Mod of the Month — July 2020
Our July Mod of the Month is an artist with a great sense of compassion for others. His colleagues rave about his commitment to those he works with. He takes the time to understand the cause of an issue and determines how to provide solutions that reinforce customer loyalty. This is someone who loves building personal connections with everyone he meets. For all these reasons and more, we’re excited to name Stephen S. as our latest Mod of the Month!
Years before following in his wife’s footsteps and applying to join ModSquad, Stephen was a funeral director. “It’s a role rooted in customer service,” says Stephen. “Being a funeral director requires a generous sense of empathy. Being able to turn things around for people in difficult situations gave me the ability to be able to turn things around now for a customer who needs help. The virtues that I developed then are certainly applicable to the customer service I provide today.”
Another reason for Stephen’s Mod of the Month status is his reliability. One ModSquad colleague noted, “The client is always impressed with Stephen’s work. His QA is stellar. When troubleshooting in-progress tickets, Stephen delivers thorough and accurate results.”
Although delighted to be named Mod of the Month, Stephen points out that he’s most touched by the fact that his colleagues appreciate him enough to nominate him for this honor. He attributes his (and ModSquad’s) success to the company’s project leadership, who Stephen notes are always willing to take the time to improve his work experience and make sure that he feels that he’s being heard and respected.
“The people here set ModSquad apart. I’ve seen firsthand how well our Project Managers take care of their projects and clients. They interact with the client on a personal level, allowing us to place an immense level of trust in one another. It goes beyond the deal made on paper; it’s a relationship built on experience and mutual respect. It makes us want to excel on the client’s behalf, which in turn makes the client want to continue working with us. At ModSquad, you’re a member of a tight-knit community.”
Another community that’s important to Stephen is that of his hometown of Atlanta, and he gets a lot of satisfaction from his local volunteer work. Once a week, he and his daughter help cook and prepare meals for people who have been negatively affected by the financial impact of COVID-19. But he’s more than a chef — he’s an artist, too! With his flexible Mod schedule, Stephen is able to collaborate with local artists to build culture through outdoor murals on buildings throughout the city. As he creates his art, he’s likely to be rocking out to some heavy metal, his go-to music genre. In fact, he was in a Black Sabbath cover band while in school. And if you want a feel for his sense of humor, check out his favorite movie, the vampire mockumentary What We Do In the Shadows.
Although Stephen is regarded as an insightful fellow who thinks before he speaks, we thought it would be fun to run him through the gauntlet of rapid-fire Q&A. Here are his off-the-cuff responses to a few random questions:
Q: What would you name your boat if you had one?
A: Bottom’s Up.
Q: What will finally break the internet?
A: Isn’t it in a perpetual state of being broken and fixed?
Q: What would be on the gag reel of your life?
A: There’s so much content, it would be a live stream.
Q: Where is the worst-smelling place you’ve been?
A: A paper factory in South Georgia.
Q: If you had to change your name, what would your new name be, and why would you choose that name?
A: Constantine — it sounds epic.
Q: What is the worst purchase you’ve ever made?
A: Several haircuts.
Q: What’s the closest thing to real magic?
A: Love.
All it takes is one conversation to understand that Stephen is genuine and empathetic, a trait that’s essential for a support Mod. This has earned him the respect of his colleagues, who had plenty to say about his value to ModSquad:
“On our project, the primary customer base is elderly and not tech-savvy. Stephen empathizes extremely well, connecting with the user from the start. He goes the extra mile to ensure the user’s issue is resolved and that the user leaves with the knowledge needed to take care of that same issue in the future.”
— Ian H., Account Manager
“No matter what Stephen has going on, if I need help, he’s right there! We have regular deadlines and Stephen always delivers on time!”
— Erin L., Project Manager
“Stephen is a rock — and a rock star. I rely on him for quality work, and he also takes on extra tasks whenever the opportunity arises.”
— Michael M., Account Manager