[CX Stories] Gerardo Barrera, Head of CS at TWOTHIRDS SLU

Introduction

Gerardo Barrera is the Head of Customer Service at TWOTHIRDS SLU with years of experience in the fashion retail space.

Founded in 2010, TWOTHIRDS is an ocean-inspired slow fashion brand for women and men. Known as the pre-order and deadstock pioneers, they spearheaded the use of innovative low-impact materials and are B Corp Certified. Their mission is to bring positive change to the fashion industry – to protect what we love: our ocean. All their clothing is designed in Barcelona, crafted with love in Portugal and Spain.

Interview

1. How did your journey into CX start, and how did you know it was your calling?

It all started by accident. My background wasn't in CX; I was studying audiovisuals and moved to Barcelona to do a master's in sound design. That’s where I thought my career was headed. I was starting to get gigs in the field, but then the pandemic hit and everything stopped.

At the time, I was working part-time at a craft beer shop to support myself. When lockdowns started, the shop panicked. Most of our business came from people walking by and hanging out in the plaza. I suggested we try selling online.

They asked if I knew how, and I said, “No, but I’ll figure it out.”

I dove into tutorials and built an e-commerce site. I set up logistics and delivery and started handling customers directly. It turned into a full customer service operation. That’s when I realized I really enjoyed that part of the work.

Later, I got more interested in UX and started taking online courses. After the pandemic, I saw a customer service role open at TWOTHIRDS SLU, where I now work. Since I’d already been leaning toward UX research, I thought customer service would be a great entry point into that world.

It’s a small company with a strong brand and community, and that gave me the chance to grow quickly. I was promoted to team lead, then head of customer service. That’s when it got really exciting, working cross-functionally, thinking more strategically, and diving into the customer journey.

I never expected to end up in CX—I didn’t even know it existed.

And I’ve landed somewhere that feels right.

2. What’s unique about the way CX is run at TWOTHIRDS SLU?

One of the great things about working at TWOTHIRDS is that we’ve kept the company small, so there's a lot of interaction across teams.

Our customer service team is in-house, which is pretty rare, and that gives us direct access to information and processes as they happen.

As a team lead, something I’ve always believed in, especially working at a sustainable clothing company, is:

Life can be hard, rents are high, the world feels heavy, so a big part of my role is making sure our team feels supported.

I want them to feel safe, to be themselves, to ask questions without fear, and to know they’re heard.

This kind of environment allows people to thrive. It shows up in how proactive they are, how they speak up, and how they engage with customers.

We don’t try to create a fake “customer-first” image from the outside, we build it from within.

My focus is on empathy, kindness, and making daily work life a little less tough. We’re all in the same boat, figuring things out. And I think that matters.

3. What are the biggest CX challenges you are trying to solve at TWOTHIRDS SLU?

At TWOTHIRDS, we’re known for pioneering the preorder system and for using deadstock fabrics, both of which are great for sustainability because they help us avoid overproduction and reduce waste.

It sounds great in theory, but the reality can be challenging.

With preorder, for example, most people shopping online expect to receive their items quickly. That’s just how we’re conditioned, especially with fast fashion and how the internet works today, everything is instant.

But at TWOTHIRDS, it’s different. We show a design, customers sign up for the preorder, and only then do we produce the exact number of items needed. That means there’s a waiting period, sometimes up to two months.

Communicating this clearly has been one of our biggest pain points.

We do our best to be transparent; it's mentioned in the order confirmation, on the product page, but the truth is, people often just don’t read. Even I sometimes miss things when I shop online, so I totally get it.

One recent improvement that’s helped is sending a reminder a few days after purchase, explaining the preorder process again: “You’ve ordered a preorder item; we’re currently producing it—don’t worry, we’ve got you.” It’s a small thing, but it’s made a noticeable difference. It helps reduce that feeling of uncertainty for customers.

We’re constantly tweaking our communication, figuring out what to say, when to say it, and how to keep our tone open and supportive.

4. What’s the most rewarding part of leading a CX team?

The most rewarding part for me is being able to pay forward the good management experiences I’ve had in the past. It’s incredibly fulfilling to lead a team that trusts me and, more importantly, feels connected to each other.

I never grew up thinking, “I want a career in CX.” And I think that’s true for most people; many of us come from different fields. What I’ve really enjoyed about this role is getting to know the team, understanding each person’s background, and learning about their skills.

I truly believe that when people are able to do work they enjoy or feel passionate about, it increases engagement. They feel more useful, their work feels more meaningful, and that contributes to overall wellness.

5. If you could give your past self one piece of CX advice, what would it be?

Be thoughtful, be careful. You care about doing things well, so trust that about yourself. Don’t wait until everything feels perfect before you take action.

I used to think I had to get everything right from day one, but the truth is, everyone you admire got where they are through a lot of work, long hours, years of experience, and plenty of mistakes along the way.

So I’d say to my past self: it’s okay to experiment, to try new things, to mess up sometimes. That’s part of the process.

And one more thing: it’s not life or death. If you make a mistake, no one’s going to die. So take a breath, be brave, and go for it.

Thank you so much to Gerardo for being part of this interview! You can connect with Gerardo on LinkedIn and check out TWOTHIRDS SLU.

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