We talk a lot about sales on Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation. This time, we shift gears and tackle something that may be even more important: customer service.

In this episode, host Bob Tullio sat down with Brian Wolfe, vice president of global customer service at Harman International and the leader behind JBL’s global customer experience operation, to talk about what really separates average service from a true competitive advantage. Together, they dig into three fundamentals every operator should be thinking about right now:

• Empowering your frontline team
• Being proactive instead of reactive
• Responding with speed

Along the way, Bob shares a personal story about a closet remodel gone sideways — because everyday frustrations are often the best business lessons. When sales oversell, when service says “there’s nothing I can do,” when response times drag on — that’s when loyalty is won or lost.

If you’re building a dedicated customer service team, trying to free your salespeople from client maintenance work, or simply looking to reduce churn and protect long-term revenue, this episode delivers practical takeaways you can apply immediately.

Because in our business, customer service isn’t a department. It’s your reputation.