Intermedia news
Establishing a support-driven culture: an interview with Intermedia’s COO, Jonathan McCormick
For the second year in a row, Intermedia has been recognized by J.D. Power Certified Assisted Technical Support Program for the “exceptional level of support” of more than 110,000 business customers and 6,500 active partners.
As we have scaled in size, our commitment to customer service and delivering a Worry-Free Experience™ has remained steadfast. I wanted to sit down with our COO, Jonathan McCormick to get his take on the win and to see if there were key learnings from his own journey that he attributes to running a successful support organization.
Why do you think Intermedia has been able to secure this support certification from J.D. Power, two years running now?
Support is sometimes an afterthought for organizations, but we’ve built this business by delivering both great products and great customer experiences. Technical support is one of the cornerstones on which our Worry-Free Experience is based. I couldn’t be more proud of Team Intermedia for all of the hard work they continue to put in to keep our customers front and center, and this third-party independent validation from J.D. Power serves as a tremendous acknowledgment of those efforts.
What would be your number one tip for other service-driven organizations?
You need to understand what is happening at the ground level between your technical support engineers and your customers. In my early days, I worked as a level-one engineer for the support desk. Answering customer calls gives you invaluable insight into what’s possible, what isn’t, and how a proposed plan can affect an entire company. Having a meaningful experience in several operational roles is a vital qualification for the COO role, especially at companies where service and support sit at the forefront.
How have you formed a strong team that values customer and partner satisfaction?
The best way to set your team up for success is by picking positive and passionate members that are eager to learn. Are they willing to lead, can they motivate? Watch them interact with peers – are they able to foster a level of natural respect with the people who work with them? When building your team pick people that share a high level of confidence in you and in one another to build a strong foundation of trust. You will only achieve success when everyone wants to do their best, to learn, to grow, and trusts that their team members want the same as well.
Your long-time background in customer service has no doubt helped lead Intermedia to achieve this exciting certification. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to others that may be trying to build a support-centric organization?
By having a presence mindset and know that you can continue to learn new things. There’s always something new you can learn and appreciate, no matter where you are in your career. Have confidence in your team to keep you informed and in check. Immerse yourself in your managers and employees day-to-day roles to better understand their challenges and successes, firsthand. Not every day is going to be a stroll in the park, and sometimes things are outside of your control. What you can impact, however, is the type of culture your support organization has and celebrates.
