How did you hear about the Arise® Platform?
I did a lot of research online about working from home and came across the Arise® Platform. I initially started in 2019 and was going to service one of the cruise lines, but then the pandemic hit, and I ended up never doing it.
But I had done a great deal of traveling, and took several cruises, and one of the cruises was amazing—the ship, the people, the staff—everything—and was like: “Oh my gosh, that’s what I want to do.”
So, I started servicing that cruise line client on the Arise® Platform, and I’ve been doing it for close to two years now—and I love it.
What do you like most about the client you service?
I swear by it, both the Arise® Platform and the client, and I think it’s easier to sell something that you believe in.
I love the different packages that they have—like status match. Where they take your status with another cruise and match it.
I tell every customer I talk to: this is the only cruise that does that. No other cruise line does a status match.
Guests can get things like priority boarding, a box of chocolates and champagne in their room, and they treat the guests like they’ve been with them forever.
What is it about the conversations you have with people over the phone that you really enjoy?
When I first started, it was difficult.
But I learned over the years that you just have to calm people down. If they know you’re going to listen to them and fix things, they calm down.
People don’t go on a cruise vacation like this all the time—It is a once in a lifetime thing for most. And this cruise client has made the pricing so affordable in the U.S. that it is easy to sell, and their presence is growing.
The Arise® Platform has all the materials you need to help you provide service, and if any customers have questions, there is an answer.
How would you describe a typical experience for someone servicing this program?
I have never had an opportunity like this where I get to wake up and start working with a smile on my face.
I love cruising, and I can talk to anyone. I’m just that kind of person. I’ll talk to a complete stranger [laughs].
When I service the client, I do bookings, address the financial concerns, and address any other problems. I’ve been servicing this cruise client long enough that I know where to look for answers and I know what to say.
I never use the hold button either. I don’t due to customers what I wouldn’t want done to me. I also like to pay close attention to how long I am on the telephone.
If you love the client, providing customer service is not hard. I just love the Arise® Platform, I love the client, and I love what I do—I also love the people I service with.
Tell us about a time when you have had a positive impact on someone by providing customer service.
There are many times.
There was this one couple—an older couple—I even remember their names. This couple had a booking that they cancelled, but for some reason never got the insurance money back.
While I was waiting for something to be done in booking, I was doing the best I could with them saying, “I am going to be right here with you. Just please be patient with me.”
Sometimes you just have to set some things aside and be human. Share things with them.
And you know, I don’t know all the chain of events or what happened but eventually she got her money back, and she called into this client again trying to get a hold of me—I think she was just calling in and hanging up until she got me on the phone.
She said, “I just wanted to tell you: “my husband and I are going on a cruise, and we would love to meet you.”
So, I said, “well, I would love to go in November. However, I have no idea what’s going on in November,” so I just left it at that. And I go on cruises enough [laughs].
On another call, a different man called in and he needed a handicap room and two scooters. He was so nice, and I actually told him, “I am going to be on that cruise, and I hope I get to meet you.”
I found out later that he asked everyone on that ship: “Do you know someone named Cindi?”
He and his wife tracked me down on the ship, and the staff on the ship was amazing. One of them said, “you’re the girl this guy is asking about!”
I’m like, “Who?”
They’re like, “Him, he’s on the scooter.”
And then I said, “Oh, is his name Melvin? Oh my gosh!”
It’s funny! You just make connections when people call in and when you get the same person for the second time or third time, they want you to keep helping them.
Sometimes people want to know who they can contact to let them know how great you are. I say to them, “I don’t know, but just you telling me is enough.”
I don’t need to hear it. I appreciate them telling me though—because I love what I do.
Do you have any advice for those who are new to the Arise® Platform and/or the program you service?
Listen to the customer. Don’t just turn the call over. Nine times out of ten, you can help the person without putting them on hold.
Is there anything else you would like others to know about the platform?
Since I have been using the Arise® Platform, Arise has made so many changes and has added so many clients that there really is something for everybody.
You just need to be patient, find your own niche, and rely on your resources. It’s all there.
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