How Horizons takes Customer Service Above and Beyond
Meet Ann. She started working with Horizons over 7 years ago. Originally pursuing a career as a doctor, Ann's story begins with a change. As it just so happens, Ann's dad is a longtime Horizons employee, and with some convincing encouraged his daughter to apply for an open position on the Horizons customer service team. If you get the chance to speak with Ann, it quickly becomes apparent why she's perfect for the job. Her friendly personality and calm attitude put you at ease, especially when troubleshooting a frustrating problem. After two years with customer service, it was clear that she was ready for a new challenge. So, Ann decided to take the leap and follow her new calling, moving into her current role as Horizons Design Technician Supervisor.
It's the support provided by Ann and her team that makes Horizons stand out.
With the introduction of AI technology, many companies are turning to automated alternatives like chat bots, to handle their customer support. While near-instant response times may seem appealing, there are downsides to this type of interaction.
When providing a highly customizable and unique product, Ann says it's important to understand the limitations while balancing the pros and cons.
"We want to make sure anything we make meets our quality and child safety standards," she said in our interview, "We don't want to make something purely for a sale."
This type of foresight is impressive, especially within a company that prides itself on tailoring products to meet a wide range of needs. Horizons' Design Modification program allows dealers to request "off the menu" items that might not be available among their normal product offerings. This could be something like a unique window shape, specialty size, custom fabric, or hardware. She's even seen window treatments used in unconventional ways, acting as room dividers or even low-profile closet doors. And while Ann and her team of design technicians try their absolute hardest to bring a dealer's vision to life, occasionally, additional troubleshooting is necessary.
A great example is the Sherpa drapes. Or rather, the failed Sherpa drapes. A dealer presented Horizons with a design for draperies made from a thick, fuzzy Sherpa fabric that would have been right at home as a throw blanket or pullover jacket. Through trial and error, it was discovered this particular fabric selected by the dealer just didn't quite sit right as drapes—something that doesn't happen very often.
Most companies would simply tell a client their design wasn't possible, but Horizons took a different approach. They explained why the fabric wasn't compatible with the design the dealer selected and gave recommendations to find a solution that would work for the dealer's client and the design.
Ann will be the first person to tell you that having an eye for design isn't something that can be taught in a classroom. She says that those skills are gained with experience in the field. Ann explains how important it is to provide transparency and feedback when a dealer's design encounters an obstacle. In doing this, dealers work with Horizons to find an alternative or solution that still allows them to keep their vision aliveand their clients happy.
You might be wondering, how can a company like Horizons can offer such outstanding customer service?
The answer is simple. Horizons believes that teamwork is the key to providing the best service, product and experience. One person simply cannot know all of the intricate details that go into making high quality Horizons window treatments. By creating specialists for each product line, Horizons is able to answer questions quickly and accurately. Ann explains that sometimes the most difficult part of her job is finding the right specialist to answer her question.
But no matter what, everyone is willing to lend a hand. It's this type of problem solving that provides the perfect human touch. Unique products require unique customer service, something that isn't available from automated customer service.
So, the next time you have a question about a product or design, give Horizons a call and explore the endless design possibilities.