Brad Shaw is supposed to be a CEO running a $2.5-billion telecommunications company.

But there's still plenty of the customer service rep, eager to smile, shake a hand and say hello left in the chief executive of Shaw Communications.

In Victoria to address a Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Shaw, who started in customer service in the family business in 1987, can't help but be drawn into conversations with old friends, current adversaries and colleagues as he tries to wade through a crowd.

His charm, tact and willingness to re-establish old relationships and foster new ones is part of who he is, and he would argue it's part of what will suit his company as it competes for customers in western Canada.

"My style has people at the core," said Shaw, who took over the CEO chair from his brother Jim in late 2010.

"When employees and customers are looking for more relatedness and meaning to our world, there is a power to creating strong human connections."

He noted that making those connections has allowed the company to build a strong team, and he believes that being an open, vulnerable and human boss who trusts his team will serve the company well in competitive times.

"Shit happens. Business is hard. But strong relationships allow you to keep moving forward, and moving forward is what we need to do at Shaw," he said.

Despite some recent bumps — Jim Shaw being replaced by his brother Brad ahead of schedule, the loss of 23,000 basic cable customers in the first quarter of 2012 and concerns over customer service — Shaw maintains the company is firmly focused on the future.

"The foundation for that is great customer service," Shaw said in an interview, noting the company has moved to address customer service issues, such as long waits on the phone, with new hires at its call centres.

But he also said it's not just about spending money to fix problems but rather giving people what they want, when and how they want it.

"Everyone is investing heavily, and Telus is certainly a good competitor, and that's good as it forces us to reinvent ourselves, change how we do things. We constantly need to be looking at that, especially considering how fast things are moving," he said.

"[The competition] is brutal, but it's a long-term game. If you are driven by quarterly results, I don't think you can create long-term shareholder value," Shaw said. "It's about stepping back and making decisions for the years ahead."

To that end, Shaw recently announced its Shaw EXO network to improve TV and Internet service and is testing a WiFi network in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver that gives its customers Internet access in public places, away from their homes and offices.

Victoria can expect to see Shaw WiFi sometime in the next 18 months, he said.

The company will be looking at the small- and medium-sized business market as a growth opportunity, said Shaw.

He said he believes the company has the right man in the big chair to help make it happen.

"We never would have planned [CEO succession] this way. You never want to have it where your brother is moved aside, but we had been planning on that and talked about it years before, so there was a time frame for it," he said.

Brad Shaw said his brother guided the company through some impressive growth over his 12-year tenure at the helm after taking over from their father, JR Shaw.

"When I think of Jim and see the $1.6 billion in shareholder value and what he has done for the company, it's tremendous, it's quite a track record, and 12 years as CEO is quite a tenure," he said, noting it is also a "terrible grind."

That grind appeared to take a toll on Jim Shaw, who abruptly stepped down as CEO after displaying what was considered unusual behaviour at a meeting with investors in Vancouver where, according to media reports, he appeared to be inebriated and took harsh issue with some questions put to him.

Brad Shaw said he and his brother, whom he describes as an incredible strategic thinker, are nothing alike and have different approaches to the job.

"Jim and I are black and white," he said.

Brad Shaw said his older brother gave him some good advice when he took the reins: Learn to say no.

"While you want to take on everything and prove yourself, you have to say no to some things. It helps you manage, and if not, you will water yourself down," said Shaw.

But no sooner has he said it than the customer service rep in him rears its head and he can't say no to another request for his time across the room.

aduffy@timescolonist.com