#8? Not that difficult, says Brad Russell. Let’s just talk to one another.
Pastor. Proficient IT mind. Positive leader and a proactive champion of “Keep Everyone Informed.” The Little-Rock-based Technology Services Delivery Manager swims many miles in the sea of Datamax technology – leading partnership reviews, managing technical staff, navigating assessments, and even collaborating with the copier side to keep relationships afloat. Just as the tides serve as the heartbeat of any such sea – subtle yet powerful, and absolutely essential - the heartbeat of our organization is #8. Keep. Everyone. Informed.
And when it comes to communication, Brad Russell is making serious waves.
“At its core, keeping everyone informed is simply expressing how critical clear, effective, actionable communication is to move us, and the customer, forward,” Brad said. “If we don’t have that communication, we’re not moving forward. We’re not moving the customer forward. In fact, in many cases, we’re throwing stumbling blocks in front of us… Why would we willfully want to do that?”
Well, he just likes talking to people.
Brad was called to be the children's pastor for a small Southern Baptist church outside Little Rock, where he served on the staff from 2004 to 2012. He still enjoys helping in that department at his home church now, and has the privilege to share with others scripture and “what salvation means.” If nothing else, this reiterates his passion for talking to folks from all walks of life.
"I’m a pastor, and I don’t meet strangers. I enjoy talking to clients, corresponding with managers, and visiting with colleagues. Having those relationships helps to reinforce that we are one Datamax,” Brad said.
He walks the walk… up two flights of stairs.
Brad’s office is situated on a floor below ground level, a space that he shares with other TSG members and our Little Rock service team. Up one flight leads to administrative and up another leads to sales. Brad makes it a point day to day not to stay put.
“How I approach communication is, quite simply, I make at least 9 or 10 trips every day up one or both flights of stairs. I know where the copier reps are. I know where they sit, so I’m letting them know, ‘hey, we’ve got ‘x’ going on, what can you tell me? Is there something specific we need to know?’”
He removes stumbling blocks.
#8 is not an added benefit to business. It’s a critical cog in the wheel of communication. Brad offers an example of an account that uses Datamax copiers as well as IT.
“When we install a replacement server, and we don’t tell the copier support team or the account manager or the help desk that we’re making this change, then Scott and Ryan upstairs aren’t able to collect meters. At that point, we’re willfully cutting off the flow of money into our organization. Suddenly, we find ourselves in a pickle and not able to rapidly take care of that client,” Brad said.
He tailors his words to his audience.
“If it’s a copier tech or a service manager, I’ll provide technical specifics. However, if it’s a customer, I’ll advise that there are some settings that need to be changed, and I make sure they are clear on the steps we’ll take. I DON’T talk over the customer's head when we are trying to provide status feedback or communication. No geek speak,” Brad said.
He champions #8, creating waves of communication.
Brad’s ability to cross department lines in the spirit of “one Datamax” and keeping everyone informed does not go unnoticed. When it comes to communication, he makes us all proud to “swim in the same sea” as him.
“Brad has become particularly adept at presenting Partnership Reviews to customers and in doing so has pinpointed specific language to communicate conditions to inform recipients the status at the current time and make recommendations to improve those same conditions moving forward,” Datamax Arkansas President David Holzhauer said. “That ability and developed skillset, along with his selfless desire to help everyone excel, makes me proud to have him as a team member here in Arkansas.”
