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Customer Service Function

Mission​

The Customer Service function exists to ensure every client interaction strengthens Kyndof's reputation in the entertainment industry. We serve as the frontline relationship managers for K-pop agencies, artists, stylists, and production teams who trust us with their most important performances. Our mission is to turn urgent costume requests into flawless executions while building lasting partnerships in an industry where timing, discretion, and quality are everything.

In the K-pop world, concerts sell out in minutes and costume malfunctions make headlines. We operate with this reality in mind every single day.

Scope​

The Customer Service function owns the complete client experience from first inquiry through post-delivery support:

  • Client Communications: All touchpoints including inquiries, quotes, order confirmations, shipping updates, and post-sale follow-up
  • Issue Resolution: Handling urgent requests, addressing fit or quality concerns, coordinating rush alterations, and managing expectation gaps
  • Relationship Management: Maintaining ongoing relationships with agencies, stylists, and production teams across multiple projects
  • VIP Client Support: White-glove service for high-profile clients requiring discretion and rapid response
  • Emergency Response: 24/7 availability for concert week emergencies when every hour counts
  • Feedback Loop: Capturing client insights and translating them into product and process improvements

We collaborate closely with Sales (who bring in new clients), Operations (who fulfill orders), and Design (who customize solutions). But when a client has a problem or question, Customer Service owns the relationship.

Key Responsibilities​

Client Communication Management​

Customer Service manages all direct client interactions after the initial sale. This includes order confirmations, timeline updates, shipping notifications, and general inquiries. In the entertainment industry, communication speed matters as much as accuracy—clients need to know their costume orders are progressing on schedule, especially when preparing for concerts with fixed dates.

We maintain multiple communication channels tailored to client preferences: email for formal documentation, KakaoTalk for rapid responses with Korean-speaking clients, and phone for urgent situations. Response time targets are strict: under 2 hours during business hours, under 6 hours outside business hours, and immediate response for emergencies during concert weeks.

Issue Resolution and Problem-Solving​

When problems arise—and they always do in custom costume production—Customer Service owns the resolution process. Common scenarios include sizing adjustments needed after initial fittings, timeline acceleration requests when concert dates change, quality concerns that require immediate attention, and rush orders that need same-day coordination with production.

Our approach follows a consistent framework: acknowledge the issue immediately, assess impact on the client's timeline, identify solution options with cost and time tradeoffs, coordinate with Operations or Design as needed, and follow through until the client confirms satisfaction. For urgent issues during concert preparation weeks, we activate our emergency response protocol with 24/7 availability.

VIP Client Experience​

High-profile clients—major K-pop agencies, award show productions, and celebrity stylists—receive elevated service standards. This includes dedicated account contacts who understand their preferences, priority production scheduling when needed, proactive communication with timeline updates before clients need to ask, and discretion about project details that haven't been publicly announced yet.

VIP service doesn't mean saying yes to everything—it means being honest about what's possible, offering creative alternatives when requests fall outside standard capabilities, and never surprising clients with delays or issues. Trust is built through consistent reliability, not overpromising.

Emergency Response Protocol​

Concert weeks are high-stakes periods when costume issues become genuine emergencies. A zipper malfunction 2 hours before a performance or a rushed order for a surprise appearance requires immediate mobilization. Our emergency response protocol includes 24/7 phone availability, pre-arranged backup inventory for common issues, express shipping partnerships for same-day delivery in Seoul, and direct lines to production supervisors who can prioritize emergency work.

We log all emergency responses to identify patterns—if multiple clients need last-minute adjustments for similar reasons, that signals a product or process issue that Design or Operations should address proactively.

Feedback Collection and Analysis​

Every client interaction generates insights. Customer Service systematically captures feedback through post-order surveys, unsolicited comments during conversations, and observed patterns in support requests. This information flows to other functions: recurring quality issues go to Operations, feature requests go to Design, pricing concerns go to Sales, and workflow friction points go to Strategy.

We distinguish between individual complaints (which we resolve case-by-case) and systemic issues (which require cross-functional process changes). The goal isn't just solving today's problem—it's preventing tomorrow's problems from happening in the first place.

Core Processes​

  • Client Onboarding - Setting expectations and communication preferences for new clients
  • Issue Escalation Workflow - When and how to escalate problems that CS cannot resolve independently
  • Emergency Response Protocol - 24/7 procedures for concert week crises
  • VIP Account Management - White-glove service standards for high-profile clients
  • Feedback Analysis Cycle - Translating client insights into actionable improvements

Tools & Systems​

  • Zendesk: Ticket management, response tracking, and client history
  • KakaoTalk Business: Real-time messaging with Korean-speaking clients
  • Notion: Client relationship documentation and internal knowledge base
  • Slack (#cs-urgent): Internal emergency coordination during concert weeks
  • Google Voice: 24/7 phone support with call routing to on-call staff
  • Typeform: Post-order satisfaction surveys and feedback collection

Key Metrics​

Customer Service effectiveness is measured through multiple dimensions that balance speed, quality, and relationship strength:

  • First Response Time (target: \<2 hours during business hours, \<6 hours outside business hours)
  • Issue Resolution Time (target: 80% resolved within 24 hours for non-emergency issues)
  • Emergency Response Time (target: \<15 minutes for concert week emergencies)
  • Client Satisfaction Score (target: 4.5+ out of 5 on post-order surveys)
  • Repeat Client Rate (target: 70%+ of clients return for future projects)
  • Escalation Rate (target: \<15% of issues require escalation beyond CS)
  • Proactive Communication Rate (target: 100% of orders receive timeline updates before clients ask)

We also track leading indicators like volume trends by issue type, which helps predict resource needs and identify systemic problems before they become widespread.

Team Structure​

The Customer Service function is structured to balance always-on availability with deep expertise:

  • CS Lead (RABSIC: Accountable for function strategy and performance) - Sets service standards, manages team development, owns client satisfaction metrics, and serves as escalation point for unresolved issues
  • Client Success Managers (RABSIC: Responsible for VIP account relationships) - Own ongoing relationships with high-profile clients, proactively manage expectations, and coordinate complex multi-order projects
  • Support Specialists (RABSIC: Responsible for day-to-day ticket resolution) - Handle incoming inquiries, resolve standard issues, triage urgent situations, and maintain documentation
  • Emergency On-Call Rotation (RABSIC: Responsible for 24/7 availability during concert seasons) - Rotates among all CS team members to ensure coverage during high-stakes periods

The Operations team provides Support for CS by prioritizing rush orders and quality issues flagged by Client Success. The Design team is Consulted on customization requests that push beyond standard capabilities. The Sales team is Informed about client satisfaction trends that might impact renewal or expansion opportunities.

Working with Customer Service​

When to Contact CS​

If you're in another function and encounter client-facing situations, here's when to engage Customer Service:

  • A client reaches out to you directly with an issue or question (loop in CS immediately)
  • You're working on a process change that will affect client experience (consult CS during planning)
  • You notice a pattern of similar issues across multiple clients (inform CS so they can investigate)
  • You need client feedback on a new product or service concept (ask CS to coordinate research)

What CS Needs from You​

Customer Service can only deliver exceptional experiences when other functions provide critical inputs:

  • From Operations: Realistic production timelines, immediate notification of delays, and prioritization of CS-flagged urgent orders
  • From Design: Clear capability boundaries so CS can set accurate expectations, and quick turnaround on custom design questions
  • From Sales: Complete order details and client context at handoff, including any special promises or considerations
  • From Strategy: Advance notice of policy or pricing changes that will affect existing client relationships

The worst client experiences happen when functions make promises or changes without coordinating through Customer Service first. Always ask: "Should CS know about this?"

Common Misconceptions​

"CS just forwards emails" - In reality, Customer Service makes judgment calls that balance client needs against operational constraints, negotiates solutions to ambiguous problems, and decides when to escalate versus resolve independently. It requires both deep product knowledge and emotional intelligence.

"Anyone can do CS work" - Effective client communication in the entertainment industry requires understanding unspoken urgency cues, navigating high-stakes conversations with diplomacy, and maintaining composure during emergencies. These skills take time and experience to develop.

"CS slows things down" - When CS seems to be adding process overhead, it's usually because they're preventing bigger problems. That "unnecessary" confirmation step prevents costly misunderstandings. That "bureaucratic" escalation process ensures decisions get made by people with appropriate authority.

Career Paths​

Customer Service at Kyndof offers multiple growth directions:

  • Specialist to Lead: Deepen CS expertise by managing team, owning function strategy, and shaping service standards
  • CS to Sales: Leverage client relationship experience to move into consultative sales roles
  • CS to Operations: Use frontline insights about client pain points to improve fulfillment processes
  • CS to Product Management: Apply deep understanding of client needs to shape future product development

Many of Kyndof's most effective leaders started in Customer Service because it provides unfiltered exposure to what clients actually care about versus what we think they care about.

Last Updated: 2026-02-03 Maintained by: Customer Service Function Questions? Ask in #cs-general on Slack