David joins the EngageRM team following a career in technology that has spanned across two states. The self-proclaimed technology lover brings a bank of knowledge about the Dynamics system and a passion for helping customers to EngageRM as our newest Customer Support Specialist.
The first question we always ask is: has sport played a part in your life?
DB: I’m more into motorsports than anything else, I grew up in a family that was heavily into NRL, but it never really caught on to me. Rally is the main branch I follow; the cars aren’t as fragile where a simple tap could cause the car to fall into a million pieces. I’ve been to a few rallies, and I can safely say I’ve never been the same after. The way the noise reverberates throughout your whole body is incredible.
The world of technology is vast and dense, how did you find your way?
DB: I’ve always been a little bit of a geek so when it comes to tech, I’m all in. I’ve got what some would say is a bad habit where it’s not uncommon for me to switch phones once every 6 to 12 months. In my early 20s one of my hobbies was building custom computers for myself and friends, so tech has always been a significant passion in my life.
Did that love of tech quickly transfer to a career in the field once you finished your schooling?
DB: Effectively yes! Once I left school, I ended up doing a traineeship at Telstra where I was programming for the internet. After a few years I moved to my first helpdesk role in the banking and payment industry where we were troubleshooting most of the time. Over 9 years I held 3 different roles which were based in Sydney, after that I was sick of the city’s cost of living, so I moved to Brisbane, Queensland which is where I’m based now!
What sparked the move to working with CRM platforms?
DB: One of the last projects I worked on before I moved focused on transitioning our service delivery department of 16 users to a CRM platform. It was just me and the developers who were responsible for everything from the requirements, to testing, to documentation! It wasn’t something I’d done before, but I loved the learning process. In my previous job before EngageRM, I managed around 600 users on a Dynamics CRM platform which brought a slew of new challenges.
You’ve worked with a Dynamics platform for some time now, what do you love about it?
DB: I love the intuitive nature and the user-friendly appearance of Dynamics, I also live and breathe within the Microsoft ecosystem, everything looks familiar and it’s easy to navigate. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to quickly build something and find a solution when someone comes to me with a problem.
You were referred to us by our Senior Developer Danielle Schlie, how did this all come about?
DB: Danielle is my cousin! We’re both quite similar and have the same interests so when she sent me a message about the open role at EngageRM I knew I had to have a look at it. Everyone’s biggest fear when starting a new job is what the company culture will be like, and because I knew someone who worked there, I have a good idea of what that culture is like before joining. Also, talking to Ned Coten (EngageRM’s CEO) was great as I haven’t interacted with a CEO who’s felt that approachable before. The area that I’ll be moving into at EngageRM is a space that needs a lot of work, so I’ll be able to wear quite a few different hats.
The final question is always the same for our profiles, which is what are you most looking forward to in your new role?
DB: Getting to know everyone in the business and learning the lay of the land! I’m excited to learn about what we do, why we do it, and how we do it, to see how we can better the experiences of our customers. Also, providing that helpdesk for customers as an avenue to help them get through those little niggles they come across. It’s an exciting new challenge and I’m looking forward to laying the foundations to make the lives of customers better.
