Previous article
Celonaut Spotlight: Sammie Edwards, Customer Support Engineer, Raleigh
What makes working at Celonis special for you?
The company culture here is beyond amazing. You can feel the enthusiasm employees have for Celonis and its products. Every Celonaut brings something unique to the table – I know I’m not just another number here. I feel valued, compensated for my worth and experience level, and am skyrocketing past what I thought possible at this point in my career.
Plus, the exposure to such interesting and diverse topics each day from our customers at the Service Desk keeps me engaged and happy while I work so that I can return home to what I like doing in my free time. It’s a great balance!
What makes you proud?
I’m proud to work alongside such amazingly talented individuals. My professional team at Celonis embodies the same values I expect from my gaming colleagues on virtual battlefields -passion and trust are vital. I know I can rely on Celonauts, and together, we get things done.
You mentioned virtual battlefields. As a gamer, you’re a part of our new community, Gamers@Celonis. Tell us a little bit more about this initiative.
Quite simply, we are Celonauts coming together to share our passion for gaming and fun.
As gaming and virtual reality (VR) continue to take the entertainment industry by storm, more people want to feel the thrill that these exciting pastimes have to offer. Local online communities and employee resource groups (ERGs) like Gamers@Celonis provide the opportunity to make meaningful connections with like-minded folks.
This initiative encourages us to meet and socialize in ways work just wouldn’t allow. Then again, maybe you do scream ‘GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL‘ as loud as possible when you complete a task at your desk. Maybe I’m doing it wrong?
How can being an active Gamer help applicants build the skills needed to join the Celonis Engineering Department?
As Gamers operate their machines and troubleshoot technical problems, they perform many simple and moderate-level IT methods that IT Departments must do methodically by standards. Gamers are exposed unknowingly to an extreme amount of technical standards, features, functions, and resolution methods.
Additionally, some Gamers like me have invested in custom rigs and setups – it’s no surprise that when things go wrong, the DIY mentality really comes into play to keep things running smoothly. In my personal experience, the nicer the system and setup, the more problems you face.
As Gamers explore new formats such as VR, the possibilities are endless for passive learning that applies to future work. Have you been virtual clubbing or flown a plane in virtual reality yet? What are you waiting for?
What challenges do you face every day, and how do you deal with them?
There are days when tickets from customers flood the Service Desk with no sign of slowing down. The workload can be complicated and ongoing, but the variety keeps it interesting. Staying on top of tickets and keeping the ship afloat is our specialty. It can be stressful, and when things break, a situation’s intensity tends to increase. So keeping things calm, collected, and peaceful is essential.
The second most important thing is prioritizing self-care. As a team, we make sure we’re reaching out when help is needed, staying on top of needs like water and physical exercise, taking breaks and stepping away when it’s too much. Having a strong mental game is the only way to stay on top of tickets. Without good self-care, you can kiss those SLAs and response times goodbye as your stress levels will floor you.
Gaming and diversifying my hobbies serve as my self-care. I can take a breather when I need it and keep it fresh with new and exciting adventures online!
Describe your team at Celonis in three words.
So - Freaking - Amazing
Which of the Celonis values matter most to you and why?
It’s a mix between “Earth is our Future” and “Live for Customer Value.”
Personally, I do my best to keep our planet top of mind in my daily activities to take care of the environment around me. I believe we should all take steps to address climate change, as we are not the only creatures here. I worry about the future state of Earth for not only humankind but for the many species on this planet.
In my role at Celonis, I “Live for Customer Value” every day. I get the special opportunity to work directly with almost every customer we onboard, either directly or through their Customer Success Managers and Account Managers. From the Service Desk, my job is partially ensuring these clients get the best experience during their most problematic times with our product. I always do my best to go the extra mile with research, explanations, and time allocated, as the customers are one of my favorite parts of this job. Some of their issues can be really complicated and taking the extra time every chance I get to clarify and elaborate makes all the difference in their experience. We can’t forget about them after they sign up; the real customer value comes from the ongoing support – I do my best to deliver on that. Sammie joined Celonis in 2020 as a Customer Support Engineer after completing their studies in Software Programming and Development. Sammie plays professional e-Sports in Virtual Reality, previously running their own team for six months. They also have a few pet spiders - Pepper, Lucky, and Piano.
More blog posts on Employee Blog
