For the record, Shawn Hay has only been in one fistfight to date. But what a haymaker it was that he delivered.

The elementary school bus incident (an act of self-defense for Shawn) certainly shut down a bully’s antics. But that blow pales in comparison to Shawn’s knockout capability as a Datamax Service Manager. The Burleson, TX native has long been interested in not just technology, but improving, evolving, and ultimately being an irreplaceable asset to those around him.

By constantly challenging his own level of knowledge, he’s unleashed a unique, elite level of expertise.
Last fall, Shawn passed the exam to become a Canon Master Level Technician, the summit of certifications for Canon USA. Talk about elite company — to date, he is one of only 10 technicians in the United States (another being East Texas Service Manager Justin Harper) to hold this distinction. What does this mean out in the field? Customers trust that this Master Level Technician will deliver a big-time haymaker (aka punch) to any copier issue he or his team encounters.

When it comes to copier service expertise, one would be hard-pressed to find any harder evidence than a Master Level Certification. But Shawn doesn’t just know a copier inside/out. He knows how to apply that expertise to the good of those he serves.

One could say he's an expert at both. 

Expertise is a Fluid Trait.

The technology bug bit Shawn early. As an ambitious 14-year-old, he took on a summer job working for an IT Director as “the help.” He helped rewire the network room and added cables to the classrooms so they could have one computer in the classroom. He set up the computer labs.

Though he would later go on to work for a machine shop building aircraft parts, he eventually made it back to where he wanted to be – in the technology sector.

From there, his journey has been anything but stagnant. Shawn himself, on his website leadership page, wrote this about why he chose Datamax: “In my career, I was looking for somewhere with plenty of room to grow.”

Shawn has steadily climbed the ranks of the Service Department since joining Datamax. After only a few months in the shop, he signed on as an onsite technician. Shortly after, he joined the Fort Worth Team as a field technician, only to be promoted to lead technician, where he trained new technicians and took on higher-level support issues. In 2013, he was promoted to supervisor, and in 2018, Service Manager.
Frankly, Shawn never stops learning. He knows that expertise is a fluid trait.

“I just always like to grow, and learning is very interesting to me,” Shawn says. “The more you know, the more you can help - and I really like to help. Whether it’s learning more about dispatch, or becoming an expert in software like eAutomate, or learning about mapping technology – that allows me to be an asset in other areas of our business, for fellow employees, and for our customers.”

Expertise Takes Time.

Master Level recognition doesn’t come without readiness.

Just to set the stage for the study and prep involved with passing this exam: There are six levels within the “Specialist” level ATSP certification, all of which must be completed and passed before one can even apply to be a Master Level Technician. There’s also a Canon customer service-based exam called SPA Care that must be completed.

In addition to that, Shawn said he spent at least 20 hours leading up to his “Master” exam studying manuals and brainstorming potential troubleshooting steps that may come up. In the US right now, there are 732 “Specialist Level” certified technicians, but only 10 Master Technicians.

The exam itself is a 30-minute call with a Senior Canon Engineer disguised as a newbie technician. Over the phone, Shawn walks this individual through a series of deep-level troubleshooting steps to prepare the technician for resolution. The twist: The objective is not to “fix the problem,” but rather to walk them through a viable solution considering safety and asking all the appropriate questions.

“Being nervous comes to mind,” Shawn says regarding the day of the exam. “You’re thinking about the limited time you have, you’re worried about knowing the machine completely because you don’t know what bug they’re going to give you. What if it’s something you don’t know about?”

But Shawn put in the time. He poured over the manuals. He was ready.

Expertise Leads to Trust.

Expertise in our industry, of course, is an asset that truly bears fruit when it leads to trust. Being a Master Level Technician certainly boosts his confidence, but this veteran manager stays grounded in the sentiment that his knowledge is superseded by the trust he delivers.

“People want to know that what you’re telling them is the truth. They want to know that if you give them an answer, it’s the right answer and they don’t have to second guess it,” Shawn says. “For me, trust is everything. (Earning Master Level Certification) gives me the confidence that in phone support, in troubleshooting, that we are approaching this the right way.”

Reaching elite-level expertise, it turns out, delivers a forceful blow to any lingering copier issues. It unleashes a new level of trust. Talk about a haymaker.