Jeannie and Adam discuss the incredible transformation and enhancement of Comcast customer service with Tom Karinshak, Comcast's Executive Vice President of Customer Service.

Comcast customer service and game-changing innovation

When we ask people about their worst customer service experiences, cable and communications providers often top the list. And years ago, Comcast may have been the first company to come to mind.

But this is changing fast! Customers now demand better experiences from all the companies they do business with, so they no longer grin and bear it with cable companies. They’re fed up with the typical experiences, so they’ve taken to social media and other feedback platforms, and Comcast has indeed been listening!

Since Tom Karinshak became Executive Vice President of Customer Service for Comcast Cable, the company has made incredible strides in improving and enhancing not just the customer experience, but the employee experience as well.

“I'm a firm believer that you can’t have a great customer experience without a great employee experience” -Tom Karinshak, Executive VP of Customer Service at Comcast

There are many factors at play behind Comcast’s success in improving the customer experience, but you'd be surprised at how far-reaching their efforts are. In fact, they've changed the game with strategic partnerships, feedback mechanisms, software and apps, and both internal and external communications. What’s more, they’re redefining what omnichannel customer support really means.

“How do we simplify it for the customers? Meet them where they want to be met.” -Tom Karinshak, Executive VP of Customer Service at Comcast

Comcast continues to smash the mold for cable customer experiences, and they’ve already made amazing improvements nobody expected.  We’re lucky to have Tom join us today and discuss some of the ways Comcast has transformed their experience. But it's not just about cable! We uncover many ways any company can get started creating a competitive customer experience in their industry. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• What CX goals did Tom take on first with Comcast, and how did he view those challenges? [3:35]
• Products can be very complex, so how can we go about simplifying the touchpoints connected to them? [6:44]
• How does Comcast communicate to embed CX enhancements, especially across different parts of the organization? [11:10]
• We’ve heard of Net Promoter Score, but how does Comcast focus on the Net Promoter SYSTEM?” [13:40]
• What is it like to roll out CX enhancements in a large company like Comcast? [17:00]
• What is the first step any company can take to start rolling out customer experience enhancements? [24:30]

About our guest

Tom Karinshak serves as Executive Vice President, Customer Service for Comcast Cable. In this role, he and his team work to ensure Comcast is delivering an excellent customer service experience. Tom oversees call center operations including phone, chat and social media agents, in addition to other key touch points and service channels with their customers.

Before joining Comcast in November 2010, Tom served as Managing Director and Customer Experience Director for Barclay’s Bank of Delaware, where he designed and built a top talent customer experience, marketing, and operations organization. Prior to Barclays, Tom was at AOL where he held a variety of senior leadership roles across marketing and operations.

Tom has 20 years of leadership experience with multi-service providers and leading consumer brands. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army for six years as a Combat Engineer Captain. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Customer Service & CX Leaders Make the Best Magic TOGETHER
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 301: Will Experience Be Your Difference This Year?
• Episode 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

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