According to an Economic News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of years that someone will work for an employer is 4.6 years. The average employee changes jobs 12 times in his or her career.
Which is why it’s rare to find someone with a company as long as Bob Skene, our VP of Operations. Bob celebrates his 30th year with our company on June 5th.
Our CEO Gordy Link shared, “I have known Bob for 30 years and worked with him for a good portion of that time. He is one of the most technically sound copier minds in this industry. He is my right hand when it comes to running our Service and Operations departments. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow and become a leader within the organization.”
We recently caught up with Bob to find out what changes he has seen over the years and get his insight into what separates WCC apart from the rest.
Bob, we know you wear a lot of hats here at WCC. Could you share with us what your day-to-day activities look like?
Delivering great customer service is the number one priority of every member of our team, myself included.
As you can imagine in the service business, things arise every day that need immediate attention. I’m always checking our response times and making sure that our systems are working to keep the customers notified of the status of their calls and the techs locations.
I oversee the ordering of equipment, assembly and delivery and am constantly updating our team to the status of the installs. I also oversee our inventory of equipment, accessories, parts and supplies. My team works very closely with our controller, Eric, to manage our inventory.
I am responsible for managing the shipment of all machines coming off lease to the proper return centers. I am also responsible for our fleet of company vehicles and our facility maintenance.
What kept you with WCC for the last 30 years?
One of the main things is the loyalty to the family, as my father-in-law founded the company. It’s more than that, though. Truthfully, I have always felt we were building one of the best service departments in the Bay area.
Having been with the company for so long, you’ve obviously seen an enormous amount of growth. What are some of the biggest changes that stand out in your mind?
Two of the biggest changes have been the connectivity of the equipment, and then the integration of the machines with document storage and workflow solutions.
These changes have elevated our technicians to a higher level. Now they are not only fixing hardware issues, but they must be able to troubleshoot network issues as well.
Another major change has been the shift in the machine population from black and white to color, mostly due to the cost reduction for color printing over the years.
I’m sure you have a lot of stories to tell from your time here! Could you share some of your most memorable moments?
My most memorable moments have been the result of the enormous growth I’ve seen during my time here.
One of the most memorable was about fourteen years ago when the company grew and we moved from Clearwater to Pinellas Park, into a facility over twice the size of the building we had been in.
Then, about six years ago, we expanded into a portion of the building that we had been previously renting out. This allowed us to add a state-of-the-art showroom and sales area. It was definitely a proud moment, seeing how far we had come.
What’s the biggest win the stands out in your mind?
Honestly, the biggest wins have been the amazing customers and what we have been able to accomplish in their businesses. It’s allowed not only our business to expand and grow, but help them to grow as well.
What changes do you foresee in the future?
Technology is always changing and the equipment will continue to evolve.
The use of android touch screens has led to the development and use of applications that can be loaded according to the customer’s needs. The equipment also can be constantly upgraded to meet the customer’s growing needs.
This, in combination with the continually improving software solutions, will allow us to tailor a customized solution to improve the customer’s way of doing business. We will continue to adapt and search for ways to improve our customer experience, from the sale to the service after.
What do you think sets WCC apart from its competitors?
Our customer service is unparalleled.
It starts from the first point of contact with a potential new customer. Our sales team analyzes the customer’s need, then recommends the best solution based on those needs. Then the delivery, install and operator training takes place. Finally, our team performs ongoing service after the sale to keep the equipment operating at maximum efficiency.
We have systems in place to constantly keep our customers notified of the status of their calls and the location of their technician.
We also constantly review customer satisfaction surveys that are sent at the completion of all service calls, looking for areas we could make improvements in our customer service response. Our technicians are highly trained and use company vehicles that are stocked with the most common replacement parts. This allows us, in most cases, to complete a service call on the first visit, minimizing the customer’s down time.
What do you do when you aren’t in the office?
When I’m not in the office I enjoy spending time with my wife of almost 29 years. I enjoy doing home improvement projects, cooking, grilling and exercising.
Congratulations on celebrating 30 years with us Bob!
As John C. Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” You truly embody a leader who both shows and goes the way. Thank you for your many invaluable years of leadership for our team and service to our customers.