world. It was so amazing that I couldn't believe I was seeing what I was seeing -- I felt like a little kid!

Meet other people at TMP Direct