Meet the Creatives series - Anna @ Customer Care

Q: What's a typical day like for you in VIBAe's customer care, especially when dealing with a customer base spread across over 150 countries?

After dropping Astor, my 10-year-old son, at school, I open my laptop to anywhere between 50-150 new messages. I can easily answer 80 messages a day, so the sweat creeps in if I see 150 messages. And don't forget, the messages keep rolling in all day! Living in Spain means Europeans get faster responses, while USA customers hear back the next day. People might think we have a customer service CENTER, but it's me, myself and I.

Q: Can you share some of your creative problem-solving moments?

One of my typical challenges is having to answer the same message 10 times because somehow customers aren't getting my responses - that's when I switch to WhatsApp! I've found myself googling library addresses for customers who can't print return labels, and decoding addresses in Saudi Arabia like "next to the pharmacy." If the warehouse is out of stock, I'll call our Helsinki store where Kalle steps in to help.

Q: What's it like working with your brother, Kalle?

Being the little sister with a 13-year age gap, our working relationship is surprisingly liberating - there's no micromanaging, just trust. We have what we call our "HOTLINE" for frequent calls, though I sometimes regret not silencing my phone when he calls at 5:30 AM! After 9 years of working together, we know each other inside out.

Q: What do customers need to know about shipping and delivery?

Number one - make sure your delivery and email address is correct! And here's a reality check: we don't have a direct line to our carrier, we have to wait in line too. So if you email me saying you won't be home tomorrow, I can't tell the carrier... I'm so sorry! Also, In Finland we work Monday to Friday, 9-5 Finnish time, so orders placed after 5 PM on Friday won't ship until next week.

Q: You obviously keep your cool with such high ratings. Are you a saint?

I wish! I try not to take things personally, even when I get called all the names under the sun. The positive feedback and thank you notes from customers help balance things out. When I encounter a particularly challenging situation, I'll take a break, step out into the sunshine, or play with my dog before getting back to it.

Q: What's life like outside of VIBAe?

Between my puppy, my skateboarding-enthusiast son, and my husband (who runs the VIBAe Barcelona store), life is pretty full! On my days off, you'll usually find me cleaning the house - customer service never really ends when you're a mom!

And there you have it—a peek into the mind of one of our main creatives with a laptop!  Stay tuned for our next feature, where yet another creative mind spills the secrets behind what makes our team tick. Who knows—you might just find a bit of yourself in these stories!