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Backpacks, Journeys, Foundations

Last May marked my 15th year with FOC and as cliché as it sounds, I cannot tell you where the time went. It seems like only yesterday I was graduating from the University of New Hampshire wondering where my path would lead me. I had a job lined up as an IT consultant in Boston but was also fortunate enough to have a 5 week break to do the whole backpack around Europe thing with my big brother.

With our rail pass in hand we made our way from Sweden to Italy trying to visit as many places as we could along the way. Now working as the Customer Service Manager at FOC, I always think of our adventure while talking to our many customers throughout world.

The experience of being in other countries and cultures taught me back to basics lessons that I continue to use as a foundation of our FOC Customer Service Department today. Some of those include:

  • Positive and energetic greetings
  • Great attitudes
  • Respect
  • Strong listening skills
  • Clear communication
  • Empathy
  • Situation analysis
  • Initiative for solutions
  • Sense of shared community
  • Motivation to serve
  • Action
  • Plan for follow up
  • Plan for continued relationship

My daily life is different from the days of backpacking through Europe. I currently navigate the tasks of both FOC General Manager and head of customer service balanced with my family life. After hours, I invest in my community of Dartmouth, MA with my wife, Heather, and our two daughters, Emma and Breanna.

Together with my team, that is made up of Mike, Naomi, Sydney, TJ and Zane, we are here to help no matter what part of the world our customers are calling from or how challenging their need may be. This is what we love.

In future blogs, I look forward to sharing more about each of my team members and our philosophies.

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About the Author
Tom Waite Tom Waite, Vice President Tom Waite started at Fiber Optic Center in May, 2000 in IT, developing an interactive program that became the company website and keeps product information current and accessible for sales and customer service. Since then, Tom has used his product knowledge to lead the customer service, inventory and shipping departments. As Vice President, he continues to lead these departments and company operations. Before Fiber Optic Center, he was an IT consultant for Keene Inc., Boston, MA. Tom graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a BA in Economics and Mathematics and a minor in Business. He currently resides in South Dartmouth with his wife, Heather, and their two daughters, Emma and Breanna. He enjoys skiing, boating, playing golf and traveling in his free time.
About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment and supplies and has been helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over two decades. Several areas of specialization and expertise, in which they are the industry leader, make them the preferred choice for many of the world’s fiber professionals. In these key technology areas, FOC is "at least as technical as the manufacturer" about the products they sell. Striving to "make the business part easy," they offer outstanding and personal customer service, low or no minimum purchase order values, and from-stock delivery on industry-leading products and technology. FOC is the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

For further information contact:
Fiber Optic Center, Inc., 23 Centre Street, New Bedford, MA 02740-6322
Toll Free in US: 800-IS-FIBER or 800-473-4237 . Direct 508-992-6464. Email: sales@focenter.com or fiberopticcenter@focenter.com

For media contact:
Kathleen Skelton, Director of Strategic Marketing, C: 617-803-3014 . E: kskelton@focenter.com