Who is Lauryn Dawes?

Meet Lauryn Dawes, Director of Customer Experience at Ivy City!

About Ivy City

Ivy City was founded in 2015 by a set of self-professed “dress-obsessed” mothers and friends. The company focuses on making its products accessible to as many body types as possible. Ivy City is proud to be the first dress brand to offer over 20 sizes in a single design. 

Lauryn’s CX Journey

Lauryn's journey to Ivy City began when a former co-worker reached out, asking her to help build a customer support team. Initially, she turned down the offer a couple of times but agreed to freelance by creating a training manual for the company. While working on the manual, she became increasingly excited about Ivy City and saw the potential to make a significant impact. “I got really excited about the company when I was building it out,” she said.

Although Lauryn had felt secure in her previous role, the opportunity at Ivy City offered a new challenge that intrigued her. Ultimately, her enthusiasm for the company and its growth pushed her to take the leap into a full-time position. Reflecting on the decision, Lauryn shared, "I'm glad I did it." It marked a bold move into a new chapter, where she could lead and shape the customer support efforts in a meaningful way.

What excites Lauryn about CX

What excites Lauryn most about her role at Ivy City is the problem-solving aspect of customer support. While many people mention the value of human connection, for her, the real thrill comes from identifying an issue and creatively finding solutions that benefit both the company and the customer. "There's problem-solving that happens everywhere," she notes, "but with customer support, you're problem-solving with an individual, and you hopefully are benefiting both your company and the customer."

Lauryn thrives on the unique challenges that come with resolving customer issues, viewing each one as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. This hands-on approach is what keeps her passionate about her work and drives her to continually improve the customer experience at Ivy City

The CX Team at Ivy City

For Lauryn, one of the toughest aspects of her role is recognizing that she doesn't need to have all the answers herself. She has learned to rely on her team, trusting in their skills and training to help solve problems. "The hard thing is not realizing I have to know all the answers and remembering that I have a team that can help me answer those," she says. This shift in mindset has been important, especially as her leadership responsibilities extend beyond just focusing on customers.

In her search for new hires, Lauryn prioritizes qualities that are essential for success in customer support. "I really look for critical thinking, being able to be a self-starter, and then having empathy. Finding someone who is genuine," she explains. While many skills can be taught, she believes that critical thinking, empathy, and initiative are foundational traits that are harder to instill later on.

CX Team Success Factors

Lauryn has a strong affinity for data, especially when it comes to evaluating her team's performance. "I love looking at it and pulling it," she says. For her, the key metrics are first response time and customer satisfaction. She emphasizes that these two aspects are crucial and interconnected: "If you're trying to be too quick, you can lose satisfaction. But if you're focused solely on satisfying the customer, you can lose time."

Striking the right balance between these factors is essential. Lauryn illustrates her point by noting that even the most empathetic agent can fail if their response time is too slow. "If they're taking five days to get back to you, it doesn't matter how kind they are—customers will be upset."

Revenue Generation/AI/topics of interest 

Lauryn shared how a recent conversation with one of Ivy City Co's. owners inspired her team to enhance customer experiences. When the owner asked, "What else can we do?" Lauryn encouraged her team to identify unique opportunities to support customers facing difficult situations, like needing attire for a funeral or recovering from a hurricane. 

Instead of sticking to routine order fulfillment, they began exploring ways to personalize interactions, such as sending gift cards or handwritten notes. Lauryn emphasized that meaningful gestures don’t always require money, stating, "We truly care about people." Looking ahead, her team aims to deepen connections with current, future, and past customers through empathy and personalized service.

Thoughts on AI

Lauryn has taken a cautious approach to AI integration at Ivy City initially reluctant due to concerns about losing a the human connection that powers good CX. Her team conducted extensive testing before adopting AI tools. "If you can use an AI tool that can mimic your brand voice and the kind of empathy that you want to portray to your customers, then it's an excellent tool," she says. 

The AI effectively handles common inquiries like order tracking and exchanges, allowing the team to focus on more complex issues requiring a personal touch. Lauryn emphasizes the importance of balancing AI assistance with human involvement, noting, "There's nothing that can replace that human ingenuity." She believes that while AI can manage routine questions, the human element is essential for addressing escalated concerns.