Winter Weather and Snow Chaos: Three Ways to Deliver Great Customer Service

Spare a thought this winter for the service teams working to keep complex infrastructure projects on track despite limited daylight and freezing temperatures. Winter conditions can create major challenges for telecom projects, says Delivery Coordinator Thomas Hattrem Ølmheim.

Thomas Hattrem Ølmheim from BraCom’s Delivery Department has to stay especially focused when winter conditions become challenging.

BraCom delivers complex infrastructure projects on behalf of major companies such as Telia and Telenor. Out in the field, severe weather or seasonal illness can quickly disrupt a project. When that happens, the Delivery team has to find solutions while keeping customers informed and reassured.

Customers may have ordered their fiber connection through a well-known telecom provider, but it is often the subcontractor that has to resolve the practical challenges when weather and working conditions cause delays.

Ølmheim began his career at BraCom in the Delivery Department after completing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Business Development at NTNU. He highlights three key principles for handling difficult customer situations.

“The most important thing is to meet people with understanding,”he says. “We acknowledge the customer’s frustration and show that we understand their situation. That quickly makes the conversation more constructive.”

“The second point is to make it clear that we are taking action. Norwegian weather can be extreme, but at BraCom we are solution-oriented. Even our engineers, who normally work with planning tools, are willing to put on a helmet and safety boots and head out to the construction site when needed.”

“The third is to be specific about the timeline. We define the solution and give an estimate for when it will be delivered. We may operate somewhat behind the scenes as a subcontractor, but internally we strongly believe that our customers’ customers are our customers too for as long as the project lasts,”Ølmheim explains.