At A Glance

Aaron Herr, Director of Customer Experience at Dropps, reveals how his team combines mindfulness practices, personalized customer care, and team building to foster loyalty and drive revenue. By prioritizing empathy and human connection, they turn customer service into a powerful revenue-generating tool.

Who is Aaron Herr?

Meet Aaron Herr, Director of CX at Dropps!

About Dropps

Dropps is an eco-friendly detergent company that has been making a difference in the world for more than thirty years. Their carefully crafted products reduce plastic and water waste through careful production and manufacturing processes. The result? Cleaning made cleaner. 

Aaron’s CX Journey

Aaron didn’t start his career with customer experience in mind. "I went to school for art," he explains, admitting that it wasn’t an easy path for making money. After graduating, he moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he began working at a luxury hotel. This hospitality experience, handling high-end clients directly, proved to be formative. "It prepped me pretty well for where I'm at right now," he says, reflecting on the skills he gained in face-to-face customer service.

Six years ago, Aaron joined his current company in a part-time customer service role. He quickly advanced when an opportunity arose: "My manager left, and I asked if I could take his role over, and I was granted that opportunity." Back then, the team was small, with only "like, 15 or 20 people for the entire company," so there was space for Aaron to grow and develop. Over the years, he took on various roles related to customer experience, sustainability, and company culture. He laughs when he recalls his unique journey, saying, “If you were to look at my resume, I've had like, probably six or seven different positions that overlap with CX.”

What Excite Aaron About CX

Aaron finds great satisfaction in solving problems and helping customers leave with a positive experience. "I enjoy problem-solving," he says, noting how rewarding it is when customers come in unhappy and leave as lifelong fans. "It's nice to have someone come in not quite so happy and have them walk away, a lifelong customer."

Beyond customer interactions, Aaron also thrives in supporting his team. He understands the challenges of a customer service role and works hard to ensure his team remains motivated and fulfilled. "I’ve always really enjoyed my team and being an advocate for their growth," he shares. "Making sure that they're happy in a position that can very easily turn toxic, especially when you're getting yelled at all day by angry customers." For him, transforming a potentially negative work environment into a positive one for his team is something he’s deeply passionate about. "Turning what could be a negative career obligation into a positive for them is also extraordinary," Aaron reflects. "And for me as a manager, I love that. I love to hear that too."

The CX Team at Dropps

The CX Team at Dropps is small but effective, consisting of a fully remote staff located in the United States. 

Aaron places a strong emphasis on maintaining high morale and supporting the mental health of his team. "We have an unlimited paid time off policy to help foster that type of work-life balance in mental health," he explains, recognizing the importance of creating an environment where employees can recharge.

However, he acknowledges the challenges of managing a small team, especially when it comes to coverage during time off. "Being that it is such a small team, getting coverage when someone takes a day off can be a little tricky." Despite this, Aaron takes pride in the longevity of his team members. "All the people on my team have been there for two plus years," he shares, noting that while turnover is common in the industry, there are no signs of his team leaving. "I’m pretty proud that they’ve stuck around for this long and have no indications of leaving," he says. "So I guess making sure that they're happy is my thing."

Most Important Quality in CX Professional

Aaron values empathy and critical thinking in his team, emphasizing the importance of independent judgment. "I don’t like to be like a dictator type of manager... I want a team member who’s going to be able to go outside policy when it makes sense." He believes that flexibility is key, especially in situations where strict adherence to policy could result in negative outcomes. For example, if a customer experiences a major life event, like a house burning down, "you could have someone that works it well" by going beyond the policy to offer support.

CX Team Success Factors

Aaron’s customer experience team generates revenue through a strong focus on relationship-building and personalized care. “We have office hours every week where we just kind of hang out in a virtual room and talk while we work through tickets,” he says, emphasizing the importance of team cohesion and casual support. Additionally, the team incorporates mindfulness sessions to foster mental well-being: “Every week there’s a 30-minute meditation session that everyone on the team participates in.”

Beyond internal support, Aaron’s team also focuses on restoring relationships with customers who’ve had negative experiences. “We have win-back opportunities, like sending postcards to customers who’ve faced tough situations,” he explains, noting they make personal efforts like sending cards to those affected by natural disasters. This dedication to relationship-building goes beyond just solving problems: “We’re not addressing people’s concerns just to get their money—we’re doing it to genuinely care for them.” This holistic approach helps ensure long-term customer loyalty and drives sustained revenue growth.

Revenue Generation/AI/topics of interest 

Aaron has integrated AI into his customer service operations to improve response times, especially during off-hours. "Well, we picked up some AI stuff recently, which has been really great for response times and getting people the answers they need when we don’t operate on weekends or after five o’clock Eastern time." However, he's cautious about relying too heavily on AI. "Making sure that any AI we use is giving people appropriate responses and gives them the same level of service as my human agents" remains a priority to ensure quality.

Aaron predicts that AI will eventually reach its peak, and after that, there could be a shift back to a more human-centered service model. "I could totally see after the next, you know, between the five and ten year mark, people turning to a human service model or trying to reinvent it." He believes that as AI matures, companies may seek to improve upon the human service model, making it even more central to customer experience. "I can definitely see human service being more heavily emphasized when the AI boom is through."