NOTE: After a year and a half with Accent, Adam has moved on to another opportunity. We wish him the best!
Ask Adam what it’s like to work on the Alpha team at Accent, and he’ll say it’s fun. However, as team members joke around, they never lose sight of what they’re doing – solving problems. So when Adam and his coworker Philip were coined the “Adobe whisperers,” it was with a spirit of fun but also out of respect for their ability to solve some very annoying problems that clients were having with their software.
As a Support Specialist on the Alpha team, Adam calls individuals at client companies in response to email tickets asking for support. The team is set up so that half are responding to emails, and the other half are answering phone calls. So when there’s a flurry of incoming phone calls, Adam will hop on a call to help the team meet their collective goal of giving clients the fast attention that they’re used to.
“One of our values is to work and win as a team, and we try to be available to help out with inbound phone calls,” explained Adam. “There are hills and valleys, and it helps the team overall.”
Adding Value by Increasing Knowledge and Skills
This is Adam’s first job in IT after changing careers.
He was previously working in web development and decided that he wanted a more hands-on job with technology. Plus, he’s always felt comfortable with computers, and people seemed to come to him when they needed help.
Getting his CompTIA A+ certification was the first step in his technical education. He’s added five more certifications in less than a year of employment at Accent. As someone who’s big on growth, Adam appreciates the encouragement and financial support he’s received to push his professional growth forward. He also recognizes how working on a collaborative team has extended his learning and success.
“We have the opportunity to learn from one another. Our supervisors and the other technicians and engineers who have been here longer share their knowledge,” said Adam.
“You learn a lot on the job. I want to show that I can add value, elevate our clients’ service and give back to the team by learning more personally, and pass on what I learn to my coworkers.”
Putting Trust in the Team
Adam talks a lot about the “team” and how they help each other when he’s speaking about his work. When he recalls his first days on the job, what sticks in his mind is that he was told that he could ask for help and that he could put his trust in his team.
The Alpha team meets weekly to discuss common issues, trends, and patterns that they see in their daily work of solving client issues large and small. In addition, they share helpful technical tips and empower each other’s success.
“It’s not a solo effort,” said Adam. “We have great people on our team. We look out for each other and help each other. We teach one another, and we’re all part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Team Building and Hard Conversations
Adam is very insightful in his reflections about teamwork. He talks about camaraderie and how they can joke around even when the work is stressful. But he also talks about how working as a team means that you sometimes have to have hard conversations.
Whether it’s receiving feedback, sharing opinions, or addressing issues, there’s space for those discussions at Accent, and ultimately they make the team stronger.
“Adam is dedicated to the team and helping clients,” said Jason B., Alpha Team Service Manager. “He makes sure that the new people coming in are helped along the same way he was. And he’s gone above and beyond where most people at his skill level would be able to go.”
Building Relationships to Serve in a Deeper Way
While Adam is flying through training and packing certifications into his technical toolbox, the goals that he has for his future don’t rest solely on knowledge and capability but on the opportunity to develop relationships.
Whenever he’s deemed ready, he’d like a spot on one of Accent’s Elite Service Teams that work with a specific set of clients and have the opportunity to get to know them and serve them in a deeper way.
“The burden of technology is increasing. It’s a gift to be able to help someone and make someone’s day,” said Adam. “This is a field that’s needed. This is how we can use our gifts and talents to help.”
