The Evolution of Digital Customer Care With Abbott

"I think the digital care team was clearly one of our most valued assets … (knowing we always had a consistent) ability to stay connected through the social and messaging channels."

– Karen Gillis, Director of U.S. Customer Service at Abbott’s Diabetes Care business

Welcome to OnBrand! In this episode, join host Sarah Grace McCandless as she speaks with Karen Gillis, Director of U.S. Customer Service at Abbott’s Diabetes Care business. Through their in-depth conversation, you’ll learn more about evolving customer care in the digital space, why it’s critical to collaborate across marketing, sales, and service to create a more customer-centric culture, how listening can inform interactions to feel like a one-on-one connection, and much more!

No two customers are alike. Each comes with their own story and expectations. That’s why creating digital customer experiences (CX) that feel tailored to the needs of a diverse customer base can seem daunting. Where should companies even begin?

According to Karen, anywhere, as long as they get started and stay motivated. As a CX leader in a regulated industry with teams responsible for solving problems for both consumers and providers, Karen understands better than most that even the longest and most complicated journeys begin with a single step.

"I would say that the hardest part is really just getting started,” Karen explains. “Once you get started and you can kind of convince your team that they can do it, you build the capabilities slowly. We learned as we went — the hardest part was getting started. And just taking the risk — taking the leap of ‘we can do this in a regulated industry’ … that was a very important leap.”

Listening to customers is also key to successful digital CX and the overall business. As Karen notes, “There are little mini stories and a lot of feedback coming into the customer service center that can be really utilized as you develop new innovations or new services to support that customer (experience).”

Karen began her career in a clinical laboratory setting as a Medical Technologist in microbiology. Eventually gravitating toward point-of-care and near-bedside glucose testing, she’s utilized her wealth of practical, medical, and CX knowledge on the forefront of diabetes care ever since.

Join us and discover how successfully prioritizing, building, and executing digital customer care can revolutionize the way brands form connections!

Episode Resources

Abbott

Abbott Diabetes Care (Twitter)