Interview: Erol Ayvaz, CEO of Serve First
TRB sat down with Erol Ayvaz, CEO of Serve First, to talk about leadership, trust and why putting people at the heart of customer feedback is the key to meaningful change in retail.
At a time when retailers are facing rising customer expectations, tighter margins and constant operational pressure, the gap between listening and acting has never been more visible. Serve First was built to close that gap, supporting retailers who champion their teams and trust them to activate the changes customers are calling for.
Subscribe to TRBIn this conversation, Erol reflects on the career moments that shaped his leadership style, why Serve First has always been a people‑first business, and how empowering frontline teams creates better outcomes for customers, colleagues and the bottom line.
Q: Your career has always sat at the intersection of technology, customer experience and people. Looking back, what moments most shaped how you now lead Serve First and think about building a business that genuinely serves retailers and their teams?
A: I have been very lucky throughout my career to build long‑term relationships, some stretching back to my very first job when I was 16. Those relationships taught me early on that trust is everything. Many of the people I work with today are people I have worked alongside for years, and that trust has been built by learning together, making mistakes and delivering consistently.
Another defining moment came before Serve First even existed. I pitched a customer an idea I thought was great, and he told me very clearly that I was solving the wrong problem. Instead, he explained what he truly needed: a feedback solution that would work in a real operational environment and actually help his teams on the ground. That conversation completely changed my thinking. We built a first wireframe together, pulled a small group around it, and that customer is still with us today. It reinforced something I still believe deeply, the best businesses are built with customers and with teams, not at a distance from them.
Q: Serve First is often described as a people‑centric business. As you scale, how do you balance commercial discipline with creating a culture where people feel trusted, listened to and supported to do their best work?
A: Having scaled businesses before, I have seen what happens when growth runs ahead of clarity. If people do not understand the objectives, the values and what good really looks like, you quickly end up firefighting and losing great people.
For me, commercial discipline and culture go hand in hand. Being disciplined means hiring carefully, setting clear priorities and measuring the right things. Being people‑centric means trusting those people once they are in role, giving them ownership and involving them in decisions that affect customers. At Serve First we work hard to make sure everyone understands why we are doing what we are doing and how it connects back to helping retailers and their teams succeed. When that clarity is there, people are far more motivated and far more confident in doing the right thing.
Q: Many retailers are rich in customer data but still struggle to turn feedback into action. What makes Serve First different, and why is empowering frontline teams so central to improving customer experience?
A: One of the biggest issues I have seen, both as an operator and through our customers, is that feedback often never reaches the people who can actually do something about it. Teams closest to customers are the ones spotting patterns every day, yet they are often the last to see the insight.
Serve First was designed to change that. We make sure feedback is relevant to the role of the person receiving it, so teams can immediately understand what customers are saying and why it matters. More importantly, we support retailers in creating the right environment around that insight. When teams feel trusted and informed, they do not just respond to feedback, they contribute ideas, suggest improvements and take ownership of change. That is how retailers who genuinely care about their people turn listening into action at scale.
Q: Retail leaders are under pressure to improve performance while managing costs and supporting their teams. From your perspective, what advice would you give to those trying to improve customer experience without losing sight of the people delivering it?
A: Technology is an enabler, but it should never be a substitute for trust or capability. The retailers who perform best are the ones who invest in giving their teams the information and support they need to execute well, day in and day out.
Cost pressure is real, and leaders have to make difficult decisions. The danger is focusing only on short‑term savings without being clear on the longer‑term consequences for customer experience and revenue. I always encourage leaders to think in terms of marginal gains. When you empower your best people with the right insight and give them room to test, learn and share what works, stronger execution usually follows. That creates a more resilient business and a culture where people feel valued, not stretched to breaking point.
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About Erol Ayvaz
Erol Ayvaz is CEO of Serve First. His career spans customer feedback, frontline operations and technology, bringing together deep experience of service environments and scaling customer experience platforms.
About Serve First
Serve First supports multi‑site retailers and hospitality brands that believe in their people. By turning customer and operational feedback into clear, role‑relevant action, Serve First helps teams on the ground activate the changes customers are asking for, building trust, consistency and better experiences at every level.
