For more than four decades, Yvan Gagnon has approached his work with the same purpose: helping people, building relationships, and learning something new each day. Those priorities continue to guide him as Customer Experience Manager for Forte’s Canada Business Unit, where supporting customers means understanding their needs and bringing the right people together to help meet them.

Working closely with the Saint-Éphrem team, Yvan connects with inside and outside sales, operations, purchasing, planning, production, and shipping. His involvement across those departments helps him address technical questions from colleagues, customers, architects, and designers, while keeping the people behind those questions at the center of his approach.

A Career Grounded in Service

When Yvan reflects on what first drew him to this work, he returns to the relationships and opportunities to learn that have motivated him.

“From the very beginning, over 43 years ago, my goal has always been to help clients—whether internal or external—build relationships, and constantly learn something new every day,” he shares.

That enduring focus shapes how he defines a great customer experience today. For Yvan, customers should feel heard, receive answers to their questions, and know that they matter in the day-to-day work being done on their behalf. Providing that experience begins with putting himself in the other person’s shoes, considering what they need to understand, and responding as precisely as possible within a reasonable timeframe.

Whether the conversation involves a colleague seeking technical guidance or a professional specifying Forte’s products, Yvan sees an opportunity to provide useful answers while strengthening the relationship. His approach connects the practical details of service with something more lasting: the confidence that comes from knowing someone is available and willing to help.

Earning Trust Through Everyday Actions

For Yvan, listening and availability are the foundation of strong customer relationships. When customers feel valued and supported, the relationship can grow beyond the immediate question, order, or project into a partnership built on reliability.

“Ultimately, it ceases to be just a matter of price and becomes a question of doing business with a trusted, reliable partner,” he explains.

Maintaining that trust also matters when a customer raises a concern. Yvan describes an approach that begins by letting the customer know the complaint is being investigated, with the aim of getting back to them within 24 hours. From there, he works with after-sales service, quality, and production to find the best solution for both parties within a timeframe acceptable to the customer.

Working Toward a Shared Goal

The relationships Yvan values extend throughout the organization, where effective communication between departments helps turn customer requests into viable options and alternatives. As market demands evolve, he emphasizes staying attentive to what customers are asking for and credits the Saint-Éphrem team with making it possible to respond to those needs.

He believes that collaboration works best when colleagues communicate respectfully, share their experience, and stay focused on the same purpose. A positive approach to customer experience also starts with leadership, whose example helps guide employees on the front lines and behind the scenes. When someone is unsure how to respond, having colleagues available for guidance helps carry that approach into everyday decisions.

“The team fully understands this, and things become much easier when everyone shares the same goal,” he says.

That sense of working together is what Yvan appreciates most about Forte. He values interactions that help colleagues improve processes together, connecting the service customers receive with the cooperation taking place across the business.

Beyond the Office

Away from work, Yvan recharges through gatherings with family and friends, enjoying the opportunity to step back from the demands of the job. He also finds satisfaction in manual work, particularly tasks that allow him to become absorbed without counting the hours or stressing over targets.

More than four decades after he began, helping others and continuing to learn remain central to Yvan’s work. At Forte, he carries that purpose forward through the questions he helps answer, the colleagues he works alongside, and the customer relationships he helps strengthen.