Leading a successful customer support function means having a hyper focus on the client along with a pointedly strategic view on operations. It requires creativity, high-level problem solving and listening. After 10-plus years in customer care at Google, I’ve found that leaning on elements of my background has been the scaffolding of a high-performing customer experience team:»»» My favorite MBA professor taught me that management comes down to process and creating repeatable actions. I took this to heart by making talent development processes concrete. I make career conversations happen regularly and formalize training for vendors and teammates alike. »»» My early career included four years developing a new business offering and scaling it to $20M in revenue by leveraging feedback loops from our CFO customers. Mining social media, contact centers and other forms of customer feedback continue to be a specialty, and my team has reduced queries by 5-10% from exposing and resolving root causes of issues. »»» A love for Japan (my bachelor’s degree is in Japanese Studies) evolved into an opportunity to live in Asia, where I’ve been focused on bridging the gap between APAC and the US while supporting the diverse voices of my team and fostering sensitivity of different cultures.Currently, I am Google’s Head of Customer Support for sell-side Ad Tech products in the APAC region, and previously, I held a similar role in the Americas and for Android and social products. I am proud of creating collaborative team environments that produce results like:▬▬ Bolstering CSAT scores by ~20% for ad tech products and Android products. ▬▬ Transforming technical customer service department into a $60M revenue creator with consulting services.▬▬ Reducing customer response time by 50%.▬▬ Integrating customer feedback into product development through data mining.▬▬ Elevating operations and processes such that my teams are 10% more productive.A leadership philosophy that resonates with me is “Leadership isn’t heroic. It’s about processes put in place.” I’ll stick with that. I’m always finding ways to drive operational excellence, engage and listen to clients, and nurture my team.