Crystal is a Card Services Specialist who has been with Bronco for 17 years.
You work from home. Do you miss the team interaction?
I have been working from home since April 2020. I actually haven’t had face-to-face contact with members since I worked the greeter desk 10 to 12 years ago, but I do interact with them over the phone, which has been a big part of my job for a very long time. But I do miss seeing our members and my coworkers and being in that space with them, so I make it a point to come in and see everyone when I can.
What makes you successful at what you do?
Patience and compassion. Because when you have a member whose card isn’t working for one reason or another, they’re frustrated and they want answers. Sometimes you just have to listen and help them along on getting that fixed. Ultimately, I want it to be a one-stop type of thing. You call me, tell me what’s going on with your card and let me get that fixed. That way, when you hang up the phone, you’re not still upset or waiting to be transferred to someone else.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The people. And I actually enjoy what I do. Every day is different. There are a lot of different things that come into play. I just enjoy talking to people and seeing how they’re doing and getting their issues fixed. But I also like the part of my job where there’s something new going on. I’m learning about new products; I’m learning about new things. It’s not just the same old everyday thing. There’s always something new. Cards are out there everywhere, and there’s always something going on.
What do you think makes Bronco special to members?
It’s definitely the personalized service. When you bank at Bronco, you always know someone there, or you know someone who knows someone. So, when you have an issue or when you need something done, you can always reach out to someone that can help you get to someone locally. And we’re local, so that helps a lot. I also just like the small-town feel. We become like a family because we interact with each other. We’re small and we all know about each other’s families.
What do you like to do outside of work?
In the past couple of years, I have started to do some traveling, and I really enjoy that. I get together with a few friends and we go off and do things, and I get to experience different parts of the world that I normally only see on TV. When COVID happened, it opened my mind to, “I have to get out. I have to do things. I have to experience life.” Because, when you’re closed off to everything, you realize what you haven’t experienced in life, and you have to get out and do those things.
What are some of the favorite spots you’ve visited?
I went to Ellijay, Georgia, for my 40th birthday. That was a lot of fun. It’s rural and it’s beautiful out there. You get to see the mountains. It’s quiet, but they have a lot of things to do. I actually went ziplining. It was insane. It was way out of my comfort zone at first, but then it was really great. I had a great time. We also went to Nashville, Tennessee, a couple of months ago, and that whole world—that nightlife, the music—it was just amazing. A few years ago, I got to see my brother out in Portland, Oregon, and the West Coast is absolutely beautiful. It’s a whole different atmosphere, a whole different world out there. The people and the scenery. It was just a great experience. So much fun and beautiful and eye opening.