In customer advocacy, communication makes all the difference — and Mandy Farah knows it well. As a Service Specialist II on Wayfair’s Service Security team, she’s spent the past four years helping protect our customers and their shopping experience. From reviewing transactions for potential fraud to helping customers resolve order issues, Mandy approaches every interaction with empathy and care, making sure every customer feels supported and secure.
Read on to see how Mandy combines attention to detail and a passion for helping others to keep trust at the heart of every Wayfair order.
What’s your best tip for staying positive during challenging times?
My best tip for staying positive during challenging times is to lean on humor. Finding something to lighten the mood — both for myself and my team — helps take the edge off. I also make a point to ask for help instead of letting stress build up. And sometimes, just taking things one day, or even one hour, at a time is an accomplishment in itself.
Your colleagues have described you as “the ultimate team player,” how do you foster such an inclusive environment in your work?
I'm honored to be considered a team player. I think it's rooted in my "mama bear" mentality. I love getting to know people, I'm happy to try and assist in any way I can and I don't want anyone to feel like they’re just a number.
We have lives outside of work and I like being a support person for my team when they need one.
Connecting as a team to grow relationships is very important when you’re on a virtual team — a happy team is a great performing team!
What project or accomplishment are you most proud of during your time at Wayfair?
To be honest, I’m obsessed with my Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSATs).
I build connections with the people I assist. I have cried with callers and cheered them on when they share something great going on in their lives. I’m proud of the fact that when I end calls with our customers, they know they’ve been helped by Mandy at Wayfair.
My CSATs are the first thing I check in the morning and this allows me to ensure that I am doing my job right. I retained these customers and that makes me happy!
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received, and how has it impacted you?
The best piece of advice I have been given is to always improve yourself.
I learned to not look at what everyone else is doing, and to focus on what I am doing. I monitor my metrics and know where I stand daily. I go into coaching knowing what I need to work on. Doing the necessary work ahead of time makes it much easier on me.
There aren't any surprises and that's how I want it to be. It also frees up my time to be a supportive team member for others.
Where do you call home and what does home mean to you?
North Carolina is where I live, but my home is my family.
My husband of 30 years, my four adult children, my grandson, and my dog Mr. Z (the Wayfair employee no one knows about!), they’re my life.
Our family chat and the kids popping in and out to visit are what keeps me going. As corny as it sounds, they all give me “the warm fuzzies.”
What’s your favorite Wayfair product that you’ve purchased?
My favorite Wayfair product is my
sectional. It took me months to decide on this sectional and it was perfect.