Our traffic peaks in the summer months, and sometimes, even the most seasoned sales staff needs an extra hand. In Denver, senior lead tech Caleb Kresge is committed to each part of our business, even if that means picking up the phone when he’s walking through the office.
“Caleb will stop at nothing to ensure that our residents, and even our prospects, are taken care of,” general manager Sarah Drewes said. “When Caleb was in the office to retrieve an air filter for a work order and saw that all of us were on the phone, he picked up someone’s twinned cell phone.
“Caleb answered the call confidently and with a friendly tone.”
Caleb has proven he’s all in and a team player. In August, he celebrated five years with The Connor Group. Loop caught up with him to ask about his journey, challenges and what he’s learned along the way…
Question: How would you describe your five years with The Connor Group?
Answer: I’ve learned a lot, and the time went quicker than I thought. I didn’t have any maintenance experience when I started. I did turns for a year and a half and got really comfortable. I’ve been promoted twice, and I’m now senior lead tech. Seeing myself grow has made me realize I can think mechanically.
Q: What do you want to learn over the next year?
A: I want to continue to learn how to be a better leader. I want to become a mentor for our Denver associates and be available to help, whether over the phone or in person. I want to be someone that any associate is comfortable calling at any time to help. I also want to teach classes and work towards being a trainer. That’s my main focus right now.
Q: Share a customer service story, one you’re proud of.
A: Two months ago, there was a broken A/C unit in an older woman’s unit. After I fixed the A/C, I realized she was having a hard time figuring out how to build this bed frame. There was stuff everywhere. I decided I was on-call anyways and could use the time to help this resident build her bed frame. Afterwards, I took the empty boxes out of her unit and down to the dumpster. I was happy to help her out.
Q: What’s your favorite appliance to fix?
A: I don’t mind fixing dishwashers because the order of operations makes sense to me. Plus, all the parts are right there in front of you. With some appliances like a washing machine, you have to tear them apart just to fix one thing.
Q: What type of work orders give you the biggest challenge?
A: Repairing A/C units are always the most challenging work orders. There are so many little things that go into them. You have to troubleshoot it for a while to figure out the root problem.
Q: What did you do before joining TCG?
A: I worked at a furniture moving company for about five years. The customer service part of my job carried over. I was in and out of people’s homes and had to respect their space.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about our culture?
A: I really like the accountability part of our culture. The individual accountability motivates everyone to perform at a high standard and be the best. You’re constantly pushing yourself to be better and learn more. You’ll never get to a point where you coast and are comfortable. Everyone on the team helps hold you accountable too.
Q: What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
A: I like to be outdoors snowboarding or skateboarding. I enjoy mountain biking and camping too. My family likes to go to this little mountain town called Crescent Butte. It’s gorgeous there, and it has free camping sites. I enjoy hanging out with my family, including my 10-month-old son.