The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success.
Erin Stewart is smart enough to know she doesn’t know everything, and that it’s important to surround herself with people whose strengths match her weaknesses. Perhaps that explains her meteoric rise through the ranks of the industry in just eight short years. Read on to learn more about Erin, her explanation of her day — which is the best I’ve seen in all the years of doing these profiles — and how a manager at a cell phone kiosk gave her the best advice she’s ever heard.
Name: Erin Stewart
Current Role/Job Title: Executive Director
Company: SuccessKPI
Length of time at current company: 1 year this month!
Length of time in industry: 8 years and counting
How did you get your start in the industry?
While working at Interactive Intelligence, now known as Genesys, they purchased Latitude and I was asked to support their team with lead generation efforts. Kenny Baker, Ian Winder, Rick Regan, Jamie Langlois, Carl Harkelroad, and the Latitude team welcomed me to the industry and introduced me to the market.
What is your career highlight so far?
At the Contact Center Week tradeshow last month, I spoke on the Amazon stage with a BPO client who works on behalf of a large public health protection agency to share the impact that our solution had on their ability to drive results for a critical healthcare initiative, turning up 21K+ agents in 8 weeks. The room was at full capacity, turning away dozens of attendees who wanted to attend, heads were nodding with relatable content to consume, and the attendees shared that it was one of their favorite sessions at the conference.
When or how are you most productive?
I am most productive under pressure, when someone needs me to deliver… I do.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
I first met Nathan Anderson when he was an operator and have worked with him as a solution provider, his ability to actively listen and build rapport with so many contacts across our industry while also taking care of business at home is unmatched. I am lucky to call him a friend and colleague.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
I know my strengths and weaknesses and seek out others who are strong where I am weak. I cannot do it all, so ensuring that I surround myself with those that fill the gaps that I have ensures that together we achieve more!
What do you like most about this industry?
The ecosystem of solution-oriented thinkers in this industry is unmatched. When presented with a challenge, we come together to find a way to solve the problem that creates new opportunities for others to thrive!
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What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
This was one of the hardest questions to answer. After working in a few other industries in my career there isn’t much I would change about this industry as my experience has been extremely positive and rewarding. If anything, I would suggest that the industry be prouder and louder about the focus on customer experience and positive outcomes that are front and center in all the conversations we are having.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
If I had not made the courageous leap to start my career over in B2B sales at Interactive Intelligence after 15 years of working in retail and retail management, I would probably be managing a region of cell phone stores and wishing I would have been more confident in my ability to change the direction of my future.
Describe a typical work day.
Coffee, Outlook, Slack, Zoom, Outlook, Zoom, Slack, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, Slack, Outlook, Amazon Chime, Zoom, Outlook, Teams, Slack, Outlook, Google Meet, Zoom, Zoom, Slack, Outlook, Tea.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Reality TV and documentaries, indulging in streaming content that consumes my thoughts is one of the only times I am not thinking about how I could be helping my team exceed their expectations.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
I started my sales career selling phones in a kiosk in a mall and my boss would answer, “Great and Getting Better”, every single time someone asked him how he was doing. Looking back, this
was such a wonderful way to verbalize your intention of always getting better and bringing positivity into every conversation.
What are you currently reading?
“Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
I am very proud of my fourteen-year-old son and seventeen-year-old daughter — they are my motivation and inspire me to work hard every day to be the best mom I can be.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
I would love to get to know Courtney Crace, one of the newest team members at VoApps!
The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success