Customer support, more than just a point of contact!
This is often where it all starts. A question about a feature, blocked access, a campaign to be launched urgently: at M Target, customer support is the first point of contact for users, but also a central link between internal teams.
Miriam Dahane, in charge of technical and sales support, takes us behind the scenes of a job that involves listening, analysis, coordination… and collaboration.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your day-to-day work at M Target?
My name is Miriam Dahane, and I’ve been in charge of technical and sales support at M Target for six years. My main role is to guarantee customer satisfaction by responding to technical problems encountered on a daily basis. My day-to-day work consists of accompanying our users on our platforms, resolving or qualifying incidents, advising if necessary, and working in liaison with the company’s other teams: technical, sales and accounting. I’m often the first point of contact, and I try to provide a clear, rapid and constructive response.
What's your role in the campaign value chain?
I’m involved right from the start: I create accounts, help customers get started, diagnose any problems, qualify them for the right teams, and liaise with the developers if necessary. I’m also there to advise, guide and ensure that campaigns get off to the best possible start.
What are the most frequent requests?
What I often say is that no two days are alike, and that’s one of the aspects of the job that appealed to me right from the start.
Of course, there are some basic requests that come up regularly: blocked accesses, questions about certain modules, guidance on how to use the platform. But what I appreciate more and more is that as the industry evolves, so do the demands. With regulatory changes, new products (RCS, Time2Chat, publishers…), we receive a lot of more technical requests, requiring more in-depth analysis.
How do you support your customers?
There are several aspects to this function.
Firstly, the technical side: you need to be familiar with all the tools you use on a daily basis, and know how to diagnose, qualify and solve problems quickly.
Then there’s the human dimension: teaching, listening and patience. We come into contact with very different profiles, from the franchisee to the CIO of a major corporation.
And finally, teamwork is essential. Support is in constant contact with developers, the product and other departments. This synergy is what enables us to be efficient and responsive in resolving requests.
Some days are busier than others...
Yes, some periods are much more intense, like back-to-school, Black Friday, Christmas and sales. That’s when we really have to be responsive and cool-headed, because these are crucial periods for our customers. They need to feel that they’re being supported, and that they can count on us.
I’m thinking, for example, of a campaign sent out twice by mistake by a customer, with several hundred thousand SMS messages. All the teams (support, core, servers) mobilized to stop the erroneous dispatches as quickly as possible. This is a good example of collective responsiveness.
How do you build trust?
This involves a number of things: speed of response, availability (whether by phone or e-mail), and above all the fact that no request goes unanswered.
With certain customers, a real relationship has developed over time: Emil Frey, Pub Audit, our partners Dominos, SmartSMS, Groupe Gueudet… These are customers who often interact with me, with the CSMs or the sales team, and who undoubtedly appreciate our responsiveness and above all the fact that we make sure to personalize each assignment.
Are you also in direct contact with the product and IT teams?
Yes. When a customer reports a bug or a shortcoming, the first step is to try to understand and reproduce the problem. Then I qualify it and pass it on to the relevant team. With the experience and technical skills I’ve acquired, I’m often able to provide useful elements for resolution. I also find it important to use this feedback to anticipate certain problems and optimize functionalities.
Has any feedback already influenced changes to the platform?
Almost allđ Without minimizing the work of the various product managers, of course…
The majority of developments on the platform come from specific, recurring requests from certain customers. They are taken seriously, forwarded to the right teams, analyzed, and often integrated into the roadmap.
I think this highlights the customer satisfaction aspect that is the strength of the customer relationship at M Target, and even more so at the support level.
A difficult situation you won't forget?
Covid. From one day to the next, we found ourselves working from home, with no visibility and no real preparation. Thanks to the professionalism of each of us, the synergy of our teams and our determination to continue to work in the interests of the company, we have been able to carry out our duties with complete transparency, without any impact on the quality of the service we provide to our customers.
And what makes you feel that your work has an impact?
I’ve always said that support is like the company’s shop window. We’re the front door for our customers, so we have to deliver impeccable service. At M Target, it’s really teamwork that makes the difference. But as I’m in direct contact with customers on a daily basis, I know that the quality of our support has a real impact on the image they have of the company. We try to be available, clear and efficient at the same time, and I think that helps to create a lasting relationship of trust.
Do you have a message for customers?
Through technical support, we are committed to building a relationship of trust with our customers.
Every request is treated with attention, professionalism and commitment, because your satisfaction is our daily driving force. Technical support is much more than a service! It’s a partner who makes sure that everything works, all the time!
And if you had to sum up your mission in one sentence?
To be there when you need us, so that technology remains an asset, never an obstacle.