‘When the customers are happy, I am happy’: Irene makes sure the whole community knows they’re welcome at Hearing Australia.
When it comes to transforming everyday interactions into meaningful experiences, Belconnen Hearing Centre Customer Service Officer Irene Shum is both a natural and an expert. Warm, sincere and with an unwavering commitment to making every person feel comfortable and welcome, hers is the first face people see when they visit the centre – and it’s always calm and smiling.
While Irene’s personal qualities seem innate, she has a long history in customer service that began after her high school graduation in her native Hong Kong. There, she worked in hospitality before immigrating to Australia where she raised her two sons and worked in retail in Sydney. It was when her partner was offered a new job in Canberra in 2021 that the opportunity with Hearing Australia came up.
“My previous experience has been geared more towards sales, which has been beneficial for me in this role, but what really drew me to Hearing Australia was its staunch customer-first approach,” says Irene. “I felt I’d found a workplace that genuinely prioritised clients’ needs, which aligns strongly with my personal values.”
In Irene’s role, no two days are ever the same. She thrives on the variety it offers, from helping clients understand their hearing aid options to solving unexpected challenges.
“My favourite moments are the ones where I can transform frustration into gratitude by doing something as simple as cleaning a blocked hearing aid,” says Irene. “People are so relieved when it’s an easy fix and you can see on their faces what a difference our work makes to their everyday lives. That’s what keeps me going, and even when there are challenges, I just love my job.”
Irene’s unique touch
Irene manages to create a genuine connection with everyone she meets. Whether greeting walk-ins at the open counter or helping a client in their native language, she ensures every person feels seen and valued. While a second language wasn’t a requirement of the job, being fluent in Cantonese and conversational Mandarin has proven to be powerful in ensuring diverse communities feel the same sense of welcome and inclusion at the centre.
“We of course have interpreters we use for formal appointments, but if someone is having an issue with their hearing aid it means so much to them to be able to just pop in and speak with me in their first language,” says Irene. “It also means we can just have a bit of a general chat which of course I love. It helps them feel comfortable in their relationship with us, and that they can ask us anything any time.”
A culture of support and growth
It’s not just the wonderful clients that keep Irene happy at work. She believes the centre to be a space where questions are welcomed and teamwork thrives, because her manager and colleagues are all there for the right reasons – to collectively improve people’s hearing health.
“When I first started, I had an awful lot to learn particularly about the funding side of hearing health, but I embraced the learning curve because I knew I was supported by the entire team,” says Irene. “As long as you love helping people, have patience, empathy and can be flexible, the job is immensely rewarding. And when clients leave with a smile, it makes it all worth it.”
A role that changes lives
For Irene her role is a chance to make a lasting difference. From welcoming new clients to celebrating moments of improved hearing, she brings heart and purpose to everything she does. She sees her role as so much more than customer service; it’s about building trust, fostering connections, and making every interaction meaningful.
As Irene says, “When the customers are happy, I’m happy too.”
