How a Great Team and Keeping a Cool Head Make All the Difference
Today we shine the spotlight on Imed Yazit, Support Centre Bilingual IT Specialist, who tells us about the importance of keeping your cool and trying to put yourself in other people’s shoes.
Tell me about your background – how long have you been with dentalcorp and what were you doing before you joined?
I have been with dentalcorp since September 2019. Before joining, I worked as a Helpdesk Analyst for various organizations including WW (formally known as WeightWatchers) and BMO.
Have you always wanted to be in IT?
Yes, my love for information technology started at an early age – I was given a laptop when I was 5 years old, and the rest was history.
What does a typical day look like?
I start my day filtering through my emails and dc assist requests, identifying tasks that need to be addressed and setting priorities based on urgency so that I can action them.
In my role, I assist our Support Centre team members with any IT-related issues that may come up, and work to resolve them quickly and efficiently. When we have new people joining, I’m responsible for the logistics of getting them set up with their hardware, which includes working with our vendors to ship the equipment to our new hires. Beyond the hardware, I also set up IT onboarding to ensure our new hires can access our systems. When needed, I also help support our practices when any urgent issues come up, coordinating with local IT as needed.
How do you manage all those different responsibilities?
It takes a lot of advanced planning, a positive mindset and effective teamwork. I am fortunate to be part of an amazing team and we work really well together. One of my favourite quotes:
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success” -Henry Ford
What is something about yourself that your teammates would have trouble believing?
I have a background in sales within the financial (banking) industry.
Tell me about an experience you’ve had, either personally or professionally, that’s really left an impact.
Earlier in my career, I worked at a bank called ING Direct (now known as Tangerine). There was a customer who was extremely upset over some fees on her bank statement and wanted to close all her accounts. By listening to her frustrations and feedback I was able to help her calm down and was then able to retain her business by offering her a better solution for her savings.
This taught me that it is never personal, people come from different walks of life and we never know what they are dealing with daily. Sometimes just being able to listen and to put ourselves in the person’s shoes allows us to better understand the situation and to decide on the best approach to remediate. This has served me greatly as I still use this skill today in my helpdesk role.
Have you travelled anywhere interesting? What is your most memorable vacation?
In 2011, I was working for Bell Canada and had a vacation coming up with nothing booked or planned. A friend of mine said “hey it’s winter, why not go somewhere nice during your week off?” He persuaded me to book a last-minute solo trip to Cuba with the flight being the very next morning at 6 am. That trip turned out to be my most memorable travel experience. The idea of travelling alone seemed scary at first, but I met some great people from all parts of the world: Russia, Germany, Italy , Turkey & France and it allowed me to practice my Spanish. I was humbled by how the local people were content with so much less than we have here. It was a huge eye-opener but also allowed me to appreciate how lucky I am to be Canadian.
What are your aspirations for personal and professional growth? Do you have a 5-year plan?
I would like to continue having a positive impact on everything that I do as I continue to grow and evolve my responsibilities. I see myself expanding my knowledge and IT skills while gaining certifications to increase my value as a professional.
What do you do in your spare time?
I love good music, and spending time with family and friends. When the sun’s shining, I like going on random road trips for exploration and sightseeing, discovering new parks and other hidden spots.
What advice do you have for new team members joining dentalcorp’s Support Centre?
Accept all the tasks and challenges that come your way. It might seem like a lot at first, but gems are built under pressure. Don’t be scared to get out of your comfort zone and take on something new, as growth does not happen in a place of comfort. You will be surprised by what you can achieve once you put your mind to it.
