HQ&A: Caring and Customer Service with Tim R., VP of Customer Service

Customer service and caring go hand in hand for Shipt VP of Customer Service, Tim R. While he focuses on creating genuine connection with customers, Tim also leads our large Experience Team to flourishing careers and personal growth. Read on to learn more about Tim’s servant leadership philosophy and how we measure customer happiness at Shipt.

1. First things first, let’s talk about your role. What do you do at Shipt??

I have the honor of serving our customer service team members who inspire me each day with their commitment to provide the highest level of customer service to our members, shoppers and retailers (our customers). I love leading this passionate and creative team.??

2. We’ve always put customer experience first at Shipt. Do you think this has contributed to our success, and what do you count as the most important measures for customer happiness?

Our team is committed to making personal connections and providing exceptional experiences; both externally to our customers, and also internally with one another.

Externally, we measure our success by a number of key indicators, including our customers’ perceptions during each touch point they have with Shipt. We call these our measurable “moments of truth”.? We strive to look through the eyes of those we serve, with a focus on building a lifelong relationship.

We genuinely believe in over-delivering delivery. Shipt brings the store to your door. We live that each day, during each interaction. It’s not just something we display on a wall.?

3. Our Experience Team is our largest team at Shipt. What are your tips for managing so many people? How do you help them succeed in both their current roles and their future careers?

I’ll summarize four basic steps that we focus on:

First, hire team members aligned to Shipt’s values. The first step in having committed and motivated team members is to hire candidates who have a track record of being committed and motivated.?

Second, provide team members with the tools, resources, mentoring, and career pathing to invest in their success and instill continuous growth and a student mindset. I’m proud that our customer service department serves as the primary recruiting source for other departments throughout Shipt. We have many people in leadership at Shipt that started their careers on our team.?

Third, continue to share our big picture with team members: where we are today, where we are heading, how we measure our success, how we are all interconnected, and how, through their daily interactions, they impact the big picture.

Finally, serve our team members. Our leadership team defines our success based on each team member's success.?

4. How do the Shipt values show up in our customer service, especially caring?

I will give you two examples of many:?

One: We are always open; 24/7. We believe that it’s imperative that our customers have the ability to get in touch with our team at all hours of the day and night to receive assistance.??

Two: We measure our success during each interaction by asking our customer one key question: Did we provide the level of service, resolution, kindness and empathy that our customers expect??

5. Our purpose is to spark the connections that show why every person counts. How does our purpose show up in your work?

Our purpose shows up through each interaction that our leadership team has with each individual team member; we recognize that each of those relationships are unique. We exist to serve our team, and partner with each team member in their individual success plan.??

Our team members can go to any company for a job. We want our team members to believe that working for Shipt is more than a job. We want them to trust that they have both a career and relationships that support their passion of being the best versions of themselves. While we have mutual accountability in each relationship, that accountability begins with a foundation of caring for one another.?

6. Finally: what’s always on your Shipt orders??

I am a two order a week Shipt member. I love my morning oatmeal after my A.M. workout.? Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats are my go-to. Stir in Bob Evans liquid egg whites, and then add some local honey, berries and a dash of skim milk. It’s like having dessert for breakfast, and such a healthy way to start the day.

Leaders like Tim R. make the difference between just a job and a flourishing career. Serving our customers and our team members makes all the difference in our success. Follow along as we share more Shipt stories from HQ on our social media (@shipt). Looking to join our unapologetically authentic workforce? See what roles are open.