defi SOLUTIONS recently sat down with Abby Gatlin, Director of Client Support, to learn more about her approach to leadership, problem-solving, and delivering real value to all clients.
Q: How would you describe your role at defi?
A: My role at defi is to advocate on behalf of our clients and equip our team to do the very best work that they can. I oversee the operations of client support, the development of our team members, and the strategic planning on how we’re going to evolve with our clients. I also attempt to proactively identify what clients are going to need before they have to report on an issue. That requires staying really close with clients, keeping a pulse on what’s changing within their environments and being attuned to what our team needs: the tools, technology, and processes needed to deliver consistently and reliably.
Q: How did your career path lead you to defi SOLUTIONS?
A: I’ve always gravitated to complex problems and wanting to make things better. I joined defi solutions 11 years ago as a Product Business Analyst, where I learned how to design the product, meet requirements, and really help our clients achieve their business goals and strategies.
Then I transitioned to the technology team at defi LOS where I was a software engineer. The years I spent there gave me a deeper insight into not only what we’re doing for our clients, but why we’re doing it. Why are we so configurable? Why do we give so many options? It’s because clients have so many diversified methods of how they want to achieve their goals, so we aim to give them as many options as possible.
After that, I switched to the support team in 2019, where I was the lead for four years before assuming leadership over the client service desk. I think my unique path through defi SOLUTIONS has given me the ability to leverage skills and insights from multiple angles so that I can deliver a lasting, comprehensive solution for our clients.
Q: What does an exceptional client experience look like to you?
A: An exceptional client experience is one where the clients feel heard, where they feel supported, where they feel like we truly understand not only what the problem is but where they’re trying to go. I want our clients to feel confident that we not only own the ticket, but we also own the outcome, and we can guide them through and identify roadblocks and the other things they do not have the vantage point to see. That’s an exceptional thing — where they feel like we truly value and care about their success.
Q: How does client feedback shape our product development?
A: Client feedback is essential. Knowing what the challenges are, what their goals are, what their clients and their vendors are asking for, that equips us to ask, “How does this scale? How does it connect with the other five factors that are coming in six months from now?” Having the feedback, understanding the challenges, and really engaging with our clients helps us support them better.
Q: What sets defi’s approach to client success apart in a crowded market?
A: We’re really grounded in ownership and partnership. We don’t just respond; we try to take responsibility for whatever occurs and help guide our clients through. I think that really sets us apart.
Our teams also collaborate across functions and across the organization. We stay engaged through resolution, and we focus on delivering real value through a continuous improvement model. Once we hit one milestone, we’re going to look at the next level. We’re going to ask, “How can we do this even better the next day?” That’s a core value here and it really sets us apart.
Q: What do you hope clients say after working with the defi team?
A: I hope clients say they had a profound experience. I hope they look to their friends and say, “I’m really glad to have defi when stuff gets hard.” As I said, I want them to feel that we’re knowledgeable and genuine. I want them to feel like we’re going to go the extra mile, and we’re going to dig deep enough to understand things they may not understand themselves. That’s the goal here, and that’s success.
Q: If you could give clients one piece of advice to get more value out of their system, what would it be?
A: Engage early and often. Don’t try to solve your problems yourself and then bring us the solution that you hope we deliver. Bring us the actual problem. Let us know the impact. Let us know why it’s meaningful. Then, we can look within our repository of features and tools to get you where you need to go, maybe faster, maybe more seamlessly. Our goal is to scale your business in such a way where you won’t have to deal with the same issues again.
Q: What are you most excited about in your work this year?
A: I’m most excited to mature our support operations model. We’re digging deep, and we’re trying to look at how we can offer proactive support and not just be reactive when a case comes in. So, we look and we monitor for different trends, and that really excites me because I’m understanding some of the nuances to the patterns that our clients feel. And I think that this will equip us to expand our involvement more strategically across our organization to give input and insights to help the other teams deliver better as well.
Q: How do you recharge outside of work?
A: I love gardening. I have a pretty large operation at my house, and it’s a fun learning experience because I have so much to learn. I’m just scratching the surface and it’s exciting to see the wins every day.
Q: What’s one product, app, or tool you couldn’t live without?
A: Seedtime, it’s brilliant. It was made by gardeners, and it tells you exactly what you want to plant and when. It has full spreadsheets. It gives you daily and weekly tasks and breaks everything down. It also gives you insights into your weather and other key elements that gardeners have to know. It’s perfect and I couldn’t do what I do without it.
