Employee Spotlight: Deb Karr

Deb Karr, Senior Manager, Customer Service at AquaPhoenix, discusses her work, the importance of soft skills, and more.

Q: What is your role at APS? 

I oversee the customer service team in three different locations. We're located in Pennsylvania, Texas, and California. I make sure that our customers are being taken care of, orders are being processed, and that any delays are relayed to our customers in a timely fashion. 

Q: What has been your favorite project?

My favorite project has been soft skills training. It's very hard to locate training that helps enhance peoples soft skills; things like having empathy, speaking clearly, WOW-ing our customers. So I developed my own soft skills training. We've had two rounds of training and it's been very well received and I feel like the team has grown from it.

Q: What advice would you give to a new hire?

Embrace AquaPhoenix and the mentality that people are going to hold you accountable. If that means pointing out something that may not have been done correctly the first time, that's not a bad thing. It's a growing opportunity. We all hold each other accountable because we're here to help grow the business. That's a hard one to get used to but it really is beneficial for everybody. 

Q: If you could learn something new, what would it be?

If I could learn to do anything I would say probably learn to fly a plane. My dad had started getting his pilot's license and I would probably enjoy doing that. To be able to pick up and go whenever you want. Of course, I don't have the money for a plane either, but flying one would be great. 

Q: What is something most people don't know about you?

Something that most people don't know about me is I came from the world of animal medicine before being in customer service. I was a veterinary technician for twenty years. It's very similar in that you have customers and clients who need something or want something. They need your help and you need to be an active listener and take care of whatever the situation is. 

Q: Any favorite line from a movie?

My favorite movie quote is, "He'll regret it till his dying day, if ever he lives that long." I'm all about quirky humor and it's a funny line. It's an awesome movie, The Quiet Man. You have to watch it. 

Q: Which AquaPhoenix Core Value Stands out to you?

My favorite core value with AquaPhoenix is, DO THE RIGHT THING. I feel like that is what life is about. I'm very much a rule follower. Probably too much so. Just do the right thing, you'll never go wrong. 

Q: What is your favorite food?

My husband makes a really mean bruschetta. It's probably my favorite food. Next summer when our tomatoes and basil grow in, I'll bring everybody some. It's awesome.

Q: Do you have pets?

Oh, do I have pets. I currently have five rescues; three cats and two dogs. And I have had an insane moment where I have decided that I need another golden retriever puppy. So I have a deposit on a golden retriever puppy that is being born next month. SO by December I'll be pulling out my hair chasing a puppy. We'll have six pets in our house and it'll be chaotic and fun and crazy and I can't wait.