At Solid Signal, we have a wide variety of employees. They come from diverse professional backgrounds, and they bring different skills here with them. The addition of so many diverse personalities helps make Solid Signal a great place to work. Take Crista Ammerman for example. She’s had a number of interesting jobs that include working at The Walt Disney World Company in Florida. These experiences helped Crista develop the customer service skills that she uses to help Solid Signal’s customers. These skills and her warm, friendly personality make Crista an amazing addition to the team!
A Marvelous Manager
For those who work with Crista, her friendly and open nature is one of the first things that jumps out. She’s one of those people who’s just a joy to talk to because she’s warm, friendly, and very kind. If you were to ask her how she got that way, she’d first credit her parents. She’d also say that her many professional experiences played a role as well. She explained, “I worked at Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum (an old-fashioned arcade) for 12 years. As a manager, I had to deal with a variety of different people and situations.”
Marvin’s is a popular destination for children and adults in the Metro Detroit area. It’s common for large groups of people to visit the old-time arcade. When this happens, things can often get confusing, hectic, and crowded. Through it all, Crista practiced patience to help her remain calm so she could sort out any situation. She recalled, “Whether someone misplaced their tickets or something happened with the game they were playing, some parents could get really wound up. Getting upset with them would only make the matter worse, so I learned to stay calm and help resolve their situation, whatever it was.”
The Magic of Customer Service
When she was 22 years old, Crista worked at Walt Disney World in Florida for seven months. It was part of the Disney College Program and, as a fan of Disney, she thought it would be an interesting experience. It was in so many ways. She explained, “I really stepped out of my comfort zone to do this. At some of my other jobs, I was a manager in charge of a team. At Disney, I was part of a team that was managed by someone else.” Experiencing both sides of the customer service “fence,” so to speak, helped broaden Crista’s customer service skills in ways she never imagined.
Since Disney attracts people from all over America and the world, Crista’s customer service training took a multi-cultural approach. For example, when pointing the direction for guests, she would either use her index and middle fingers or her entire hand. She explained, “In some cultures, pointing with just the index figure is considered offensive. It was really great customer service training that helps me stay calm in any situation, which I bring with me here.”
Crista’s skills and experiences are among many interesting things about her, as we learned by asking these questions:
Q: How did you end up working at Solid Signal?
A: “I wanted a change from working a face-to-face customer service from the busy and over-stimulating Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum (an old-time arcade). After 12 years there, I wanted a change of scenery and a team environment. More importantly, I also wanted a full-time job. I asked around on Facebook and my friend Thomas Mattison told me about his job at Solid Signal. I sent him my resume and the next thing I know, I was working with TV antennas and satellite dishes.”
Q: What do you do here? What do you like most about your job?
A: “I’m a customer service representative. I answer phones, help customers order products, make TV antenna recommendations, and answer questions. I can also help trouble shoot DIRECTV error codes. I really love the family atmosphere here; everyone is very supportive and we all work together. We all have fun together at company gatherings and picnics, but we also make sure to get the work done.”
Q: What has been your greatest accomplishment while working here?
A: “I would have to say the opportunity to use my experiences from Marvin’s to be welcoming, supportive, and calm with customers. I’ve also been able to learn more about weBoost cell signal boosters, which helps me answer customer questions and recommend the right product for each customer.”
Q: Do you have any pets? What are their names?
A: “I share a pet with my parents. She’s a Shollie (a German-Shepperd/ Collie mix) named Zeeva the Diva. I trained her myself using the skills I got from working at Pet Supplies Plus for five years. Zeeva lies with my parents but I take every opportunity to love on her as much as I can.”
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: “Honestly, I’m a complete dork outside of work. I play video games, board games, read manga (Japanese comics), hang out with friends and family. I also play Dungeons & Dragons. My favorite thing is to watch The Office even though I’ve seen the entire series at least five times now.”
Q: When people meet you, what really surprises them about you?
A: “That I am so positive about almost everything at work. They’re also surprised by my interesting work history. Before here I worked at The Michigan Renaissance Festival, Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum, Pet Supplies Plus, and The Walt Disney World Company in Florida. Because of that last work experience, I now have friends all around the world!”
Q: Where is the most exotic place you’ve visited?
A: “I did this People to People Student Ambassador’s Program the summer before High School and had the chance to go to Australia for 21 Days. It’s the most amazing place I’ve been to, hands down! I went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, slept in an aquarium, and ate kangaroo and crocodile. (Both taste like chicken.) I also learned how to play the didgeridoo and how to through a boomerang so it comes back to you.”
Q: If you could have dinner with one famous person who would it be?
A: “I would have to say Johnny Depp. He’s a great actor who can do so many roles and I’ve always loved his movies. From his older roles in Cry Baby to his more recent roles like Pirates of the Caribbean, I’ve seen them all. Regardless of what people have said about him I still enjoy all of his movies.”
Call Solid Signal Today!
We’re proud to have Crista as a member of our talented customer service department. Each day, these friendly professionals answer calls, emails, and chats to help you get the electronic products you want and need. This helpful service is a big reason why Solid Signal is the premier online destination for TV antennas, satellite dishes, and cell phone boosters. (We also carry a huge supply of electronic products.) If you need help, give us a call at 888-233-7563. You can also reach us by filling out this form and sending it to us.
