Glenda Betit’s Zoom profile is Glinda the Good Witch, from her favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz.
And like the ever-watchful Glinda who oversees Dorothy’s journey through Oz, Glenda’s ever-patient presence guides customers to the best use of Adept. She assists clients through the process of implementation, addressing a variety of questions, including some really tough technical issues.
Glenda’s recent promotion to her “dream role” of Customer Experience Architect, (“a fancy name for a technical high-level support person,” she quips) allows her to do what she loves most: Solve complex technical and IT challenges.
“Every day I get to help our customers use Adept better,” explains Glenda. “I meet with clients to address issues, assist the Synergis Application Consultants and the Helpdesk team with cases; manage services and consulting contracts; and I serve as ‘the voice of the customer’ with Development so they better understand our client’s needs.”
The new role comes with a hefty list of responsibilities: Gain insight into the customer experience / satisfaction and be their advocate; serve as the main point of contact for customers with complex issues; provide technical support for projects and implementations, including in-the-field Application Consultants and in-house Helpdesk technicians; and follow up with customers to make sure any and all technical issues are resolved.
Glenda’s decades long experience in IT, project management, and Helpdesk gives her a wizard-like power to troubleshoot, test, and track down solutions to problems. Her resolve and her self-professed superpower of “really listening to clients and being able to communicate at any level in an organization--from designer to CEO--and positively represent Synergis,” creates a personal connection with customers so they feel confident and heard.
Jonathan McDowell, Lead Analyst, IT Manufacturing Support at Tiffany and Co. observes, “Glenda displays the keenest combination of technical and people skills. Her inexhaustible perseverance and unshakeable calm under pressure inspire confidence in the customer. She doesn’t sugar-coat things, but when the reality is harsh, she rolls up her sleeves and does everything in her considerable power to achieve success. When Glenda is on the job, I know everything’s going to be OK.”
Tom Wallbank, IT Manager at Ruhrpumpen Inc. adds, “Glenda can take few tidbits of information about a problem and make the connection to the root cause faster than anyone. In the rare case where she can’t solve it immediately, she knows who to bring in to work on it.”
Catching the Wave of Crazy, New Technology
Glenda’s journey to Synergis customer service began in Springfield, IL. She’s the youngest of five siblings, whose names all begin with a “G”: Gregg, Gary, Gayle, Gloria, and Glenda. Laughs Glenda, “My dad figured that that's the only way he was ever going to have five G’s at once.”
She’s also the only one in her family to leave Illinois.
Glenda moved to Tallahassee, Florida after high school and an associate degree in Business Administration from LincolnLand Community college. She lived with her aunt and uncle while she studied at Florida State University.
When the college money ran out, Glenda got a job as a contract administrator in the State of Florida’s General Services department. It’s there she unexpectedly started her trajectory from back-office paper contracts to administering one of the first networks in the state of Florida.
“At the time, it was big, crazy technology,” recalls Glenda. “I got to be on the ground floor of that great surge and opportunity and became known as the department’s ‘Swiss army knife.’”
Her experience with computers and IT accelerated at the Florida Department of Justice. She crisscrossed Florida for two and a half years, managing all the office networks for the Senate and the House of Representatives. She moved office and network equipment round trip from the local Legislative offices to the Capital offices in Tallahassee before and after sessions.
It was hard work, but as Glenda recalls, “it was a blast and I got to meet a lot of people and politicians.”
“In one year, I put almost 30,000 miles on my car. I could go anywhere in Florida and have a place to stay and never have to pay for anything. It was perfect for me in my twenties. I was also a state officer in the Jaycees (Florida Junior Chamber of Commerce) so, I traveled for the Jaycees at the same time I traveled for work.”
A Family and Four Seasons
From her family portraits by the ocean to her favorite pastimes of beach walking, snorkeling, sailing, and kayaking, I was curious that Glenda settled in Pennsylvania.
“His name was John,” she beams.
She met John Betit at her birthday party in October, 1995, and “it just clicked.” He was a Navy man stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Glenda was in Florida.
“We were spending every night on the telephone for two or three hours. We knew we were in trouble when he called me, and we were both watching the Westminster dog show waiting for the big dogs to come up.”
They also share similar backgrounds: Both are the youngest of large Catholic families.
“The following February, he proposed,” recalls Glenda. “His family wanted him back in Pennsylvania after 20 years in the Navy. I agreed with one condition: I get to go somewhere warm every year.”
Once they settled in Kintnersville, PA, Glenda resumed her degree studies, first at Villanova and then DeSales
She started at Synergis in 2010, first as a helpdesk technician for eight years and then as Synergis Software’s Project Manager and certified PMP. Now, as Customer Experience Architect she continues her whirlwind schedule of problem-solving and zoom meetings with customers, helpdesk technicians and remote architectural consultants. She’s involved in just about every Adept implementation at Synergis. It’s her guiding principles-- be kind, be positive, be happy—that help her stay balanced and calm under pressure.
Mark Mahovich, vice president of services at Synergis, praises her work. “Glenda is truly an invaluable asset to the Synergis Software team. She’s got a vast and deep understanding of our product--not only from years on the helpdesk team, but from her inherent expertise in technology and IT, and her project management and customer service experience. She applies all that knowledge to ultimately serve Synergis and our customers.”
In Glenda’s mind, her most important contribution to Synergis is being the voice of the customer. “I love being able to provide our internal teams with feedback about what our customers want, how they currently use the products, and what they want in the future.”
She also knows that customer success is a team effort. “Customers choose Synergis for the exceptional commitment we have to our clients. Everyone has a personal connection and desire to deliver value and our customers appreciate it.”
Reflecting back on her career, she’s most proud of what she’s done and where she’s gone on her own merit. “I did it on my own and I didn’t have a degree,” she smiles. “I bootstrapped myself up and if something didn’t work out, I moved on and did something else. I think I’ve done well for a girl from the Midwest who didn’t have much in the way of expectations.”
She also credits her mother and aunt, the two strong women who raised, with her best-loved quotes: “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken,” advises Aunt Sybil Pizzuto; “When you love someone, tell them as often as possible. You won’t always have the chance,” shares Mom, Mary Pizzuto Finigan,
As outgoing as Glenda is at work, she insists she’s “really an introvert” and needs plenty of time to recharge. She dreams of a time when she’s back on “island time”, close to the ocean where she can “hang with my boys.”
Beyond all her many accomplishments and brainiac superpowers, it’s her laugh that’s truly remarkable. It’s a full-on sensory experience: A touch of silky soft velvet, a bite of dark chili chocolate, and the ring of wind chimes on a summer afternoon.
In fact, If I could bottle Glenda’s laugh, I’d share it with everyone. Because who couldn’t use more joy and cheer in their day?