Cometh the hour, cometh the man!
I started at Telstra Retail Store in the Sydney metropolitan area and wanted to share my recap of what I learnt to become an effective customer service and sales person for Australia’s leading telecommunications company.
Work as One
Photo by Rifki Kurniawan on Unsplash, Edited by Koichi Fukushima
One of the big three behaviours and values I learnt since starting early 2025 was to look beyond. Look beyond incorporates seeing the big picture, always striving to serve customers, while learning and adapting along the way.
I learnt that Telstra customers are valued stakeholders who are an essential reason why we deliver excellent customer service every day in-store. For example, customers may be affected by unfortunate and vulnerable circumstances, and we, as retail consultants, need to help them with the products and services they own or need. I am privileged to work for a multifaceted retail telecommunications company like Telstra, where I have the opportunity to learn from successes and challenges, driving us forward through changes. Skills I learnt along the way include:
- Strategic Thinking
- Customer-Centric Approach
- Continuous Learning
- Adaptability
Work As One
Photo by Rineshkumar Ghirao on Unsplash
Teamwork makes the dream work.
I am fortunate to work with a fantastic team at Telstra, not because of their experience, but because of the lessons and knowledge that have shaped our interactions with customers. Acknowledging the customer’s voice by listening first, being humble, and curious to gain insight from others has helped me develop my customer rapport, resulting in customer advocates as indicated by customer surveys and word of mouth in-store. Speaking up by asking questions of my work colleagues to improve my work ethic and performance continually, and being open about my ideas to achieve better outcomes, are key to consistently showcasing my best performance every day. Always aligning and committing to a shared understanding of actions and accountabilities, including mistakes and missed opportunities, I take positive actions to rectify them for the next time I work. For example, I need to take care with priority assistance customers very carefully as they are different to business and regular customers at Telstra. When a sales opportunity is missed, I adopt a positive mindset and move forward to avoid repeating the mistake. We are human and make mistakes at times, but consistent learning will ultimately lead to greater success in our careers. I am dedicated to giving my all to customers, my team, and Telstra in my early career. Skills I learnt include:
- Team Collaboration
- Active Listening
- Effective Communication
- Stakeholder Alignment
- Accountability
Make A Difference
We do the right thing for our customers, communities, each other and the environment.
Throughout my retail training as a consultant for Telstra customers, I must remind myself to conduct good business responsibly and ethically for the products and services. I must also understand I need to clinch when there are sales opportunities with customers. We have store and individual targets that affect how the store is rated across the regions where Telstra stores are located in Australia. Doing what matters by prioritising and focusing where effort and resources are most needed is something I had to learn quickly. In the next financial year, I plan to further improve my store’s position as a leading retail telecommunications store, both in terms of sales and customer service. Owning my mistakes and taking accountability for my part of the work, including when things don’t go as planned, is critical to being a better retail consultant. For example, I take coaching sessions with my manager and assistant manager to rectify and improve my customer service and retail performance. I am forever grateful for how they are helping me connect, understand and execute sales opportunities with care. I will always be considerate about the impacts of your actions on customers and each other moving forward.
- Prioritisation
- Ownership
- Empathy
- Ethical Decision-Making
- Social Responsibility
Thank you so much for the reading this blog post.
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By Koichi Fukushima
Koichi Fukushima 
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