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L-com Inc.

How to EnterCompany: L-com Inc., North Andover, MA
Company Description: L-com, a global leader in the manufacture of wired and wireless connectivity products, offers unmatched customer service for the computer hardware industry. The company’s product portfolio includes cable assemblies, connectors, adapters, computer networking components, and custom products, as well as antennas, RF amplifiers, coaxial lightning and surge protectors, and NEMA rated enclosures.
Nomination Category: Customer Service Awards Department Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Hardware

Nomination Title: L-com Inc.

Tell the story about what this nominated department achieved since the beginning of July 2011 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

In the past 18 months, L-com's customer service department reached a remarkable milestone: the combined experience of the CS reps added up to over 75 years. That is remarkable because there are only 11 sales reps, meaning the average experience per person is nearly seven years working in both an industry and a profession that are both infamous for high turnover. But L-com's customer service personnel bring more to their jobs than just experience, they bring a dedication to serving the computer hardware industry that is hard to find elsewhere.

In 2010, L-com began a rigorous technical training program. They started it in order to keep the knowledge of their CS reps on the cutting edge, and also to bring the department together. Currently, the CS reps work in two separate facilities, one in Massachusetts and one in Florida. Add to that the enormous busyness of all of the reps, and you'll see why it is hard for them to focus on teamwork. This training brought the separate minds together to learn and engage via video and phone links, greatly strengthening the entire department. The success has been so apparent, that L-com has engaged a second stage of training with deeper technical information than before. This could not have been accomplished if the turnover had not been so low.

Another advantage of the congruity of the department is that it allowed them to divide the sales reps, customer service reps, and technical support reps into specialized teams that includes seniority, experience, and training. This, of course, came with its own challenges. All employees had to be aware of where the specialists were, who to call for each scenario, and how to juggle problems that spanned several specialties. One of the ways they overcame these challenges was to assign a senior supervisor to the role of Special Programs and Escalations Specialist. This individual was tasked with taking projects that would have been time-sucks for other personnel and orchestrating the best outcome. Her efforts have increased the CS reps' inbound phone time by over 15%, and have empowered them with better support for their concerns. As a result, L-com's surveys showed customer satisfaction rose over 30% from the beginning to the end of 2012, with most of that from their key customers.

All this is possible because of the low turnover of the entire department, but there is still turnover that occurs. Fortunately, nearly all of the reps lost since July, 2011, have been lost through promotions and movements to other departments at L-com, allowing the expertise to branch into every avenue of their business. L-com's customer service department is a model in this industry, inspiring customers and employees to do better and achieve more with their purchase choices and careers.

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated customer service organization:

L-com's customer service department has evolved greatly in the thirty plus years of business. Following computer hardware industry standards, it has become technologically sophisticated in order to process thousands of orders and requests quickly and efficiently. Lester Smock, contact center manager for L-com, has molded this department into a lean and efficient team and has found success after success through one-on-one management and strategic design. The contact center supervisors, Dian Wallace, Chris Cote, Karen Clark, and Joanne Gomber, have turned Les' vision into a reality with careful daily monitoring and high standards of excellence.