Let me tell you something about the Inside Sales Organization at STL where I work.

Here, we are all a big family, united by the singular purpose to guide the customer through their entire purchasing experience and make sure that it is a good one. And for that, we all work together like one mind, always there to support each other while donning many hats.

This theme of family runs strong in everything we do. In fact, the mission of the Inside Sales Team is to make the customer feel like they’re part of our family as well. And to do that, we go the extra mile to build personal relationships with the customer and make them feel that nobody else can provide a better service to them. That is what I call the STL way!

These services, to name a few, include quoting the product to handling the purchase orders when they come in, getting new customers setup, , following the customer orders through the process, tracking where their order is in manufacturing and shipping, providing updates, and handling any issues that could or may arise by putting in a customer case and then following it through the process until resolution.

Here, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight some of my Americas’ team members who have been an absolute credit to the Organization.  On the Inside Team  there is Rosita and Maria, who manage our Latin customers. Then we have Jackie, Veronica and Margaret, who manage the US customers. On our outside sales team, for LATAM, we have our LATAM Sales Director Fernando and Outside Salesman Victorand on outside US team, we have our US Sales Director, Daniel, who heads up the outside sales team and  Travis, who manages the South-Eastern region, Theresa, who manages the central regionand Ty who manages the Western region.

The people in our team – well, they love their job with an unbridled passion. Part of what feels great to work here at STL is that my team is genuinely excited by the prospect of working with customers and servicing their needs. And to do that, we are always ready to help each other out. If someone has to be out of the office, then somebody else will follow through with their customers and make sure that their customers have everything that they need.

What I have learned through this fabulous experience as an STLer, is that how you service a customer during good times, is definitely what they will remember in lean times. So just keep in mind that the way you service a customer should be the same every day, whether the business is good or whether there’s a downturn in the market and things are slow. You always want to make the customer feel like they’re the most important, and that includes the smallest customer all the way up to the biggest one.

Throughout my years here, my mantra is: “Do what you say that you are going to do”. So, if you make a commitment to someone or to something, then following through is most important. If, for example, you’re not able to do what you committed to, follow up with the customer as soon as possible and let them know why you can’t deliver and suggest an alternative plan of action. That is how we take customer delight to the next level at STL.

I also wanted to add to that it’s so important to have value added services that will not cost the company a lot of money or maybe sometimes not even any money. Such services go a long way with the customer,  so they have ease of doing business with the company.

As for being a woman in tech, it makes me proud beyond measure. To all women aspirants out there, I would just like to say that when you’re first starting out, it’s a bit difficult. But STL has such a uniquely inclusive work culture that settling in is so organic and enjoyable.  You are sure to excel especially if you do honest hard work and do what you say you’re going to do. Take all opportunities for training and seek out a mentor. If there’s not a natural mentor that just comes to you organically, seek one out, findsomeone in the company who can help guide you through situations, someone that you trust that you can go to and talk to – and there are plenty of such incredible professionals here who will in time become as a family.

This close-knit atmosphere is the breeding ground for success – something that I have been lucky to witness since early childhood days in South Carolina. My grandmother was a huge role model for me. She was a hard-working person, a godly woman. She lived in her faith, and took care of her family, and I strive to be like her every day. Today, we have our nieces and nephews, and we have our fur baby which is a cat named Bella. I also enjoy working in my yard. Yard work is like a stress reliever for me, so on summer weekends, you will find me outside working in my yard. I also enjoy reading.   I do not have any children of my own so I spoil my nieces and nephews and send them home to let their parents deal with them.

Thus, from home to office and back again, I find my families everywhere. These are the people I love and work with, and these are the people I would say thank you to for all the hard work. I think that being a part of customer service at STL is not just about doing a job. It’s about something that you love to do.

That’s how we make every moment count for successes and memories that last beyond tomorrow.