An interview with Duthie Office Manager, Karen Fic
Whether calling into Duthie Power or visiting our offices, I am the first person to welcome you into our business. It’s a privilege I’ve enjoyed for many years, as our business has grown to include more staff and more ways to serve our customers.
And when I say, “welcome you into our business,” I do mean welcome. While my voice is the first you hear when you call our offices, it won’t be the last thing that makes you feel warm and appreciated at Duthie. We do our best to make prospects and customers feel comfortable in any interaction. Even something as simple as being transferred to the correct person who can assist you is a priority for our customer service. How many times have you called a company for assistance and been transferred multiple times before reaching help?
We’re also lucky to have many loyal customers, and 15 years’ worth of customer assistance has forged many a personal connection with clients. Our prioritization of offering superior customer service has been around since we started over fifty years ago, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t also embraced exciting changes!
Duthie Power Services has Grown
For one thing, Duthie Power has grown. In 2006, Duthie had only one location. Fast forward to 2021 and the company has more than doubled in size with two locations, including San Diego, and continues to expand.
We also have new technology to support this larger team. Tools such as the Duthie Power app clients can use to schedule service and our CRM which helps us better manage client relationships have been game changers. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to schedule and integrate everything so efficiently – it’s been immensely helpful to have Duthie’s technical growth match its team growth!
In addition, I’ve seen many employees grow into leadership positions. Some have started as technicians and others doing odd jobs in the truck yard. One thing I’ve noticed at Duthie is where you start is not necessarily where you end up.
Our Values are Consistent
Sadly, some other things have changed too – mostly due to events in the outer world. We get a lot more calls from people affected by bigger, more frequent wildfires. And last year, we had to change our voicemail to state specifically that we are NOT the Illinois Hotline for Covid-19. Turns out one of our 800 numbers is just one digit away from the hotline!
COVID-19 has changed some things about Duthie, too. But even the changes show that the important things stay the same: making everyone, including employees, feel welcome. Whether it’s in-person or not.
For example, we always celebrated birthdays in the office. We can’t now, but our management sends beautiful edible birthday arrangements straight to our homes. It’s just one way they show that they continue to care.
And even while the office is relatively unpopulated, I can still look around and see pictures of everyone at Duthie – including our beloved Duthie Dogs. (The office is another thing that’s changed – it’s remodeled, sleek, and personalized now, far from the strange-looking office I walked into 15 years ago!) Now that the majority of us are vaccinated, we’re looking forward to office chatter again!
Our friendly, supportive culture has retained most people who start working for Duthie and has helped Duthie succeed the way it has in the last 15 years. Not only are we continually growing (especially in San Diego), but many customers have been with us for years and years, just like our team members.
