For most people, his voice is the first one you hear on your ServiceBox journey. You’ve listened to him explain how the features work, you’ve heard him crunch the numbers for your company. But how much do you know about the man himself? Here’s a little information about ServiceBox’s sales guru, Scott Kjarsgaard…
SB: Thanks for doing this Scott. So what’s your professional background? What experience do you bring to ServiceBox?
Scott: I graduated university after my studies in Marketing and General Business. I wanted to get into the pharmaceutical industry but started with Pitney Bowes selling stand-alone mailing machines. Yes, I’m that old. From there I found employment with my first pharmaceutical company, and spent 23+ years with a few excellent companies on both the brand and generic side of the business. I finally left that to enter semi-retirement and enjoy the winters pursuing my passion of snowmobiling. This was not to last, as I was approached to help build ServiceBox, and contribute in the Sales division.
What’s your role here at ServiceBox?
Scott: I’m the senior sales and customer service software liaison at ServiceBox. I’m in a unique position, given my business experience, to see uses for ServiceBox “outside the box” of the original programming. I rely on my customers to bring to my attention how they’ve implemented unique uses of ServiceBox, and try to help other customers when they find themselves in similar situations. I also have the joy of being the one who gets to walk business owners/managers through how they can save time and money by implementing this product. People are creatures of habit – myself included – and having someone look in from the outside provides a perspective to efficiencies not seen day to day when one is “in the trenches”.
SB: Ever the salesman.
Scott: Funny. It’s true though. And as the liaison I never get tired of hearing from customers after a sale about how ServiceBox has changed their business for the better.
SB: I’ll give you that one, because I’ve been using some of those quotes on social media. Quick question: do you ever think about how much fun a pirate would having saying your name? Arrrrrrr matey! Hello there Scott Kjaaaaaarrrrrrs-gaaaaaaarrrrrrrrd.
Scott: No, I can’t honestly say I’ve ever thought of that.
SB: But you will now, right?
Scott: Mmm, probably not, to be honest.
SB: Moving on. So how did ServiceBox find you, and what made you want to join this company?
Scott: I must admit, there’s a family connection here. My cousin is one of the owners of ServiceBox, and had heard I had some time on my hands. Given what he knew of my background, he asked me to consider working for ServiceBox, and the rest is history.
SB: You sell ServiceBox to a lot of people, and talk about its features a lot…I know a parent should never admit to liking one kid more than the rest, but is there one aspect of ServiceBox that you like the most, or most enjoy demonstrating to prospective customers?
Scott: ServiceBox is a really coordinated platform, and that’s the best thing about it…that everything’s so connected and accessible. That’s the first thing that comes to mind, more than any of its individual parts. I do like the Accounting Connector in ServiceBox, though. Having been in many company offices with stacks of paper Work Orders waiting to be converted into Invoices, the amount of time saved by doing all that conversion with the push of a button is really significant.
SB: Any funny stories you can tell us from the world of ServiceBox sales?
Scott: One time a company, who had had a bad experience with another software working with Sage 50 Canada, said to me “we tried to break your accounting connector and could not do it, where do we sign up?” I got a giggle out of that statement.
SB: What features would you like to see added to the platform?
Scott: What I keep hearing is, in general, keep building on your strengths. So I’m looking forward to the completion of Phase 2 of our Inventory, and the adding of more reports. After that it’s just a matter of the little, additional features that round out what’s already there.
