Our ‘Meet the Team’ series continues with a chat with Stuart from our Customer Service team. These in-depth profiles are intended to shine a spotlight on the individuals that make up OneSearch; for over 30 years, we’ve held the belief that the key to exceptional service lies in the people behind our brand.
What would you do if you had to travel around the world on a limited budget, without flights or phones?
That’s the premise of BBC One’s hit TV show Race Across the World. Using any means of transport except air travel, teams of two trek and work their way across an area of the globe in a race to be the first to reach the final destination.
If you’ve ever watched the programme, you might have wondered, could I manage that? How would I cope?
Stuart Chestnut, one of OneSearch’s fantastic Customer Service Advisors, knows exactly what he’d do. He’d take the same two travel guides that he used when he and partner Kelly went backpacking for two months around Europe in 2001.
“We didn’t do the trains because there were limited places, so we done it by bus,” Stuart told us when we sat down to find out more about the man who was recently nominated for a commendation in Landmark’s Remarkable People ‘Success’ programme. And who, with his love of history, is making light work of reading an 1,300-page tome (William L. Shirer’s acclaimed history of Nazi Germany, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich).
“We had no phones at the time. No smartphones. But I had two big Lonely Planet books, one for Western Europe and one for Eastern Europe. It was literally just a case of looking through this Bible paper that’s in it, because they have to cram all that information in there. In the TV show you’ll see young people who don’t know how to read maps and stuff like that. It’s funny, but I’ve done it all from those two books.”
Whether or not he would make it fastest to the final destination, Stuart relishes a challenge. It’s one of the reasons he loves his job.
Spinning straw into gold
Stuart has worked in customer service for many years, doing many different things. But upon joining OneSearch it was the first time he’d worked in the property or legal sectors.
“I like the challenge of finding out new stuff. I like dissecting information and learning all about it. I didn’t see it as a mountain that must be climbed. I embraced it and I knew I had support as well.”
With so many people involved in a property transaction, does that bring extra challenges?
“You might have, for example, a solicitor calling you saying ‘the transaction is going to fall through unless we complete tomorrow. Can you do something?’ Then you’re basically trying to work miracles by phoning the council, phoning the agents, going through all the departments, and then going back. And those are the ones where you’ve spun straw into gold, basically. You’ve just pulled something out there.”
Those are the types of calls that give you a sense of fulfilment.
“If it’s something that’s really tricky and you’ve looked right into it, you always get appreciation.”
A happy team sticks together
While Stuart has always thrived on being thrown a curveball, it helps being surrounded by a knowledgeable and supportive team.
“It’s certainly easier being in an environment where you’ve got a lot of support and a lot of experience from other staff members. Because there’s so many people in there that have got 20+ years’ experience working for OneSearch, so there’s always somebody that has the answer.”
That’s something that struck Stuart on joining OneSearch: how long many people have been working there. Undoubtedly, it was a good sign.
“We have great support within the team. Sharon [Greer] and Carol [Dodd] have been there for ages. I think they’ve got 40 years’ service between them. They’ve seen it all. We know that there are people that have been there that long and they’ve liked it that long. You can definitely see they’re happy.”
Something else Stuart noticed about OneSearch was an openness to new ideas.
Open to change
Early on in his career, Stuart spent a year in the Army, before injury meant he had to be medically discharged. He initially found the transition to working for a large corporation hard – particularly one that was renowned for being slow and antiquated.
“They were stuck in their own way of doing things. Even if you suggested something, they wouldn’t pay attention to it.”
Not so at OneSearch.
“They’re open to changes and they want to know what’s going on. They’ll have people surveys. We’ve just done a big one and then we did a follow-up as well, and they’ll go through it all. Even our parent company, they’re very approachable, all the way up as well. But OneSearch is like my wee family.”
Friends & family
Stuart joined OneSearch in May 2020, right in the middle of the first national lockdown. While it wasn’t until around a couple of years later that people started going back into the office more regularly, he found everyone to be welcoming.
“The team is brilliant. Everyone in customer service is fantastic. It’s just a wee small group but we have good banter and they treat us well. But the company as a whole is just fantastic.”
What does Stuart enjoy most about working for OneSearch?
“The people that are in there. I see them as friends, so you’re happy to go there and see them. It’s not like this kind of standoffish chat. You just have banter and we all have a laugh.”
There’s a family feel. Quite literally.
“There are families in there. There are a lot of sisters and mothers and daughters. It’s very family oriented.”
Stuart speaks from experience. When he joined OneSearch, he was following in the footsteps of his own sister, who had started just three months or so before him.
The importance of that supportive, family atmosphere was brought home when Kelly, his partner of 20 years, sadly passed away. “My work was very understanding, but it was tough as she was a massive part of my life.”
The reality of open-door policies
Stuart talks a little about his career journey. He was in banking for around 4 years and telecommunications for 5 or 6 years. What was it like working for those organisations?
“You kind of get used to corporate structures and they always say, ‘my office door is always open’. But there’s always a block. There’s never free-flowing conversation and ideas and getting to know each other. That doesn’t exist.”
At least, Stuart didn’t think it existed. That was until he joined OneSearch.
“I mean I just turn right to my side and the Operations Manager is there, and then the office for the directors is right beside and you would think, ‘ooh, a director’, but that’s Liz and she’s so down to earth. Liz will come out of her office and sit beside you, and then just gab about stuff for about an hour. She’s dead approachable and that flows the whole way down the organisation.”
Stuart is talking about Liz Jarvis. As well as being OneSearch’s Managing Director, she’s also the Divisional Director of Legal and Search at Landmark Information Group.
“She’s a busy lady but she still makes time, and she’s very approachable and personable. When we have the office Christmas party, or any kind of party, she’ll do bingo and dress up. She’s like the bingo caller. Aye, she’s funny.”
Liz may do the bingo calling, but if anyone should be in charge of the music at a OneSearch office party, surely that has to be Stuart.
Music man
An avid BBC Radio 6 Music listener, Stuart has a degree in sound engineering from the School of Audio Engineering. He retains a keen interest in producing music. An interest that OneSearch has been supporting him to develop.
Every year OneSearch gives its employees £300 to invest in a hobby, interest or new experience. Stuart uses his for an annual subscription to Puremix, where he gets the opportunity to learn from Grammy-award-winning mentors such as Fab Dupont, Andrew Scheps, and Mick Guzauski. It also gives Stuart an outlet for his competitive nature, as he can compete in mixing contests with other producers and engineers in the community.
“It’s amazing what you can learn, so I’m grateful to OneSearch for that. And it’s good they give you that, and you can pretty much spend it on anything – from spa days, gym memberships and dance classes to gigs, travel and learning something new.”
Stuart’s 6 tips for customer service success
When we spoke with Stuart, we were in the middle of National Customer Service Week. So, what advice would Stuart give someone who’s just starting out in a career in customer service?
- Beware of making assumptions
“Don’t guess at anything. Don’t assume things, because it’ll come back and bite you.”
- Listen carefully
“Listen to exactly what they say, because they could say something really quickly and it could be the part of the conversation that unlocks everything.”
- Keep your notes to the point
“Take notes but try to be as concise as possible when you’re taking down instructions.”
- Ask questions
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially if you don’t understand. Ask the customer questions so you understand what they’re saying. By repeating it back to them and asking further questions, it builds confidence between you and the person you’re speaking to, because they want to know they’re understood.”
- Admit your mistakes
“If you make a mistake, don’t try to cover it up. Just admit it, move on and learn.”
- Keep an email folder of nice comments
“If something’s really tricky and you’ve looked into it, you’ll get appreciation. I keep a wee folder with all that stuff in it. If you ever have a bad day, you can go and have a look. It makes you feel better.”
Modest though he is, on speaking with Stuart and seeing how much he thrives on dealing with a curveball, we get the sneaky feeling that his own folder of compliments – if not quite an 1,300-page tome – would be enough to keep him reading for a wee short while.
To learn more about starting your journey with OneSearch, visit our registration page.
The fifth and final day of 2024’s National Customer Service Week is here, and we wrap up the week with our second ‘Meet the Team’ profile, and what better department to focus on than our very own OneSearch Customer Service team. With Friday’s #NCSW theme being ‘customer service recognition day’, we shine a spotlight on June, one of the key team members in a department renown for service excellence, problem-solving and industry understanding.
June Stewart is a remarkable person.
Officially.
Described by colleagues as “very relaxed and calm” and as someone “always available to help both staff and clients with all customer service queries”, she recently received – for the second time in five months – a commendation through Landmark’s Remarkable People ‘Success‘ programme.
That relaxed and helpful nature shone through when we recently sat down with June to chat about all things customer service. And to find out more about the person who once walked 96 miles in four days along the West Highland Way, and who used to share her home with two dogs, two guinea pigs, a cat, a rabbit, a cockatiel, and six tarantulas.
But what her colleagues may not realise is just how much of an impression June has made on some of her clients.
Will you marry me?
“I’d one client who proposed to me. Told me he wanted to marry me”, June shared with us, before adding with a chuckle, “he also said his girlfriend might be a bit upset!” It’s a good example of the light-hearted interactions June and her colleagues in customer service have with clients. “That’s the sort of wee bit of banter you have with clients because you’ve helped them and made their day.”
It’s one of the reasons why, working in customer service, June never gets the Monday morning blues.
Like a family
June has been in customer service for over 40 years. From managing a newsagents and managing a restaurant to working in a British Gas call centre, she’s always loved interacting with the general public.
“It’s in my nature. I just want to help. I want to give people the service that I would expect, because it’s frustrating when you get someone that doesn’t want to help you.”
Before joining OneSearch, June was a technical adviser for a heating product. After 14 years, it was a tough job to leave. “We were all like a wee family. We knew everything about everybody. Everybody knew everybody’s name.”
So when June was unfortunately made redundant, she was concerned she would never find a bond like that again.
She needn’t have worried.
A smile says it all
“I was totally surprised. From the minute I walked in the door I felt part of the team. And there was nobody that you couldn’t turn to, whether it be work or personal. Everybody’s great and most of the managers have such long service. It’s unbelievable. 20, 25, 30+ years’ service. So when you’ve got something like that, you know there’s something good.”
June tells us that the people OneSearch employs all seem to have similar personality traits. What is it they have in common? How can you recognise a OneSearch person?
Their smile.
“They’re always going to smile and say hello”, June says. “Walking from one end of the office to the other, you can have about five different conversations just going there. And then the same again coming back. Everybody’s just so happy to talk.”
Everyone is approachable. That includes the managers. They’ll drop what they’re doing, if you need help.
Managers such as June’s own manager, Carol Dodd, and her deputy, Sharon Greer. “I wouldn’t be as knowledgeable if it weren’t for these two ladies mentoring me and sharing their knowledge,” June told us. “Although Carol does need to appreciate the harmony of Sharon and myself when we are having a little singsong in the office!”
It’s not just the managers.
“I’ve got directors making me cups of tea and buying me breakfast. I mean, where on earth and what other company would you ever get directors speaking to you, let alone bringing you cups of tea?!”
And the million-dollar question: do they make a good cup of tea?
“Definitely. Carol Gildea [OneSearch’s Director of Operations] makes the best cup of tea ever. She knows I like my tea so milky, and she knows exactly how to do it perfectly.”
Making someone’s day
Does having such a close-knit, happy team make a difference to the service OneSearch provides its customers?
“Definitely. If you feel good, that’s going to come across in your calls to clients.”
What also helps, says June, is that OneSearch’s customer service team talks to its clients on a personal level.
“For some of them, we know how many dogs they’ve got, what their family are up to, when their son’s getting christened. There are so many things that we incorporate in our calls with clients that makes it more personal for them.”
Making that personal connection is something that June feels gets overlooked too often in the world of customer service – whether you’re answering phone calls or speaking with members of the public face to face.
“You might be their only point of contact for that day. Saying hello to them, or just having that wee bit of eye contact and making them feel you’re actually paying attention to them, could make such a difference to their day.”
And June believes that people who don’t give their full attention to a customer are missing out. “Just by making that wee bit of effort you actually enjoy what you’re doing.”
Not that enjoying her job is ever an issue for June. As someone who’s naturally curious and inquisitive, her job satisfaction at OneSearch is sky high.
The satisfaction of sleuthing solutions
June joined OneSearch at the outset of the pandemic, shortly before the first national lockdown. There was a lot of information she needed to learn.
“You can’t get things wrong in this job. It’s vital you get things correct, and I’m quite a stickler for that. I hate being wrong and I hate not knowing an answer.”
As much as she hates not knowing the answer to something, she’s in her element finding out and helping resolve a query for a client. What does she put that down to?
“I’m just a nosy beggar. I like getting to the bottom of things.”
Fascinated by Egyptian history and a keen follower of shows such as How It’s Made, June has always been interested in how things work and why. But there’s one mystery she’s not been able to get to the bottom of:
How an aeroplane flies.
“That just baffles me. I’ve tried so many times to get to the bottom of aviation, but I just don’t understand how this massive thing that weighs so much with all these hundreds of people can still stay up there.”
How to succeed in customer service
It’s National Customer Service Week when we speak. With June’s extensive experience, who better to ask for her thoughts on how to make a success of a career in customer service?
What advice would she give to someone just starting out?
1. Be honest
“Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know the answer. You need to be honest and say, look, I’m sorry I don’t know the answer. I will go and find out for you.”
2. Take ownership
“Always be prepared to take ownership of something. Never leave a job half done. Don’t just assume that someone else is going to pick it up. Take ownership of your own queries and the clients you’re dealing with.”
3. Be positive
“Always try to look at the glass as being half full, never half empty. With customer service, you do need that positivity. If you’re not positive in yourself or portray positivity, how are you going to pass that on to someone else?”
4. Don’t be afraid to admit your mistakes
“No one is 100% perfect.”
5. Make your customers feel valued
“Thank them and let them know that you appreciate what they’ve done to help you. Also, find out their name and use it throughout the call. It makes them feel more valued.”
6. Pay attention to how they sound
“Listen to them and how they sound on the phone. Are they stressed? Do they sound as if they’re having a bad day? Is there anything you can do? Because they’re going to remember that you’ve made them feel better.”
7. Treat them as an individual, not just someone that’s phoning
“The next time they phone, if you remember speaking to them, if you remember their name, it’s going to make them feel so much better.”
Finding joy at work
Perhaps, though, the most valuable piece of wisdom that June shares is something with a wider application than customer service.
“Just try to make the best of your day. You might not have an option as to whether you’re there or not, but make the best of it. The day will always come to an end eventually. What you do and how you make yourself feel in between that time makes such a difference.”
And remember, if you do have a problem, there’s always someone like June who will be there for you.
“If you want to have a chat or a wee blether, pick up the phone. I’m here. I’m happy to talk to anybody, at any time. No bother. If you’ve got a problem and I can’t fix it, I’ll find someone that can.”
To learn more about starting your journey with OneSearch, visit our registration page.
To learn more about National Customer Service Week, visit the Institute of Customer Service website.
As we kick off this year’s National Customer Service Week, we’re excited to introduce our new blog series, ‘Meet the Team’. At OneSearch, we believe that the key to exceptional service lies in the people behind our brand. In this series, we’ll delve into the stories and insights of our dedicated team members, showcasing the people that make us who we are – from Account Managers to Customer Service, Data experts to Road Agents, you’ll discover the individuals who make a difference every day.
John Margett, OneSearch’s Client Relationship Manager, has some of the liveliest recommendations you’re ever likely to read on LinkedIn. He also has something you wouldn’t expect. A degree from a city he’s never been to.
Intrigued, we recently sat down with John to find out a little more about the man who one former colleague describes as “a gentleman of the phone and a dog with a bone.” In a fascinating chat, John talked us through his upbringing, shared his philosophy for building relationships and described his dream day, à la Off Menu podcast. But first…
Do you remember the 2017 Oscars?
The one where Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway opened the wrong envelope and for two minutes and 23 seconds La La Land beat Moonlight to the gong for Best Picture.
Most of the world wondered how on earth something like that could go wrong. Not John. Because when you’ve been involved in awards ceremonies, you know just how real the risk of an “Envelopegate” can be.
Before joining OneSearch, John was a project manager for Charlton Grant, the producer of Modern Law Magazine. He would help organise events such as the Modern Law Conveyancing Awards.
On the night of the awards ceremony, it was John’s role to hand out the ‘Highly Commended’ certificates while the award winners were taking the stage. His timing had to be spot on. He had to make sure the right company received the right certificate before the next award was announced. Not easy to do when guests have altered the seating plan or taken themselves off to the bar.
“You saw the table plan in front of you,” John recalls, “but quite a few had taken off the little table number on the stand. And the first one I went to, the company weren’t there. So I had to dash back to put the certificate back and get the next one ready to go.”
Running back and forth, those Monday night 7-a-side football sessions proved their worth.
Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred
John grew up in Thirsk, wanting to be the next Bryan Robson. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite blessed with the talent.” Both his parents were teachers and, for four years, his father taught him English. What was that like? Did he see his dad differently at school?
“He was just his natural self. I just had to remember to call him ‘Sir’ rather than ‘Dad’. But he did have to ask me first if I would be okay with him teaching me.”
John now lives in Stone, in Staffordshire. When he goes back to Thirsk, he realises how lucky he was growing up where he did, with the family he had and the people he knew. “Looking back now, one thing which made me so happy was the friendships I made during that time.”
It was a carefree childhood. But you get the feeling John would have made friends wherever he was. It’s something he excels at.
Making friends for a living
John has been with OneSearch for 7 and a half years. What he loves is getting out and about and seeing clients face to face. Getting to know their needs as a company, but also getting to know them as people.
“Microsoft Teams is great, especially for people who are a long way off. But when you’ve got that time on a face-to-face appointment, you get to know them much, much better. You see the body language more easily. You really get to know what their needs are.”
With a degree in Communication Processes (graduating from what is now the University of Lincoln but was then the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside – based in Hull, not Lincoln) and a 27-year career in account management and business development under his belt, what would John say is the secret to building relationships?
Simply put, it’s about being nice to people.
“If you’re nice to somebody, if you listen to them and you’re interested in them, the chances are they’ll be nice to you and interested in you. That’s when a two-way conversation gets going and that’s how you build a relationship.”
How did John become a people person?
Anyone who has had the pleasure of speaking with John will know how personable he is. How effortlessly he builds rapport. But as an adolescent, he was relatively shy. So how did his confidence grow?
By doing things out of his comfort zone:
- Going on school language exchanges. A French exchange in Calais when he was 13 and a German exchange in Eislingen, near Stuttgart, the following year. The first of many such trips and the start of lifelong friendships.
- Trying out for the school play – playing parts such as Benjamin in Animal Farm and Les, the lollipop man, in Willy Russell’s Our Day Out, among others.
- Taking all sorts of one-day courses. For instance, he would join up with an orchestra for a day’s rehearsal and then play the violin in a concert at Ripon Cathedral the same evening.
John also has fond memories of his time at university. The friends for life he met. Joining the drama society and playing in the orchestra at neighbouring Hull University – not to mention the three summers he spent working as a music teacher and counsellor at a boys’ summer camp in Maryland, USA.
But what really stands out is when John did some work experience at the Tourist Information Centre in Northallerton. He was 15. All the other volunteers were retired. When the Head of the Centre reported back to John’s school, he commended him for his ability to raise and hold conversations with anybody of any age.
It’s an ability that has stood John in good stead ever since.
Like father, like daughter
John has his parents to thank for encouraging him to try new things. “Sadly, we lost Mum four years ago. I miss her terribly and will be forever blessed with the many fond memories I have of her. Dad continues to be an inspiration. I’m so grateful to them both for everything.”
A father to a teenager himself, now John’s the one doing the encouraging. 13-year-old daughter Isla is just back from her first school trip to France. She has taken to the stage. And, like her dad, she enjoys playing the piano, although her repertoire is more Taylor Swift than Clementi or Beethoven.
One thing father and daughter do have in common, though, is they both like the atmosphere at Manchester United Women’s matches..
John has a love of women’s sport in general. He traces his interest back to a particular tournament: the Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2015. The BBC was showing it on TV.
“I just had this epiphany moment. I lived in Wimbledon for a while and loved going to the Wimbledon Championships to watch men’s and women’s tennis equally. I’m a big fan of both men’s and women’s tennis. Why wasn’t I doing that with football? So I watched the 2015 World Cup and the Lionesses did really well. They were very unlucky not to get through to the final.”
Since then, John has loved seeing how much women’s sport has grown. He follows it just as much as men’s sport and has been to watch the Lionesses, Manchester United Women, and England women’s rugby team, the Red Roses. “I’m really happy to see the trajectory that women’s sport is taking now.”
And finally…
If you could design a dream day, what would it look like?
Morning
John’s dream day starts with an early morning walk around Lake Windermere with partner Laura, daughter Isla and Tibetan Terrier Wilson. Then it’s back home to Stone for a full English with poached eggs and – must of all musts – black pudding.
After breakfast, they’re back in the car listening to ‘This is the One’ by the Stone Roses. Some of the passengers even appreciate John’s singing.
They pop by Thirsk to visit John’s dad, sister and brother-in-law at what has been the family home since John was two. After a proper coffee, there’s just time for a quick walk up Sutton Bank before they’re off to Manchester.
Afternoon
First stop, Lou Macari’s for fish and chips. “It evokes memories of when I used to go to games with my dad when I was younger and it’s still a really good chippy.”
Second stop, Old Trafford to watch Manchester United – the women’s or men’s team, John doesn’t mind – beat Liverpool.
In this dream day, travel isn’t an issue. So, within minutes of leaving the ground, John and his family are sunbathing on a beach in Menorca. They stay in Menorca for dinner, which is a paella and a glass (call it two) of Sauvignon Blanc by the harbour in Ciutadella.
Evening
Time’s also not an issue. Suddenly it’s New Year’s Eve and we’re off to the Golden Hall at Vienna’s famous Musikverein for a celebration of music from the Strauss dynasty. Think Last Night of the Proms without the Union flags and all the bobbing up and down.
Then it’s back home to Stone where John’s dream day ends like a good Saturday should: meeting up with friends for a couple of pints of real ale at the Crown Wharf pub. A jam-packed day!
But John still hasn’t been to Lincoln. Perhaps if the Lionesses were to play a game there one day…
Looking for accurate data and reliable property searches? Connect with a OneSearch Business Development Manager in your area to get started with OneSearch today – visit our registration page.
To learn more about National Customer Service Week, visit the Institute of Customer Service website.