Following the creation of AGC’s European Customer Service Center, we spoke with Monika Ratajczak, the manager leading the new team, to discuss her vision for service excellence and the values that guide her.
You often say that “service” isn’t the right word to describe your team’s mission. Why is that?
I prefer the word ‘partnership.’ Service sounds one-sided, but our customers are people with their own goals and pressures. For me, true excellence means being so aligned with their business that we act as a real-time support system. When they succeed, we succeed.
In logistics, challenges are unavoidable. How do you and your team approach them?
I believe mindset is key. A ‘problem’ creates tension, while a ‘challenge’ opens the door to creative solutions. I enjoy complex situations because they push us to find the simplest answer for the customer. Of course, sometimes things just go wrong.In those moments, honesty matters. Being a partner means being transparent and acting fast to fix it. Our customers need both creativity for challenges and stability from our daily routines.
What defines a strong Customer Service specialist today?
I believe four pillars are essential: empathy and active listening, a solution-oriented mindset, resilience under pressure, and operational excellence. You can teach someone how to use a system, but you can’t teach them to genuinely care. That sense of ownership makes the real difference.
As a leader, how do you recharge your energy?
As a leader, I recharge by slowing down and creating space to think. Yoga and long walks with music help me clear my head, and reading about psychology gives me new perspectives on people and behaviors. And when I need a deeper reset, I follow the sun- often to Italy. The Italian Dolce Vita mindset inspires me. It’s a reminder that life isn’t only about performance and results- it’s about people, relationships, and shared moments. That’s the energy and perspective I consciously bring back to my team and to our customers.