Spotlight: Neal Travis @ AIHR

How did you get into CX?  

I got into the workforce right after high school, and since then, every role has been in some sort of customer-facing position. Whether it was serving food at Smashburger, selling phones on the retail floor, or running kiosks, supporting customers to ensure they have the best experience has always been part of my journey. When I moved to The Netherlands in 2019, I had the lucky opportunity to join the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) as an early customer-hire, which I would say has been my first true Support experience. I fell in love with it, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here!

What do most people get wrong about CX?  

I think people underestimate the complexities and intricacies. I've heard from non-Support folks that "it's just easy to talk to customers, and anyone could do it." While I encourage everyone to try it, it is much more complex than that. In the role itself, language and communication skills are the first layer, and understanding systems and all of the other moving parts that affect what the customer is seeing is the second.

There are also many moving parts beyond just talking to people, like operations, knowledge management, and quality in Support. If you get into leadership, finding the balance between advocating for customers, supporting your teams, and driving business outcomes is a whole other ballgame.

What advice would you give to someone starting in CX?  

Don't assume. This advice is generally useful, but in the context of Support, it can go a long way. You are not your customer. You may not provide them with a solution just because "it's not what you would want," but you can't know what will make your customers happy. This applies to specific interactions and solutions, as well as to larger initiatives. Stay curious, take your time, and understand what your customers actually want, rather than assuming something will be good for them. Keeping this mindset will help you navigate customer situations and build skills for further growth.

Who is your role model in the support/CS space?  

There are so many. Is it bad to say I can’t pick just one? So many folks in the community have uplifted and supported me on my journey, and the space is filled with incredible people.

One person that comes to mind is Andrew Rios, MSML. He always has a way of making you feel like you can do anything—confident and empowering!

What's your biggest pet peeve in CX?  

People thinking it’s easy and simple, and that anyone can do it. It’s more complex and intricate than it may seem 😅 and people blocking customers from doing fundamental things they should be able to do… why make it hard? As a user, just let us do the thing we want to do. As a Support person, I’m always trying to advocate for letting users take control, but blockers on that front are a bit of a frustration. Just let them do the thing!

What has surprised you most about building a support team?  

How important it is to iterate on and reinforce the fundamentals, and that, most times, “just getting it done” is the best approach. You don’t need a Formula 1 car to drive to the grocery store; you just need something reliable that does the job. It was surprising to see how much people want to implement high-tech solutions when they may not be necessary at this stage. Having to pull people back and focus on the basics in most cases really surprised me.

What's the most rewarding part of your role in customer CX?  

Not only helping individuals but also being able to shape the experience on a larger scale has been extremely rewarding. On a day-to-day level, it’s the human-to-human interactions that are the most fulfilling. It’s such a great feeling when someone comes in stressed, worried, or even excited, and you can connect with them and solve the issue together. When customers open up and have a genuine “we’re all just people” conversation, it feels amazing. At the end of the day, we’re all just people talking to people, living life, and in that moment, we’re sharing it together. It’s awesome to have real moments with folks.

How do you stay motivated during challenging support cases?  

Breaking it down into its simplest forms has really helped. What is the ultimate goal of the customer or situation? What’s the one thing they want? Then work backward from there. Identify what’s blocking them, outline the moving parts, and work through them step by step. Simplifying the situation in this way releases some of the pressure and helps maintain focus.

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