The customer relations department behind the scenes!

Tucked away in a quiet area of the 42nd Street offices is the ever-so-important Customer Relations Department.  Head by Suzie Wall, a 13-year veteran at MSLO, she and her team work hard answering every single question and piece of correspondence that comes their way.  They maintain an extensive resource library and have access to very comprehensive databases, which cover all the different departments at MSLO.  They keep track of every letter received and certainly know the importance of a happy customer.

This is the entire Customer Relations Department – Kristen Wendling, Kim Dumer, Suzie Wall, and Courtney Kern.

Just a piece of their resource library, including every back-issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Courtney answers an amusing customer email.

 

Kristen is busy researching a database for a customer’s question.

This is a very interesting chart that Suzie prepared for a recent presentation.  It shows how many inquiries have been received throughout the years and by what means.  Look how many emails came this year compared to previous years!  And stamped letters and phone calls have certainly dropped.  Suzie tells me that I have influenced many people to become computer savvy, who probably never would have.

Recent Behind The Scenes

Behind the scenes in the Everyday Food test kitchen

Posted Jul 29, 2008

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Welcome to our 42nd street office

Posted Jul 27, 2008

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A fun trip to the DMV

Posted Jul 18, 2008

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Behind the scenes at the "Today" show this morning

Posted Jul 9, 2008

Comments

[MMC in San Diego]

Another interesting behind-the-scenes peak! MSLO is clearly a far more complex operation than first meets the eye.

Thanks for sharing.

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, The ladies in your Public Relations Department certainly have a big job to attend to and yet they all seem very happy and comfortable doing what they do. Once again your workers are to be commended for the fantastic job they all perform. Without all of these extremely capable people, your company wouldn't be what it is today. Kudos to all behind the scenes and else where! Thanks so much for sharing. Jan

[Isle Dance]

I still remember your very first computer demo, way back when, on your 1/2 hour TV show. :o)

[Nan Ashby]

Kristen, forgive me for the many emails I have sent your way. I so enjoy knowing you are there. Suzie, you and your team are certainly deserving of much praise and respect. Thank all of you for jobs that you do for us. Nan

[Maureen]

I find this very interesting. Would love to browse through all the back issues in your resource library!!

[Rhea]

I love seeing the folks who work for your company. Keep these posts coming!

[Kelley Y.]

Hi Martha,

Your customer relations department is great! They helped me find a bunch of stuff in past magazines for my wedding. They were very nice and always replied quickly! Kelley

[Margie]

"Tucked away" poor things, they should have a large window. A customer relations department should be allowed to see day light.
I am sure they are very focused on their job and do it well.

[Trish]

Hi Martha,

I sent many emails when you had your previous show but I didn't always ask a question. When I did, I always got a nice answer. I liked to tease the girls once in awhile too! When I won one of your autographed books in a contest years ago, one said it was nice to hear from someone who 'one'. I replied, "Now I know Martha doesn't answer these emails. She would never say 'one' instead of 'won'! Another time they told me they get over 40,000 emails a week so I said, "Well, I know I sent 39,000; who wrote the other one?"

You have a great staff Martha. Thanks for providing some faces to all the "ghost" replies I've received over the years. Trish

[Paula M. :)]

Martha and Customer Service Staff,
Thanks for all the great help in research over the years. I've saved every recipe online for over 10 years! That's a huge database! I bet I can answer some of those e-mails!
Thanks for all your great work and keep it up!
Paula

[Jasmine]

With almost 1.5 million emails, it looks like you may need to increase your staff in the Customer Relations Department!

[Cindy Bricker]

I got to experience first-hand just recently how efficient Customer Relations is! I had submitted back in May a book for Martha to autograph. MSL received it on a Thursday, and I received it autographed on the following Monday! (I had prepaid the shipping fees, just live south in Maryland [and pleasepleaseplease tell me she DID actually sign it, and not a "ghost-signer"!]). I followed up with an acknowledgement email, thanking them for such expeditious service (and I meant it!) They do a tremendous job day in and day out!

Dare I say thatttt...Customer Relations will be receiving a card from me (maybe today) (just your everyday-type-of-mail greeting card) addressed to Martha, as her birthday is this Sunday, August 3rd!

Warmest birthday wishes, Martha!

=^..^=

[Debbie Norton]

The saying goes,"Your as good as the people you have working for you". It's obvious your staff is happy and well qualified to do their jobs. How lucky for you and for them.

[Julie W.]

Happy (upcoming) Birthday to you Martha! Do show us some of what you will have done to celebrate?

"Quiet" must be a term relative to the rest of the offices there, and busy they must be! Sure, many calls and emails must be routine questions for other departments, but how can all those requests even be routed, let alone those researched and answered, by several people? Marvelous!

[Nanette]

I had a great customer service experience with MSL years ago. I wrote to tell them that the online recipe page to go with one of your cooking DVDs had a different recipe than the Rick Bayless gazpacho recipe he made on the DVD. I received an email back within a day (WOW!) with an apology and the right gazpacho recipe. I was quite amazed at such speedy and helpful customer service for such a big company. And yes, the gazpacho recipe was terrific!

[laura]

Hi Martha I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday , this sunday .My birthday is also sunday you are 20 years my senior. I have learned a great deal from watching your show an reading your magazine. Thank you an Happy August 3th laura

[Marie]

Hello ladies! Keep those smiles shining. :D

[Kathy]

Hi, Martha,
Your Customer Relations Department sounds fantastic. Such good work!
Kathy

[Peggy Conley]

I have a question. What type of pastry board is recommended. Marble, Wood or plastic. I'm looking to replace my Tupperware plastic roll up mat. I've grown to hate it e x cept that it is the correct size and keeps the counter fairly clean. What would Martha or anyone else who bakes pies recommend. Thanks

[MB Farrell-Kirkpatrick]

KUDOS to the Customer Relations Department! The site is fabulous and work amazing.. all with a smile.
Keep the focus forward!
Wonderful job!

[Rose]

Hello! I didn't know where to leave this exactly, but at Martha's Myspace, it says to post comments at her blog, so here goes: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTHA!!!

[Joseph Brennan]

Martha:

It's good to finally see who works in customer relations!

A few times over the years I've sent some of my handmade Christmas ornaments to you and always received a very quick and pleasant thank you note from "customer relations".

Then, last fall, soon after your Mom passed away, I had the pleasure of presenting one of my ornaments to you in person during a book signing at Williams-Sonoma in the Westchester Mall. I told you I made it for you in honor of your mother using a KMart Everday ornament and the new glitter from Michaels. It was my way of expressing appreciation to you and Big Martha for all the fond memories I have of watching the both of you over the years.

You seemed sincerely impressed with my crafting abilities and it made my day to receive an encouraging "thank you" from you in person.

Happy Birthday Martha!

P.S. Let us know what you do this Sunday to celebrate.

[Marie]

Good Morning Martha,

Happy Birthday! I'm certain that you have something very interesting and very special that you're doing today. I'm so anxious to hear all about it. I read your post everyday. I enjoy all of the tidbits of information that you've been sharing with us. You continue to inspire and teach us something new everyday. And that is a beautiful gift. I hope that your birhtday wish comes true. Have a wonderful day!

Fondly,

Marie

[Jennifer Fancher]

Kristen Wendling, Kim Dumer, Suzie Wall, and Courtney Kern- You go girls!

[helen hajjar]

Hi Martha!
Seeing how your Customer Relations group does such a great job for you, I would like to know how to get past them and get directly to you personally?

Recently, I sent you a gift of my original hand painted placemats. I would like to know if you ever received them? I did get a letter from your team thanking me for them and they informed me they would send them onto "The Martha". I have never heard from you as to whether or not you ever received them. I'm sure if you did, you would have thanked me personally.

In the past, I have tried a couple of times and sent my original paintings and my Instruction Book on "How to Paint with Wax" to you. Your office sends them all back to me and informs me they will keep them on file. This has been over the past two years.

This is an "Old World Art" called Encaustic Painting which is unique and new in this country. It is created using a small travel iron and no brush and you can make a painting in a matter of minutes.

I would love to have the opportunity to teach you this unique way of painting with wax on your show, and with you doing the painting. People are in awe when they see this demonstration.

I would also like to send my sympathy on the passing of Paw Paw. I know how it is to lose someone you love and yours is with cooking. Another way to be creative and keep your mind occupied, is painting with wax.

Please at your convenience, look at my web site: www.waxyhelen.com

You can see the placemats I sent to you as a gift. If possible,let me know if you have ever received them.

I am one of your greatest fans of your show and hopefully, can be one of your guests.

Thank you for your time,

Helen Hajjar