Sham Aziz, head of customer experience at Gymshark, has spent his career working with some of the UK’s best-known retailers, including Selfridges, Net-a-Porter, and Matches. His journey in customer experience began at a North London call centre, where he was selected for NatWest’s Future Leaders Programme. This opportunity helped him discover his passion for figuring out why things don’t work as they should and then fixing them.
Aziz’s fascination with exceptional customer experience, or CX, stems from its impact on customer loyalty. He believes that putting things right when they’ve gone wrong can strengthen a customer’s loyalty. This mindset has driven his approach to CX throughout his career.
Early Influences and Career Development
Aziz’s parents, who worked hard to raise six children, instilled in him a strong work ethic. His father, who came to the UK from Kashmir at the age of 12, often worked long hours, while his mother managed the household and cared for their children. Aziz’s upbringing in a big family taught him the value of hard work and the importance of relationships.
At Ocado, Aziz met a manager named Mark, who played a significant role in his career development. Mark trusted Aziz to run an entire department, giving him the freedom to experiment and learn from his mistakes. This experience taught Aziz the importance of giving people room to grow and develop, which he has carried into his subsequent roles.
Aziz’s approach to leadership is centered around making people feel safe, giving them room to experiment, and providing guidance when needed. He believes that this approach helps people surprise themselves and grow, both personally and professionally.
Evolution of Customer Expectations
Despite the many changes in the retail industry, Aziz believes that the fundamentals of customer expectations have remained relatively unchanged. People want good products, delivered on time, that work and last. If something goes wrong, they want it put right without hassle. Technology has changed the way companies interact with customers, but the core expectations remain the same.
Aziz emphasizes the importance of doing the basics brilliantly, investing in people, and using technology to make things better. He believes that returns, warranties, and delivery problems may not be glamorous, but they reveal whether a brand means what it says. By focusing on these aspects, companies can build trust and loyalty with their customers.
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Aziz’s experience at Selfridges taught him that customer service is the glue holding a brand’s promise together. He learned to shift the conversation from cost per contact to investment per contact, recognizing that every interaction is an opportunity to deliver the brand’s promise. This mindset helped him deliver a better customer experience at Selfridges, and he aims to apply it at Gymshark as well.
After being made redundant from Selfridges, Aziz challenged himself to speak to 100 people in 100 days. This experience reminded him that relationships matter and that sometimes you don’t need the entire route mapped out. By showing up and doing the reps, Aziz was able to build new connections and explore new opportunities, ultimately leading him to his current role at Gymshark.
Aziz is excited to join Gymshark, where he can help build a community-led brand that prioritizes its customers. With his experience and approach to customer experience, Aziz is well-positioned to make a positive impact at Gymshark, and his story is far from over, as he says, “Watch this space.”
Gymshark’s focus on community and customer experience aligns with Aziz’s values, and he is looking forward to working with the team to deliver exceptional CX. As he begins this new chapter, Aziz is eager to apply his skills and experience to help Gymshark grow and maintain its special connection with customers. The opportunity to work with a brilliant team of managers and help them grow is a key aspect of his new role, and Aziz is excited to get started.
Family Background and Operational Experience
Aziz grew up in 1980s Britain with three brothers and three sisters. The siblings shared hand-me-downs and game consoles. He recalls a family trip to Thorpe Park and the Loggers Leap attraction.
At Selfridges, he noted the brand’s theatre of retail. He joked that the customer experience team owned the process, except when they did not.
His seven-year tenure ended in late 2023 during a seven-minute briefing. During lockdown, he began running, training, and using protein to improve his fitness. He also shifted his LinkedIn content to discuss both fitness and CX.
