Jan 07, 2016
ASD is thrilled to announce the promotion of our dedicated employee, Margarita Santiago. Margarita brings more than 9 years of experience to our Supervision team. As a Training Specialist, Margarita oversaw the progress of numerous ASD employees during their 6-month training program and assisted with many special projects and tasks. After being promoted to Assistant Supervisor, Margarita continued to hone her skills by supporting our staff while learning how to enhance the customer service experience of ASD clients. Margarita’s exemplary performance and strong work ethic earned her a promotion within our team of dedicated Supervisors. Outside of ASD, Margarita has also gained experience working at a local funeral home and cemetery to expand her expertise. We are proud of Margarita’s accomplishments, both at ASD and in the funeral profession, and we are honored to feature her in this month’s Employee Spotlight.
Can you describe some of your first experiences working at ASD?
There is one experience in particular that I will never forget and it occurred during my first six months with ASD. I took a call from a man who was planning to commit suicide due to his wife’s recent passing. I immediately knew I could not let him disconnect without saying something encouraging to him, so I listened to everything he wanted to say and then proceeded to ask him if he had grandchildren and if he could tell me about them. I tried to touch on anything positive in his life and then assured him I would contact the on-call funeral director right away. A few days later, that same funeral director called back to thank me for contacting him and to let me know he was able to get the man the help he needed! That experience showed me that ASD was more than a call center, it is a first point of contact for most grieving families, an extension of the funeral homes we answer for. It proved we do more than take calls; we can potentially touch someone’s life and help in ways you wouldn’t think possible. That was almost 10 years ago and millions of calls later and I still feel the same way!
How have your skills and responsibilities evolved since you started working at ASD?
I personally feel while working at ASD it is impossible not to learn great customer Service. When I started as a Call Specialist I quickly learned that every call is unique and the experience of losing a loved one is handled differently from person to person. Learning this early on taught me to be compassionate while maintaining my composure and professionalism. These skills have helped tremendously over the years as I’ve advanced within the company and began training other Call Specialists as a Training Specialist and then working with clients to meet their needs as an Assistant Supervisor and now Supervisor.
What are some of your primary responsibilities as an ASD Supervisor?
Making sure the daily shift tasks that run Operations are completed while assisting Call Specialists and clients with any account questions or concerns. Each Supervisor is assigned a team of Call Specialists to oversee and make sure they are aware of any new system updates. This ensures that each Call Specialist has someone on their shift they can address specific issues or questions to and allows for better for communication and counseling.
What do you like most about working at ASD?
ASD is my second family! I really love what I do and the people I work with and for. Being able to grow with the company and to see all the changes and new advances throughout the years has been so exciting. I am proud to be a part of the ASD team and look forward to what the future holds!
What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of ASD?
I love to keep busy so you can either find me with my son and close family planning fun activities for the children or doing some kind of community/volunteer work. I’ve also been working on my career by gaining experience at an SCI Cemetery as well as working at Lewis M. Hunt-Irving Funeral Home in Chester, PA. Soon, I will start school again to become a licensed funeral director. Needless to say, working at ASD has definitely influenced my career path and blossomed my desire to help others!
Congratulations to Margarita on being promoted to Supervisor!
Other Recent ASD Employee Spotlights:
About The Author
Jess Farren (Fowler)
Jess Farren (Fowler) is a Public Relations Specialist and Staff Writer who has been a part of the ASD team since 2003. Jess manages ASD’s company blog and has been published in several funeral trade magazines. She has written articles on a variety of subjects including communication, business planning, technology, marketing and funeral trends. You can contact Jess directly at Jess@myASD.com
