Business headshots with Ashen

Customer service, Ashen told me, is a customer’s perception minus their expectations.

If they have high expectations, then the actual service or experience needs to match or exceed that to avoid disappointment.

And if anyone knows about customer service, it’s Ashen.

He’s a lecturer on the topic at the University of Buckingham, and also consults with big, international companies, particularly in the hospitality sector.

So when Ashen complimented me on the ‘Welcome, Ashen’ sign I had in the window, ready for his arrival, and my quick, clear booking process and communication I was grinning like I’d just passed an exam. 🙂

Ashen has a wife, Cathrine, and a son, two-year-old Stephen.

Ashen and Cathrine met through friends, but then found out they both worked at the same university.

Cathrine specialises in finance and accounting, so she is in charge of all things money at home.

When Ashen isn’t teaching or being with the family, he’s most likely to be found on horseback, playing polo.

His team won three out of four of their most recent games.

This is all the more impressive once you hear that Ashen only started to learn how to ride a horse two years ago!

His team are known by their emerald colours, which is why Ashen opted for a dark green tie for his headshot photos with me.

Cathrine has a slightly calmer hobby, as she enjoys playing the flute.

Cathrine and Ashen did play a lot of golf together, but find that Stephen keeps them a little too busy to do that nowadays!

Instead, they now enjoy spending their time at local National Trust properties, where Stephen can run around freely in a relaxed and stunning setting.

Ashen used to work in a corporate role, back when he lived in Sri Lanka, but says that work/life balance is much more important to him now that he has a family.

He’s found the perfect balance at the University, and absolutely adores his role there.

He particularly enjoys staying in contact with students and hearing how they’ve progressed in the next steps of their careers.

He’s particularly proud of a recent graduate, Daniel, who managed to secure a scholarship at UCL after studying on Ashen’s course.

Ashen uses LinkedIn to maintain these relationships, which is partly why he needed a good, up-to-date professional headshot.

It’s also that time of year when the annual reports are due, so he’s planning to use some of the images in those, too.

Working with Ashen, I quickly saw how friendly, positive and personable he is.

It’s no wonder at all that his students adore him, and there is surely no better example of great customer service than the experience Ashen provides for those he teaches and works with.

“Sarah was amazing from the get go! From the initial inquiry to the conclusion of the photoshoot she has been extremely responsive, reliable and the quality of her pictures matches the five star reviews she has already received. Excellent service and would certainly consider going back for any of my photography needs.” Ashen, professional headshot photos client from Buckinghamshire.

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If you’re looking for professional headshots in the Oxfordshire area, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater AMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year and Newborn Photographer of the Year for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire) and achieved a Studio Portrait Finalist Award at the most recent National Competition.