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"We will do whatever it takes to make sure we are living up to our customers' expectations of the Ashland name."

Ken
Customer support manager
Ashland Distribution
Dublin, Ohio

Day in the Life

There are two things I like best about my job. Number one, we have "donut day" every Wednesday. Secondly, I love being in customer service and facing the different challenges it presents every day. It's fast-paced, no two days are the same, and there is a lot of contact with many different people.

I manage a team of 18 people, and we're responsible for servicing the customers in our East and Midwest regions. I make sure all phone calls are answered professionally, that orders are entered correctly and that all customer needs are met. It's also my responsibility to review staffing needs, go over reports, attend meetings, coach, roll out new processes, troubleshoot and support my team in day-to-day activities.

Although I enjoy working with so many different people, it can present a challenge. There are a lot of different personalities in my group. I try to keep everyone happy, but it is not always easy. Another area of importance is remaining externally focused on the customer. If we can't get that right, there is no chance for success.

A typical day for me begins at about 7:30 a.m. I spend about 10 minutes looking for something to eat, and then start work around 7:40. My day ends about 5:30 p.m. I don't do a lot of traveling, although about every three months I usually attend a sales meeting for a couple of days. In customer service, we touch a lot of different departments - sales, credit, the warehouses and purchasing. Around 11:30 each day, I also interact with the cafeteria department (smile)!

Of all my memories of working at Ashland, the best are of the holiday season. Every year, the company has a Christmas party for kids with games and crafts. My three kids love it, and I look forward to seeing them run around this place, laughing, with cookies stuck all over their faces and drooling all over my desk. It doesn't get any better than that.

What brought me to Ashland? I had always heard it was a great place to work. Once on board, I learned the opportunities for advancement are endless. I also discovered an added bonus - an onsite cafeteria!

Seriously, you have to love interacting with people and working in a fast-paced environment to succeed in this job. Something is always going on; there's never a dull moment. Once you get in the front door, many opportunities will be presented to you if you are willing to put in the time and do the best job that you can.

To be a successful customer support manager, you must have people skills and a strong work ethic. You also need to be responsible and "able" - approachable, accountable, dependable and adaptable to a changing environment.