“Dynamic,” says Michelle Petrie. Of all the words that could be used to describe her time at Fire-Dex, this one felt the most accurate. “We're always hopping. We’re always full of energy, very family oriented.”
Michelle began working at Fire-Dex 11 years ago as a sewing associate in the pant department. She took the position after a short career break and says that at the time she just needed a job and didn’t care much about what that job was.
“I started in pants assembly. And so that was a lot of fun. Our team was great. I enjoyed it.” But Michelle began to wonder if she should consider getting a job that would utilize her college education. She didn’t want to leave Fire-Dex but felt that it was time for a change.
When Michelle saw that a position had opened within Fire-Dex’s administrative office, she knew she had to apply. “I was crossing both fingers, both toes. Like, please, please, please let me get it because I love working here and I really don't want to go anywhere else.” As it turns out, Michelle did get the position and has been working for Fire-Dex as a customer service representative ever since.
“It's so encompassing, I can't even really describe everything we do,” says Michelle. “We work really closely with the distributors and our sales team in ensuring that the end user is happy.” Michelle serves as a key representative of Fire-Dex—acting as the face of the company to our sales representatives. At the same time, she also represents the voice of the customer, bringing their needs and feedback back to Fire-Dex.
“I'm going to honestly say the biggest challenge we have is communication,” says Michelle. “We can't resolve everything, but what’s important is how you attempt to resolve it.” Michelle says it takes a lot of patience to work in customer service, but she loves helping people feel satisfied with their Fire-Dex experience.
Michelle feels that her work with Fire-Dex has always been dynamic. “The constant change is exuberating, it's full of energy, there’s always a lot of activity. We're always adapting because the fire industry is always changing. So, we're always adapting and learning new and better ways to do things.”
And when it comes to Fire-Dex’s family culture, Michelle knows it’s not just a saying. When Michelle had to take two months off work to recover from a medical emergency, she got more than just a “get well” card. “They were absolutely amazing during that time because I was only supposed to be off work for three weeks. I spent a lot of time in the hospital and then a month in rehab. I could barely walk because I was so weak.” But while Michelle was gone, her Fire-Dex family still had to make sure she was okay. A large group of Michelle’s co-workers made weekly calls with her to check in and lift her spirits.
“When they say this is a family, I feel it,” says Michelle. To her, Fire-Dex is more than a job, it is a family where she gets to do what she loves. And for Michelle, this experience has been like no other.