After retiring from a career in the temporary staffing industry, Ann Game joined the Town of Clayton in 2006 as the Customer Service Supervisor, expecting a “little fun job.” About a year later, a restructuring led her to become Director of Customer Service. Little job? No. Fun? Sometimes. She’s called it the most rewarding job, the most frustrating, and “the best 20 years.”
Ann is retiring on July 1, and we couldn’t let her go without sharing some of the hard-won wisdom she’s gained by helping countless customers and employees over the years.
What accomplishments in your customer service career are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the staff I’ve had the chance to work with and support. There’s one person in particular. The minute I met her about 13 years ago, I knew she just needed someone to give her a chance. Who she has grown into has been amazing to watch. If you can leave a place better than you found it, that’s the biggest compliment you can have in your career. With this team, I feel like I’ve done that.
I’m also proud of the work we’ve done to better serve our customers, especially our AMI project. We were even able to accomplish it through COVID. It has given customers more transparency into their bills, their usage, and their lifestyles, and it’s given our team so many more tools to use to talk to customers and help them understand their bills. It’s one of the most rewarding projects I’ve been part of.
What challenges have taught you the most about patience and empathy?
Customer service isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s not black and white. There’s a lot of gray in it. It requires understanding, being flexible, and treating every individual, whether they’re a coworker or a customer, with respect and dignity, which is sometimes hard to do. I’ve learned so much more empathy toward people in this position, because everybody’s situation is different. The single moms, people who get paid once a month, retirees, people on Social Security—we have to listen to them and respect what they’re going through. You have to work within policies that are set by your council, but you also have to see the human side of every interaction.
What advice would you give customer service professionals on maintaining work-life balance and prioritizing their well-being?
You have to remember that when a customer is angry at you, they’re not necessarily angry at you personally. They’re angry at their situation, which typically is something they’ve brought on themselves. And you have to not let those negative interactions impact you personally. If you do, you’re going to ruin your family time. I want people to leave it at the door, and my staff does. I don’t want them taking work home with them. They don’t have to. We work hard during the day, and I don’t want them doing that at night.
Beyond that, what other advice would you share?
My first thing would be to find your passion. Do a job that you love, because life is short. And if you don’t, it’s going to pass you by and you’ve missed something. I see so many people who go into careers, because they’re chasing money. You don’t go into this work for the money. You go into this work because you love what you do and you love impacting a person’s life. In customer service, you’re their counselor, their advisor, their sounding board. And you’ve got to be willing to listen. It has to be your passion, or you’re not going to enjoy being in the customer service field. I also think you have to laugh. You have to laugh at yourself. You have to laugh every day, because every interaction isn’t positive. You can’t let that define who you are, or you’re going to be a miserable person.
Share a memorable moment when your efforts made a significant impact on a customer or team member.
My department leads an anonymous holiday project every Christmas, working with our local senior citizens organization to identify people who might need meals, gifts, or just a little extra support. One year about 15 years ago, we made sure a young boy living with his grandmother in low-income housing had Christmas. He later came by with the scooter we got him, and he had no idea it came from us. I still see him around now as an adult, working and doing well. Seeing that full circle—that’s the kind of impact that really stays with you.
What lessons from your customer service experience will be most valuable in your next chapter?
Patience. Because you have to have that in this job, whether it’s patience training a new employee or working with a customer. That’s probably the most valuable thing I’m going to take away from here and the wonderful people I’ve worked with.
There you have it! Ann, thank you for all you’ve done for your customers, your staff, and public power. The example you’ve set will continue to power great service for years to come!
Want more insight? We caught up with Scott Mullis, another long-time public power customer service leader, before he retired from Greenville Utilities Commission on June 1.