Who is Edvin Cernov?

Meet Edvin Cernov, experienced CX leader and founder of the customer experience consultancy service, Rethink CX!

Edvin’s CX Journey

Edvin, a veteran in the BPO space, developed his expertise while working  as Senior Manager at Canada Goose during a period of hypergrowth. "We were growing 100% year after year," Edvin explains. This intense growth put pressure on their customer service operations, especially when initial forecasts underestimated the reality. "You forecast, I don't know, a thousand calls for the sake of argument, and next thing you know, a month later, you receive three times that," he says.

Reflecting on his time managing multiple call centers during this period, Edvin spoke about the importance of staying adaptable in customer service.

 "For customer service, those challenges are so insightful," he says. His experience illustrates how companies in hypergrowth need agile customer service teams capable of scaling operations to handle the unexpected influx of customer needs.

Edvin enjoys the variety in customer experience, noting how no two brands approach it the same way. "Customer experience is an interesting world because we pretend like it's defined, but I think every brand does it differently," he says.

Edvin’s Perspective on the Importance of CX
Edvin emphasizes the importance of direct involvement from the customer experience (CX) department in the BPO process. “I think this has to be customer experience. The department within the company should absolutely spend time at the BPO,” he explains, adding that it's crucial for CX teams to connect with frontline workers to gather insights.

He believes that organizations dedicated to customer centricity need to prioritize their agents. "If they really believe in customer centricity, then the agent is the goal post," he says.

CX Success Factors

Success in the BPO space relies heavily on fostering open communication and encouraging proactive problem-solving among agents. Edvin emphasizes that agents should be empowered to directly submit tickets to logistics, finance, or other departments, without fear of overstepping or shifting responsibilities. 

"We're all here for one thing, which is service to the customer. So, don't come to me, go directly to the source of the problem, go directly to the solution," he explains, highlighting the importance of a collaborative, solution-oriented culture.

Additionally, Edvin stresses the importance of continuous learning and adaptable technology in achieving success. At companies experiencing rapid growth, like Canada Goose, where he previously worked, keeping agents up to date with constant up-training is crucial. "The best agents are tenured agents, but they might be missing what is going on today," Edvin notes.

 He also emphasizes the need for agile technology solutions, where adjustments can be made quickly to keep pace with operational demands, ensuring the BPO team is always ready to respond to customer needs.

Working with Offshore Teams

Edvin believes that the decision to work with an offshore team depends on a company’s current stage of growth. He acknowledges there are pros and cons but emphasizes that BPOs are often the right choice due to the ease of scaling. "You don't need to engage your HR department. A lot of HRs are not ready. A lot of recruitments are not ready. A lot of ITs are not ready," he says, pointing to the convenience of outsourcing a fully developed team.

For companies facing rapid expansion, like in the cannabis industry, the cost and resource commitment of building an in-house team can be overwhelming. 

Edvin notes, "We definitely talked about taking it in-house at some point, and when we laid out the plan, everybody got scared because they realized it's not just my job, it's also everybody else's job." Outsourcing through a BPO allows companies to focus on other key areas without overextending internal resources.

Driving Success

Edvin emphasizes the importance of hands-on involvement and support during team ramp-ups, especially during peak times like the holiday season. "We're on the ground. We're on site," he says, highlighting the value of being present throughout the process to ensure success.

He also stresses the need to allow flexibility in training schedules to foster engagement and understanding. "It might cost you a little bit more, but it will give room for questions, activities, and engagement," Edvin explains, noting that making BPO teams feel like part of the brand is key to long-term success and ensuring that training sticks.

Rethink CX

Rethink CX specializes in enhancing customer experience through tailored consultancy services, focusing on key areas such as voice of the customer, report building, and technology integration. Edvin explains, “Our sweet spot is BPO,” emphasizing their extensive experience in the sector. 

He adds, “Instead of selling a BPO, we are saying, here’s our experience, right? Here’s our plethora of experience, plethora of choices.”

Rethink CX works primarily with E-Commerce and retail, which Edvin Cernov identifies as their "sweet spot" due to extensive experience in that sector. He believes that the distinctions between different BPOs often come down to culture, stating, “Culture is massive,” and highlights the challenges faced by both large and small BPOs. He notes that larger firms can become “too big to care about a client,” while smaller ones may struggle to scale effectively. Ultimately, maintaining a small team size is crucial for understanding the needs of the millennial-driven E-Commerce landscape.

Leveraging AI

Edvin emphasizes the importance of balancing AI and human interactions in customer service. He advocates for offering AI tools to customers while ensuring that traditional contact methods, like phone numbers and emails, remain easily accessible. “If somebody wants to use AI, they will use it, but folks who don't are at an advantage,” he explains, noting that personal connections can greatly influence purchasing decisions.