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CX Spotlight is a series where we speak to customer experience leaders from across industries who are rethinking support, building customer-first cultures, and finding clarity in the messiness of real-life CX.
Every edition is a quick, candid conversation. No fluff. No jargon. Just real-world insights from people who’ve been there and done that.
In Conversation With Jeremy Watkin
Jeremy Watkin is the Director of Customer Experience and Support at NumberBarn, a tech-enabled telecom company that helps individuals and businesses buy, port, and manage phone numbers.
He oversees customer experience across multiple acquired brands, building a support function that scales without losing its human touch. Over the past few years, he’s unified support across companies like Zendesk and launched a VoC program that boosted CSAT from 89% to 94%.
For Jeremy, support is a craft. From customers showing up at his office with orchids and donuts to feedback loops that turn detractors into promoters, he’s learned that listening and problem-solving are what set great CX apart.
Table of Contents
- In Conversation With Jeremy Watkin
- 💬 What would your support alter ego be called — and what would their superpower be?
- 🎯 How did you find your way into the world of customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?
- 🌸🍩 What’s the weirdest or most unexpected support request you’ve ever handled?
- 👂 What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?
- 🛠 What’s one tool or app you can’t live without at work?
- 🙌 One piece of advice you’d give someone entering the field of customer support?
- 🤖 What’s a use case where AI actually made things better for you or your team?
- 📬 Do you think email is underrated or overrated as a support channel? Why?
- 📚 A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend to other CX pros?
- 🤣 What emoji do you use most with customers?
- 🎣 If you weren’t working in CX, what would you be doing?
💬 What would your support alter ego be called — and what would their superpower be?
I’d be the Lord of Listen. My superpower is keeping an open mind and quickly uncovering the root cause of a customer’s issue. Listening deeply has always been my best tool.
🎯 How did you find your way into the world of customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?
I started out in customer service and worked my way into management. That’s when I discovered the much broader world of customer experience. It was an accident, really, but I quickly fell in love with how CX connects every department in an organization and stretches across industries.
🌸🍩 What’s the weirdest or most unexpected support request you’ve ever handled?
One morning, a customer was waiting outside our office with an orchid, a box of donuts, and $50 in cash, requesting me to resolve his issue. Mind you, customers never visit our office. We sat at a picnic table nearby, I pulled out my laptop, and got his issue resolved. He kept his $50, but we enjoyed the flowers and donuts!
👂 What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?
I love our closed-loop feedback process. At the end of an interaction, customers can complete a survey. If they respond negatively, their ticket is reopened and we follow up with every one of them. Not only does it ensure we fully resolve their issues, but it also highlights recurring friction points. Sometimes, those detractors even turn into promoters.
🛠 What’s one tool or app you can’t live without at work?
Right now, I’d say ChatGPT. It’s become the search engine I’ve always wanted, especially when I need help with formulas or analyzing CX data in spreadsheets.
🙌 One piece of advice you’d give someone entering the field of customer support?
Don’t think of support as just a stepping stone. See it as an opportunity to sharpen your problem-solving skills. The more complex issues you solve, the more doors open — both in CX and across the business.
🤖 What’s a use case where AI actually made things better for you or your team?
AI helps me navigate and analyze data efficiently. Instead of manually going through forums or experimenting with trial and error, I can get instant guidance these days.
📬 Do you think email is underrated or overrated as a support channel? Why?
Email has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s not great for customers who demand real-time help, but nothing beats it when you need to send thorough information or context. I see it as a complement to other channels, not a replacement.
📚 A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend to other CX pros?
Anything by Jeff Toister or Shep Hyken. They consistently produce practical, thoughtful resources on customer service and CX.
🤣 What emoji do you use most with customers?
Definitely 🤣. Support can be tough, but you have to find moments of fun and not take yourself too seriously.
🎣 If you weren’t working in CX, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be standing in a river with my fly rod, trying to get the trout to bite. Fly-fishing is my happy place.
✨ Three Takeaways from Jeremy’s CX Playbook
👉 Close the loop on feedback. Don’t just collect survey responses. Look for negative scores and follow up. It turns frustration into loyalty.
👉 Treat customer service as a skill. The problem-solving you do in support builds leadership, decision-making, and cross-functional influence.
👉 Balance your channels. Email works best for clarity and detail, while real-time channels like live chat handle urgency. Use each where it adds the most value.
Enjoyed Jeremy take on customer experience? Follow him on LinkedIn or check out more stories in the CX Spotlight series.
Are you a CX leader with stories, lessons, or ideas to share? 👉Answer these questions to get featured!
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