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Celebrating CSD Week
By Leah Etling on Dec 12, 2013 in People
Each year, Yardi’s North American customer support team – better known as CSD – celebrate
s the outstanding accomplishments of its many associates. Clients are urged to recognize the support staff that help them troubleshoot, navigate and better utilize their powerful Yardi software by sending in kudos and appreciation for the CSD team members.
We are pleased to introduce you to a handful of the staff who were singled out for exemplary performances this year. In their own words, learn more about these outstanding associates who are all passionate about delivering great customer service and support to Yardi’s widespread client base.
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Melissa Seehorn
Senior Technical Account Manager – Georgia
Three years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
My job includes but is not limited to assisting our clients with all of their support questions, providing training to both clients and new hires, and a smile to all of those I encounter. The best part of my job is the interaction I am able to have with my coworkers and our clients. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that I have the ability to positively influence those around me whether it comes to Yardi products or employee morale. I take each day as a new challenge to end all communications on a positive note.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
I am reminded of how rewarding my job is on a daily basis. It is always important to give my attention to our clients and to make sure that they know we are here to help and train them on how to better use Yardi’s products. When I give that attention, our clients are so thankful and continue to let us know how happy they are with our product and services. My clients are constantly telling me how grateful they are for my support and this small gesture just adds more fuel to my fire and encourages me to strive to provide the best service possible.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
When not at work, I am generally spending time with my husband and dog. My husband and I love traveling to new locations and enjoying the beauty around us. We also love spending quality time with our friends and family.
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Regan Heydari
Senior Technical Account Manager, Voyager Commercial – Texas
Two years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
This is a tough one. There are several things that I love about my job that cumulatively make my job enjoyable:
-It’s never monotonous. I used to work as a technician at Lexus, and doing 100 oil changes/ tire rotations every day became tedious. I never have that issue with Yardi. Every day brings new challenges.
-My clients. I love having close relationships with my clients. It’s rewarding to know that I make a difference to my clients.
-My co-workers. I love the environment here, and being helpful to my co-workers. It’s gratifying that I can help my co-workers when they need it, or ask for help if I need it.
–Wearing jeans!
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
I think one of the most rewarding moments is when you are on the phone with the client and you’ve managed to resolve their issue and you can hear the relief, and smile, in their voice. Also, resolving any issues with Bank Recs always deserves a fist pump.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
On the weekends I spend my days at Rogers Wildlife as a volunteer. Evenings are usually spent relaxing with a book or watching TV with my hubby and our “kids” Joey (Boxer) and Harley (Macaw).
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Joel Santiano
Application Specialist, Voyager Frontline Residential & International – Canada
Six years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job is to experience every single day that I make a huge difference not only with my clients but also with my peers. It’s truly a rewarding and a humbling experience to be of service to everyone around me.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
The most rewarding experience for me is to hear my clients over the phone thanking me for the solution I have provided may it be a simple password reset or a complex data fix. As an example, I remember helping a client with their Yearly Update for their Social Housing applicants. After fixing her issue, she said that she never felt at ease and confident about their data in Yardi until now after I assisted her. She is now able to present her data to the Joint Liaison Committee and request for more funding to provide more housing for the less fortunate. It just made my day J
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I love to cook and spend time with people that matter to me. I enjoy watching Science Fiction (i.e. Star Trek). I am also very involved in a lot of training and development initiatives offered by Landmark.
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Eddie Daniel
Technical Account Manager – Classic, Georgia
One year of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I enjoy the most about my job is the camaraderie with my team and my office. The family atmosphere that is cultivated within the company plays a major role in how we in turn treat our clients who are extensions of our family.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
I enjoy alleviating the stress of our client’s by resolving their issues and providing an elevated level of customer interaction and concern in the process. I enjoy finishing calls and hearing the client say that their support experience greatly improved their day.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I’m somewhat of a homebody, so on my off-time I enjoy getting in the kitchen with my wife and helping her make a great meal and then watching a good television show or movie.
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Dean Vrettos
Senior Application Specialist, Commercial – New York
Two years of service
How he describes his job: “The generic answer is CSD, but the real answer is that I do everything I can to help our clients succeed at managing their RE holdings. Sometimes I tell people I am a detective, identifying client needs and bridging the gap between issue and solution.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Working in a dynamic, fun and professional atmosphere where we can help one another and also help our clients. One of the great things about working on the NY Commercial team is that we build and foster relationships with our clients. We have about 140 clients that we interact with on our team, and working on this team for just over two years affords you the ability to speak with the same clients time and time again. The second aspect that I love about what we do is the sense of team and camaraderie that exists in the NY office. Our success is only made possible with the support of the entire office helping where everyone has the right attitude.
Tell us about a memorable experience helping a client.
A few months ago I was on the phone with a client discussing a bank rec and we started talking about all of the reports that she runs on a daily basis. I took the opportunity to ask if they were using Report Scheduler the phone went silent. Sure enough the client responded with “What’s Report Scheduler?” A few days later, along with a few training sessions the client had reports delivered to her on daily basis freeing up what she called a “considerable amount of her day to work on other things.” Taking the time to suggest another feature of Voyager really made a difference for the client and she was extremely appreciative of the suggestion!
The second example isn’t directly related to Voyager, however it made a world of difference to the client. About a year ago I was on a Go To session with a client and I replicated a tab using the Ctrl-K Hot Key function which opens up another tab in Internet Explorer. Her immediate response “Why didn’t Yardi tell me I could do that!” After some convincing, and a few Advil, I explained that this was an inherent feature of Internet Explorer and had nothing to with Voyager. In the end, I think she believed me and thanked me for showing her hot-key. I can’t wait until I show her how to create a Voyager 7s Hot Key!
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I have two kids, the youngest is now three months old, so free time isn’t really an option at this point, but I love watching movies. You can often find me playing the game “What movie was the quote from?” with my colleagues in the NY Office.
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Janie Stiller
Senior Technical Account Manager, Genesis
15 years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I am a people person so when I first call a client I make them feel relaxed before I begin troubleshooting and fixing their issues.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
What is most rewarding and the most satisfying aspect about my job is the fact that after I fix their issues, I know they have a smile on their face when we get off the phone. I get satisfaction making them happy!
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not working I enjoy cooking, gardening, photography, hiking in nature and traveling to new destinations.
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Simcha Gold
Associate Technical Account Manager, Voyager Frontline — Santa Barbara
One year of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the challenge that each day brings because I am always learning new things as well as the interacting with a variety of clients.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
When helping Yardi clients, it is most rewarding when the solution steps make sense to the client and they are able to use those same steps again and again because I have been able to teach the client and pass on the knowledge to empower them as a user.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I usually spend my time volunteering as the Team Manager of the SBCC Santa Barbara Rugby Academy as well as babysitting, life-guarding, and hanging out with friends.
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Jomel Esleta
Senior Technical Account Manager, Voyager Frontline – Santa Barbara
Eight years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy talking to clients and solving their issues on the spot. I always put myself in their shoe and give them the service that they need at that specific time. Giving an excellent customer service and making the client happy makes me satisfied and that is my goal in every call.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not at work, I make sure that I spend my time with my family. We watch movies together. I play basketball with my children (Juan Alfonzo, 14, and Jose Angelo, 12. And we go to church every Sunday.
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Josephine Brain
Senior Technical Account Manager, Genesis – Canada
Nine years of service
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
On completion of a successful implementation, it is rewarding when a client is happy with the training and is able to use the program with some competency.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I spend a great deal of my spare time writing. I am a poet – and I have written approximately 1200 poems in 12 years. I had my first Book Launch on Friday, November 29. My book is called “In Awesome Wonder” – Meeting The Master. The Launch was very successful and attended by family, friends, colleagues and community!
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Rosalie Esleta
Application Specialist, Voyager Frontline — Santa Barbara
Five years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy working with clients with their issues, not only is it rewarding but I also learn from every call I make. I also get the chance to use my accounting background in my work.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you, or about a time when your job was especially gratifying.
I had an instance where I assisted another account manager on a particular case. The client was frustrated because he was unable to resolve the issue, and after the call he felt great. To quote him: “Rosalie nailed the problem in a few moments. Does everyone have to score high on an I.Q. test before working there?” – Bob Anderson, Controller, The Astor Companies
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I always enjoy spending time with my family, watching movies, playing with my husband and two boys and of course browsing in the internet for new purses.
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Jason Newland
Technical Account Manager, Affordable – Santa Barbara
Two years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the camaraderie that we have in our department. It is a very team oriented approach. Not only are we co-workers and teammates but we have become friends as well. It makes for a very easy-going, productive environment.
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you, or about a time when your job was especially gratifying.
The most enjoyable part of my working with clients is interacting with them. Working to develop a working relationship with the client is fun. It makes the process of working through issues easier as you understand their business processes and know how they like to do things. It makes for a faster turn-around time on issues and an overall better experience for the client. Also, the task of providing clients a solution and resolving their issues is quite rewarding. Specifically, in working with Steadfast, understanding all of their customizations and how they operate within Voyager has helped them to optimize their functionality within the software.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
When I am not at work I participate in several Santa Barbara Recreation Leagues. Currently, I am in both a softball and basketball league.
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Bill Paco
Senior Application Specialist, Voyager Frontline Commercial – Santa Barbara
19 years of service
Tell us what aspect of helping Yardi clients is most rewarding for you.
I spend a lot of time fixing database issues, some simple, some very complex. The reward I get is the Client’s gratitude when I can tell them the problem has been “resolved”. Many times I will take on a challenge (data fix) that go beyond the call of duty. The satisfaction comes with knowing have saved a lot time and effort on the Client end to get a problem resolved. I enjoy reviewing the resolution to the problem and coaching (teaching) ways to be able to avoid making the same mistakes. Also, sharing a few tricks or tips on how possibly correct the problems themselves.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I enjoy sports, watching or playing, especially golf and skiing. I enjoy watching old movies and listening to ‘The Oldies’, and there’s always plenty to do around the house.
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Larry Hanson
Application Specialist, Commercial – Global Solutions Santa Barbara
Seven years of service
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Supporting those clients out there is what it’s all about and that is what I enjoy. It’s always a great feeling to me to be able to deliver solutions for client requirements or resolve their support issues. Also, getting creative with the client and coworkers when perhaps solutions are evasive!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your work?
I often like to take advantage of the contact opportunity to mention or show clients some new areas of the software they perhaps have never seen, used or implemented which can give them immediate results or application expansion.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I like traveling to new places and vacationing with family, exploring and taking in the scenery and tasting the local cuisine! I enjoy photography of wildlife and sporting events (especially auto racing!). I’ll be hitting the slopes this winter for some good snow skiing too! I also engage in genealogy research projects for family’s history. I’m planning and looking forward to visiting Scandinavia soon to visit places where my ancestors once lived.
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Patrick Knox
Technical Account Manager, Affordable – Atlanta, Georgia
Two years of service
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your work?
What I enjoy most about my work is the ability to see my clients’ progressions. In the beginning, they are new to Voyager as a whole and they are completely unfamiliar with the software altogether. Over time, they become incrementally exposed, and ultimately transition to seasoned pros with Voyager Affordable Housing.
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I enjoy spending time with my family, watching football and playing dominoes.
