Meet the global Technical Services team

In this blog post, you’ll get to know the Technical Services Team at Axis. They are our customers first point of contact post-sales and installation and are located in several locations across our global organization. We spoke to a few members of the team to find out more about the services they provide, how they maintain and uphold the Axis brand, and what they enjoy most about their jobs.

What is the Technical Services team, and what do you do?

Candace Laffin – Technical Services Engineer, EMEA: We are a team of skilled engineers and specialists who are responsible for the post-installation and post-sale experience of Axis products. When the sales teams and integrators have completed the design and installation, we serve as a first point of contact should any assistance be required. This could mean answering questions or troubleshooting issues through our ticketing system, our chat service or over the phone.

A large part of our success at Axis comes from both the quality of our products, and from the maintenance and support we provide to partners and products. The trust we build with our partners is the formula for repeat business and organic sales growth.

Ivan Hu – Technical Services Specialist, APAC: I am a Technical Service Specialist, so I provide guidance on complex cases before any potential escalation to our Product Specialists at our HQ in Lund, Sweden. I often collaborate with other departments in pre-launch product testing and product feedback. In addition to this, I mentor the Technical Service Engineers for our region.

The customers will generally come to us when there is an issue with their product, so a large part of what we do is provide peace of mind. We offer reassurance that we’ll stay with them beyond the sale and ensure that we will support them when they need it most. Together we can achieve an innovative solution to their issue and keep the customers’ sites safe.

Maximo Carmona – Technical Services Engineer, Americas: We take our customer interactions seriously, as we are responsible for meeting their expectations when it comes to maintaining Axis products, services, and branding post-sales. We are always there to help our partners, but also our own colleagues. If someone from another department has a question, we take the same approach to that as we would a customer.

What excites you most about your job?

Ivan: Learning about new products and solutions. We need to keep up with the times. When I first started in 2011, we just worked with cameras and encoders. Now we’ve grown to include products like access control and audio network devices. There is always something new to learn and that excites me.

Maximo: I like to be challenged, and every customer interaction is a different and new challenge. When they contact us, it is usually because they have exhausted their own resources, and helping to resolve that issue is where the challenge comes in. It’s really rewarding when a customer gives us feedback that something we have done makes them feel safer. That’s why I enjoy coming to work every day. To know I’m doing my part towards building a smarter, safer world.

Candace: The learning opportunities, the successes of problem solving and mostly the people I am privileged to share them with. Being relatively new to the organization, I’ve observed that Axis has a very welcoming culture. It is such a large company, yet you see a commonality in behavior among everyone. I remember joking in my interview that there must be something in the water here – everyone’s so happy. I’ve never experienced a company that gives back to its employees the way Axis does.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

Ivan: I will plan the weekly chat schedule for my region and review cases to spot trends. I can then bring them to the attention of my team, so we are aware of any potential issues that may occur. This way we can be better prepared to aid the customer. We are fortunate that we have the option to work in a hybrid manner. To me that flexibility is invaluable when it comes to making childcare arrangements or other occasions where I may need to stay home.

Maximo: Every day is different. We work across 3 phases: phone time, off phone time and lab time. The largest part of my time is spent interacting with customers through calls. Off phone time allows me to work on more complex cases before getting back to the customer with a resolution. Lab time allows me to handle the products customers use, so I can better understand how they work and what issues a customer may face. We have a hybrid 50/50 work schedule and rotate every other week, so we always get to see each other regularly. That balance is ideal for me.

We are a tight knit and multi-cultural department, and we like to bring in snacks from those cultures. So much so I’ve nicknamed the company SnAXIS!

Candace Laffin, Technical Services Engineer

How do you inspire and motivate each other in the team?

Ivan: It sounds simple, but we are always talking to each other. We all come from different industries, and all have different knowledge areas that we have gained from that. We are in a more backend role and by sharing knowledge and talking to each other, we can gain new perspectives, insights, and ideas. We use this to understand the customers’ needs better. It’s a great way to stay inspired and motivated, as well as encourages us all to ask questions.

Candace: We are a tight knit and multi-cultural department, and we like to bring in snacks from those cultures. So much so I’ve nicknamed the company SnAXIS! We often spend time together outside of work, going for walks or having gatherings. We also celebrate promotions – many of us grow within the company. Some are promoted to higher positions within Technical Services, some have gone to Sales, and some have gone to product specialist roles. We all take part in recognizing and congratulating those accomplishments.

What can you tell us about career development at Axis?

Ivan: Since I’ve started as a Technical Service Engineer, Axis has grown and new innovations have been developed, which means greater opportunities for career growth have become open. For instance, there are now more levels within Technical Services that people can aspire to reach. There are also opportunities to move departments and relocate in different regions as well.

Maximo: The management are supportive in providing opportunities for us to progress. The company encourages you to pursue professional certifications, which allows for further growth and development and possible acceleration to higher position levels. There is also a lot of support in helping us to get where we want to be. It’s exciting to know there are these sorts of opportunities to develop our careers and ourselves here.

What has your career journey at Axis looked like?

Ivan: I started at Axis 12 years ago as a Technical Service Engineer and I didn’t have any experience within this industry. I came from an IT support background. When I started, I began learning more by disassembling cameras to discover more about how they worked. After seven years I was promoted to my current role as a TSS.

Maximo: We came from Texas to Massachusetts for this position. Axis helped me with the relocation, and I moved my wife and cat halfway across the country to work here. I’ve now been here for a year. It’s been an adventure and a blessing, so I don’t regret my decision. I’d been in the industry for a few years already before joining which gave me a good knowledge base, and when I first started, I got a really detailed onboarding process.

Candice: My journey is at its beginning, but I can certainly say it has been a great experience with ongoing learning and growing. I can see many paths formulating in front of me where I could potentially see myself in a different role in the future. I consider myself very fortunate to work for an organization that provides endless opportunities and really supportive and caring management.

“If you love to learn and grow – you will have a very fulfilling career here.”

Candace Laffin, Technical Services Engineer

What can a new employee expect when they join the team?

Candace: Technical Services is a support department. This not only means we support our clients, but we also support each other. As a new team member, you will be made feel like a part of the team right away.

Ivan: When someone joins, they will be given a detailed onboarding process. We believe in a more hands-on approach, so they will have a few weeks of product and technical training. Then they will then be asked to shadow a TSE. We believe that getting practical experience, especially early on, is so valuable to helping you understand the role.

Maximo: We recognize that everyone is different and may need different learning and support styles, which is why the time spent onboarding is different for everyone. We always ensure someone is with them every step of the way to give them the best possible experience.

What piece of advice would you give to those applying for a job in the team?

Ivan: To always be open to learning, listen with intent, and be willing to ask questions. It is the best way to better understand customer needs and address the solution.

Maximo: We work in a fast-paced industry, and so we need to be really in the know when it comes to new products and trends. It helps us to stay ahead and provide better advice, support, and guidance to our customers. My advice is to always be looking for new value resources and to be willing to build your knowledge base. That is something that we always support here, it’s part of our culture to be curious and to ask questions.

Candace: To be an Axis employee is to have a positive attitude with a willingness to help others around them. Bring an open mind, a willingness to learn and share information. If you love to learn and grow – you will have a very fulfilling career here. Axis has very big aspirations and we love people who are innovative thinkers and embrace a challenge.

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Want to join the team? Have a look at our open positions.

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