In 8 Awkwardly Funny Ways, The Office Taught Us Some Serious Lessons On The Importance Of Investing In The Customer Experience

Years after its series finale, there’s a reason why the NBC hit comedy show remains relevant, and this rings true even for people who have yet to see a single episode. With every meme, video edit and quotable The Office moment that passes through the internet, we’re unknowingly presented with a singular idea: it’s all about the customer experience, even when you think it isn’t.

And at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, this notion is best on display when employees are dealing with their customers (or rather, dealing with each other trying to deal with customers). Between orchestrating deliveries, securing new clients and fielding important business meetings for the boss, the local Scranton team is memorable not just for its goofy and monumental slip-ups, but for the all endearing ways in which they build long-lasting client relationships and find quality customer solutions along the way. Here is a look at some of The Office’s most memorable customer experience losses, and how those failures still help lead them to success:

LOSS

Company communication is fractured, which often leaves clients unable to receive their products, identify the best point of contact for their needs, or find appropriate solutions.

Miscommunication between departments at Dunder Mifflin is a constant. Whether Roy and the warehouse workers are short inventory for delivery, or Oscar and the accounting team are missing some key metrics to round out the quarter, it can all be pinpointed to a breakdown in communication. Sometimes it is due to Michael Scott’s mysterious disappearance throughout the workday or a misinterpretation of instructions from Jan Levenson. Other times, the failure to communicate can be attributed to Corporate’s deep disconnect with how things are going in Scranton.

As a byproduct of the disorganization and chaos, Dwight and Jim at times end up calling or pursuing the same clients for the same issues—and send misinformation along to clients in the process. This lack of organization results in loss of sales opportunities, declining client satisfaction, an inability to secure customer loyalty, and even a lack of workplace harmony. 

“And I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.”

LOSS

The company’s messaging varies—heavily—across its workforce, and it is confusing for clients looking to buy.

When it comes to your sales and communication strategy, are you a Dwight, a Jim, an Andy, a Phyllis, a Stanley, or a Michael? Depending on who you get on the phone at Dunder Mifflin, you are going to receive a very different perspective on what the company does, how they do it, and possibly even how much it costs to buy their product. And while a wide variety of personalities and working styles in the office can allow for clients to best connect with the customer agent that suits their needs, the wrong agent-client pairing can lead to lost leads.

LOSS

They’re hard to reach, and sometimes even harder to find.

In the traditional world of sales and customer service, you had four options: a phone call, snail mail, a fax, or an in-person meeting. And although in the mid 2000s world of The Office, everyone is starting to get the hang of the Internet’s cadence of 24/7 accessibility and the immediacy of text messaging, that doesn’t help much when it comes to actually being able to get in touch. When your work desk is suddenly moved into the men’s bathroom—or your stapler gets submerged in Jell-O—you might not always be available to field client communications in a timely, efficient or effective manner.

LOSS

The company’s external and internal mission statements aren’t always clear, so clients don’t know what to expect in terms of service type or quality. 

Scott’s Tots, Michael Scott Paper Company, WUPHF—the list goes on in terms of the cross-branding and mixed messaging that employees and clients come across from the Scranton office. When you buy their paper, what causes are you supporting, and who are you giving your business to? When you call, will they be getting Michael’s one-off paper selling business venture, or be coerced by the temp into tech entrepreneurship? If a client isn’t sure about what they’re buying, a product’s social impact, or even who they’re buying from, it’s doubtful that they’ll be a returning customer.

WIN

At its core, the company values empathy, authenticity and interpersonal connection, and aims to put it at the forefront of their customer experience.

Despite the antics, what’s the secret sauce behind the Scranton branch’s high-performing sales numbers? Michael Scott’s managerial philosophy sums it up:

“Don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone for any reason ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been... ever, for any reason whatsoever…”

In other words, maintaining integrity when it comes to agent-client interactions is key, and will result in more than just revenue wins. Even though The Office crew doesn’t always hit their target in terms of customer satisfaction, it’s always top of mind for Michael, who does his best as boss to act as a motivator and impart that philosophy on his team at-large. He knows that sometimes it’s not about the numbers, and every once in a while we just need to grab a bite, crack a joke and order an Awesome Blossom (extra awesome) in order to seal the deal. 

WIN

The organization is unique, personable, diverse and provides clients with a memorable customer service experience. 

“Let me ask you something: How important to you is customer service?”

It’s nearly impossible to forget an interaction with a Dunder Mifflin employee, and it’s just as impossible to find someone whose personality traits don’t resonate with your own. For a potential buyer, being seen, heard and represented by the company you buy your products from is essential to a positive service experience. Throughout the series, we see this cornerstone of the customer experience at play:

When Ryan tries to sell to Stanley’s clients, the pitch goes awry because it is Stanley—not Ryan—who has already established an organic, long-term connection with the consumer. Despite Deangelo’s unforgettable ultimatum, it takes Nard Dog’s plea to keep a longtime client from leaving. And when Dwight and Jim team up to attract a potential client, only that specific dynamic duo can find selling success by emphasizing how only Dunder Mifflin personalizes the client experience. 

At the end of the day, consumers don’t want to buy from a carbon copy of themselves—they want to buy from someone who can empathize with and understand their lived experience as a product buyer. Whether you’re a cat lover, an artist, a gamer, an acapella nerd, or just really like chili, there is somebody who is your best fit to work with at Dunder Mifflin. 

WIN

The company values feedback, and works to learn from mistakes.

Michael Scott in front of a crowd can either be a really good thing, or a really, really bad thing. Whether he’s hosting the Dundees, dodging layoff questions from Corporate, trying to impress new supervisors, or just looking to prove he’s still got his sales chops, he is ever-interested in the critical feedback loop that pushes companies to do better with their products and their employees. Even though it may take him some sulking at a swing set to cope with less than stellar reviews, he always bounces back and enters the office re-energized and ready to take his branch of Dunder Mifflin to the next level.

WIN

The company has a reliable resource hub that functions like a well-oiled machine, even when the team at-large might not.

Looking for the “Pam to your Jim” is overrated and overdone. But looking for the “Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, this is Pam” to your Prison Mike is in. Every team needs—or wishes they had—a Pam Beesly. She is the face of the company: the first person you see at reception, and the first voice you hear when you call the Scranton branch. An interaction with her can change everything about the customer experience. She is everybody’s go-to resource, who goes above and beyond internally and externally to support both Dunder Mifflin clients and staff in a way that speaks to the company’s success rate.You can always count on Pam to know where things are, come up with good ideas, and even turn a negative into a positive, (So yes, she always deserved that promotion.)

While The Office team is fictitious in nature, it’s factual in showing just how important it is to be able to take your customer experiences losses and make learning opportunities that lead to memorable wins. When you look at your product with a critical lense and an open mind, and allow your customers and employees to do the same, it can help scale your organization, solidify your reputation and a leader in your industry, and create a consumer community that trusts in your product.

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