Interview with Rémi Vionnet, Chauvin laboratory customer service manager

Interview with Rémi Vionnet, Chauvin laboratory customer service manager

The Chauvin laboratory is part of the Bausch + Lomb group, an international pharmaceutical laboratory.

They are dedicated to protecting and improving the eyesight of millions of people worldwide. On the pharmacy side, the Chauvin laboratory is the leader in eye treatments in pharmacies.

We were lucky enough to have an interview with Rémi Vionnet, whose customer service is in the top 3 in France today. He is responsible for pharmacy customer service in France and business operations in southern Europe.

‍

1. How do you work within the department?

Customer service is based on a number of areas of expertise, which are divided into centers of expertise for pharmacies, clinics, etc. Each center manages orders, disputes and the supply chain.
Each employee follows a training program based on new tools, constantly evolving processes and different regulations.
All this enables them to engage in a relationship with the customer.
Every complaint is managed from beginning to end by a single person. This person circulates the complaint internally, drawing on everyone's expertise to resolve it as quickly as possible.

The Chauvin laboratory is committed to two things: quality and performance. The objectives around these two issues are to adapt to customer needs and to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible to customers.
Within the customer service department, there is a defined policy with the objective of zero disputes. We must correct the causes, avoid them, and put all our energy into resolving the few disputes that do arise.
Good dispute management builds customer loyalty and efficiency on a day-to-day basis, thanks to a tailor-made experience for the customer. 

2. How do you think you came to be one of the Top 3 customer service providers in France?

We have clear objectives, robust processes and ongoing training for every member of our staff, so that everyone is empowered to take responsibility in these areas.
This is thanks to our organization: "We are fortunate to be a large group with many tools at our disposal, which are constantly evolving". The laboratory takes into account regulatory constraints and supply chain difficulties.

The leitmotiv at chauvin is the empowerment of each employee. Everyone knows their role, and wants to satisfy the customer. We have excellent products and an associated customer service department that quickly resolves any disputes. We have indicators that show our system is effective.

‍

3. How do you measure your quality level? What are your service objectives?

For dispute resolution, we use e-mail, telephone and the Faks tool. Faks facilitates exchanges and ensures rapid communication.
We adapt to the channels our customers use. We have to be available wherever they are.

Our general objectives are : 

1- Listen and empathize with the customer to find out if the service is suitable.
2- Action and performance (technical expertise, service training) to do everything possible to meet the customer's needs quickly.
3- Follow-up and feedback to optimize service. Experience helps us to improve, find solutions and perfect our customer relations.

Listening - acting - improving: these are the key words for successful service.

We measure our level of quality through several elements: feedback from the Faks application, it's concrete and comes directly from our customers.
The main indicator of quality for a manager is the speed with which he or she completes a mission. 

4. What is your role as customer service manager?

My role as Customer Service Manager is to define the department's work direction in line with corporate strategy, and to anticipate needs through appropriate training courses.
Team cohesion and internal communication are very important for success.
We are fortunate to have a large department on the same floor as those in southern European countries. This enables us to share and exchange practices between different management systems in different countries, thereby enriching our knowledge and processes.
I'm very proud to have a close-knit, expert team that is constantly moving forward.

5. How has customer service been affected by digitalization?

Our service is constantly evolving, with the aim of creating added value for the customer. By automating certain services, such as order-taking, our customer service team can free up time to focus on tailor-made service and be the pharmacist's privileged contact.Digitalization is at the heart of our business and that of our customers. That's why it's essential to adapt to the tools used by our customers, such as Faks. Automation within the laboratory means faster transmission between teams and optimization of resources. We have to be proactive for ourselves and for our customers.

‍