Customer Service Responsibilities
The Customer Service function owns the complete client experience from first inquiry through post-delivery support. Here's how RABSIC accountability distributes across our key responsibility areas.
Client Communication Management
Maintaining responsive, professional touchpoints throughout the customer journey
The CS Lead is Accountable for communication standards, response time targets, and overall client satisfaction. Support Specialists are Responsible for executing daily client communications: responding to inquiries, providing order updates, sending shipping notifications, and handling routine questions.
Client Success Managers are Responsible for VIP account communications, maintaining ongoing relationships with high-profile clients (major agencies, celebrity stylists) who require dedicated attention and faster response times. When a VIP client reaches out, the assigned Client Success Manager responds within 1 hour during business hours versus the standard 2-hour target for general clients.
Operations provides Support by supplying accurate production status updates that CS relays to clients. Sales is Consulted on client expectations set during the sales process so CS can deliver consistently. Marketing is Informed about common client questions that might indicate opportunities for proactive content (FAQs, educational materials).
RABSIC Matrix: Client Communication
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response time standards | CS Lead | CS Lead | Leadership | All CS team |
| VIP communication protocols | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Sales | Operations |
| Standard client inquiries | CS Lead | Support Specialists | - | CS Lead |
| Communication templates | CS Lead | CS Lead | Sales, Marketing | All CS team |
| Multi-channel strategy | CS Lead | CS Lead | Marketing | All CS team |
Issue Resolution and Problem-Solving
Turning client problems into satisfied outcomes
The CS Lead is Accountable for issue resolution effectiveness and escalation protocols. Support Specialists are Responsible for resolving standard issues independently within their authority: minor timeline questions, shipping status inquiries, basic sizing questions, general product information.
Client Success Managers handle Responsible duties for complex issues requiring cross-functional coordination: rush orders needing production acceleration, quality concerns requiring Operations investigation, pricing disputes needing Finance/Sales input, custom requests requiring Design feasibility assessment.
When issues exceed CS authority (refunds over $500, major quality failures, contract disputes), the CS Lead coordinates escalation to Leadership. Operations is Consulted on technical solutions for production issues. Design is Consulted on customization feasibility. Finance is Consulted on pricing adjustments or refund requests.
RABSIC Matrix: Issue Resolution
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard issue resolution | CS Lead | Support Specialists | - | CS Lead (weekly summary) |
| Complex cross-functional issues | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Operations, Design | Leadership |
| Rush order coordination | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Operations, Finance | Sales |
| Refunds under $500 | CS Lead | CS Lead | Finance | Sales |
| Refunds over $500 | CS Lead | CS Lead | CFO, CEO | Finance, Sales |
| Quality issue investigation | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Operations, Design | Leadership |
VIP Client Experience
White-glove service for high-profile relationships
The CS Lead is Accountable for VIP service standards and account assignment decisions. Client Success Managers are Responsible for delivering elevated service to assigned VIP accounts: dedicated points of contact, priority response times (under 1 hour), proactive communication (timeline updates before clients ask), discretion about unreleased projects, and creative problem-solving for unique requests.
VIP clients include major K-pop agencies (SM Entertainment, HYBE, JYP), award show production teams, celebrity stylists with multiple artist clients. These relationships generate repeat business and referrals, justifying higher service investment.
Sales is Consulted on which new clients qualify for VIP treatment based on revenue potential and strategic value. Operations is Consulted on production priority requests from VIP clients to balance capacity constraints. Finance is Consulted on pricing flexibility for VIP accounts to support relationship retention.
RABSIC Matrix: VIP Client Experience
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP account designation | CS Lead | CS Lead | Sales, Leadership | Finance |
| Account assignment | CS Lead | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | - |
| VIP service standards | CS Lead | CS Lead | Leadership | All CS team |
| Priority production requests | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Operations, Sales | Finance |
| Pricing flexibility requests | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Sales, Finance | Leadership |
| Relationship escalation | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Leadership | Sales |
Emergency Response Protocol
24/7 availability for concert week crises
During concert preparation weeks, costume issues become genuine emergencies. The CS Lead is Accountable for emergency response effectiveness and on-call rotation management. All CS team members (Support Specialists and Client Success Managers) participate in Responsible on-call rotation to ensure 24/7 availability.
When emergency calls arrive (zipper malfunction 2 hours before performance, rushed order for surprise appearance), the on-call CS representative assesses urgency, mobilizes appropriate internal resources, and coordinates rapid response. Operations is Consulted immediately on production feasibility and timeline. GA is Consulted on express shipping options for same-day delivery.
Emergency response includes pre-arranged backup inventory for common issues (extra zippers, buttons, fabric swatches for minor repairs), express shipping partnerships for same-day Seoul delivery, and direct lines to production supervisors who can prioritize emergency work over standard production.
RABSIC Matrix: Emergency Response
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency protocols | CS Lead | CS Lead | Operations, GA | All CS team |
| On-call rotation schedule | CS Lead | CS Lead | - | All CS team |
| Emergency assessment | CS Lead | On-call CS rep | Operations | CS Lead |
| Production mobilization | Operations | On-call CS rep | Operations supervisors | CS Lead |
| Express shipping authorization | CS Lead | On-call CS rep | GA, Finance | Sales |
| Emergency escalation | CS Lead | On-call CS rep | Leadership | Operations |
Feedback Collection and Analysis
Translating client insights into improvements
The CS Lead is Accountable for systematic feedback collection and cross-functional distribution. Support Specialists are Responsible for capturing feedback during routine client interactions and logging it in Zendesk. Client Success Managers are Responsible for conducting structured post-order surveys with VIP clients.
Feedback gets categorized: product quality issues, timeline concerns, pricing feedback, communication gaps, feature requests, competitor intelligence. Individual complaints are resolved case-by-case. Systemic patterns trigger cross-functional process improvements.
Operations is Consulted on recurring quality issues that indicate production process problems. Design is Consulted on feature requests that could become standard offerings. Sales is Consulted on pricing concerns that affect competitiveness. Strategy is Consulted on competitor intelligence gathered through client conversations.
RABSIC Matrix: Feedback Collection
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedback collection process | CS Lead | CS Lead | Marketing | All CS team |
| Routine feedback logging | CS Lead | Support Specialists | - | CS Lead |
| VIP client surveys | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Sales | Leadership |
| Feedback analysis | CS Lead | CS Lead | - | All functions |
| Process improvement recommendations | CS Lead | CS Lead | Operations, Design, Sales | Leadership |
| Competitive intelligence sharing | CS Lead | CS Lead | Strategy, Sales | Leadership |
Client Onboarding
Setting expectations and communication preferences for new clients
When Sales hands off new clients after closing deals, CS owns onboarding to ensure smooth transition. The CS Lead is Accountable for onboarding process design and effectiveness. Support Specialists are Responsible for standard client onboarding. Client Success Managers are Responsible for VIP client onboarding with white-glove attention.
Onboarding includes: welcome email introducing CS contact, overview of order process and timeline, communication channels explanation (email, KakaoTalk, phone), expectation-setting on response times, gathering communication preferences (preferred language, contact person, update cadence), and establishing account details in Zendesk.
Sales is Consulted on any special commitments or expectations set during sales process that CS needs to honor. Operations is Consulted on realistic timeline estimates for new client types. Finance is Informed about new account setup for billing coordination.
RABSIC Matrix: Client Onboarding
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onboarding process design | CS Lead | CS Lead | Sales | Operations, Finance |
| Standard client onboarding | CS Lead | Support Specialists | Sales | Finance |
| VIP client onboarding | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Sales | Leadership |
| Expectation setting | CS Lead | CS team | Sales, Operations | - |
| Account setup | CS Lead | Support Specialists | Finance | Sales |
Escalation Management
Knowing when to involve leadership or other functions
The CS Lead is Accountable for escalation protocols that balance empowering CS team to resolve issues independently versus involving appropriate authority for decisions beyond CS scope.
Escalation Triggers:
- Financial: Refunds/discounts over $500 require CS Lead approval; over $2,000 require CFO approval
- Quality: Major quality failures (unwearable costumes, delivery of wrong items) escalate to Operations Director
- Timeline: Impossible deadline requests escalate to Operations for capacity assessment
- Contractual: Disputes about contract terms escalate to Sales and Legal
- Relationship: At-risk VIP accounts escalate to CS Lead and CEO
Support Specialists escalate complex issues to Client Success Managers. Client Success Managers escalate high-stakes issues to CS Lead. CS Lead escalates function-spanning or strategic issues to Leadership.
RABSIC Matrix: Escalation Management
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escalation protocols | CS Lead | CS Lead | Leadership | All CS team |
| Financial escalation (>$500) | CS Lead | Support Specialist → CS Lead | Finance | Sales |
| Financial escalation (>$2K) | CFO | CS Lead → CFO | Finance, Sales | Leadership |
| Quality escalation | Operations Director | Client Success Manager | Operations, CS Lead | Leadership |
| Timeline escalation | Operations Director | Client Success Manager | Operations, CS Lead | Sales |
| Contractual escalation | Sales, Legal | CS Lead | Finance | Leadership |
| VIP account at-risk | CEO | CS Lead | Sales, Operations | Leadership |
Performance Monitoring
Tracking service effectiveness and continuous improvement
The CS Lead is Accountable for monitoring CS performance against targets and driving improvements. Key metrics tracked:
- Response Time: First response under 2 hours during business hours, under 6 hours outside business hours, under 15 minutes for emergencies
- Resolution Time: 80% of non-emergency issues resolved within 24 hours
- Client Satisfaction: 4.5+ out of 5 on post-order surveys
- Repeat Client Rate: 70%+ of clients return for future projects
- Escalation Rate: Less than 15% of issues require escalation beyond CS
Support Specialists are Responsible for logging all interactions in Zendesk with accurate timestamps and resolution notes. Client Success Managers are Responsible for conducting post-order satisfaction surveys and documenting client sentiment.
The CS Lead reviews metrics weekly, identifies trends (volume spikes, recurring issue types, underperforming areas), and implements improvements. Leadership is Consulted on target adjustments or major process changes. All CS team members are Informed about performance trends and improvement initiatives.
RABSIC Matrix: Performance Monitoring
| Decision Type | A (Accountable) | R (Responsible) | C (Consulted) | I (Informed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metrics definition | CS Lead | CS Lead | Leadership | All CS team |
| Data logging accuracy | CS Lead | All CS team | - | CS Lead |
| Post-order surveys | CS Lead | Client Success Managers | Marketing | CS Lead |
| Weekly performance review | CS Lead | CS Lead | - | Leadership |
| Improvement initiatives | CS Lead | CS Lead | Affected functions | All CS team |
Cross-Functional Coordination
Customer Service intersects with almost every function because we represent the client voice internally:
Operations needs CS when:
- Production timelines affect client delivery expectations
- Quality issues arise requiring client communication
- Capacity constraints limit ability to accept rush orders
Sales needs CS when:
- Understanding client satisfaction trends that affect renewal likelihood
- Gathering competitive intelligence from client conversations
- Coordinating handoff of new clients after contract signing
Design needs CS when:
- Clients request customizations requiring feasibility assessment
- Feedback about design preferences could inform future product development
- Technical questions arise about construction or materials
Finance needs CS when:
- Clients dispute invoices or request payment terms adjustments
- Refund requests require financial approval
- Client payment delays need collection coordination
Strategy needs CS when:
- Client feedback reveals market trends or competitor movements
- Service quality issues indicate need for process improvements
- Client needs suggest new product or service opportunities
Related Resources
- CS Processes - Core workflows and procedures
- Issue Escalation Workflow - When and how to escalate
- Emergency Response Protocol - 24/7 procedures for concert week crises
- Customer Service Function Overview - Mission and scope
Last Updated: 2026-02-03 Maintained by: Customer Service Function Questions? Ask in #cs-general on Slack