First Call CULTURE

Thank you for your interest in who we are and what we do.

Each year we try to distill and capture the essence of First Call.

Whether you were brought to this page because you are considering working here… or hiring us for IT services… It’s important we help you answer the following questions.

• Are we the right fit?
• Are we the right people?
• Are we the right culture?

Below are our core values, cultural values and over 50 answers from First Call Employees to the simple question: “What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?”

Enjoy,

Conor Smith, CEO of First Call

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I think of the mutual respect everyone has toward one another, no matter their position. Everyone is willing to assist if they can or help with questions. I’m always happy to see my coworkers, and that alone definitely helps get me up in the morning.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I’d like to think the culture of First Call is one of building relationships with both our customers and each other. Each person has strengths and weaknesses, and that should be recognized in order to succeed. We can’t always be perfect in our interactions with each other, but we should still try to be as often as we can. Tribalism only serves to manifest an “us vs. them” mentality and is not conducive to effective working relationships or an enjoyable workplace atmosphere.

I find there is an appropriate balance between work and life for the most part, even on long days. I appreciate having opportunities to grow in a career and skill set, solve problems and look for better ways to accomplish things, which are all part of our core values. And it helps knowing I have people here I can talk to, even if it is not very often.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call culture has found the balance between a fun and productive workplace. To me, it means that I can easily reach out to team members with questions without feeling like I am bothering anyone. It also means that you don’t have any reasons to go home and complain about your coworkers/boss. Being a new employee, the first couple of months are always tricky because you constantly have to reach out to get answers. Ephraim is always more than willing to point me in the right direction, whether it’s procedures or how to handle a client request. I was lucky enough to job shadow, and he is one of the funniest dudes I’ve met. He really set the pace for me when I first started working here. Dave is also very good at using all the tools the company provides.

Being a remote employee, it is naturally tough to fully connect with team members, so I definitely value any time I can get a coworker on the phone and have an open dialogue conversation about the company, personal life, etc.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Striving for excellence in all aspects.

Communicating, executing, delivering, you name it, we want to strive for excellence.  It’s a family of high-achievers; we love and support one another, and we want everyone around us to be the best so that we ourselves can be the best.  It may seem a bit pretentious to strive for excellence in everything, but high standards lead to high output and high production, and high quality. And not just in the physical work we put in.  Excellence also means excellence at supporting employees, pay raises, company retreats and gatherings, and so on. So when we talk about excellence, yes, we strive for excellence on all tickets, but we also strive for excellence in our work/life balance, excellence in our personal lives, excellence in the world we live, excellence in our plan to grow with this company for many years to come.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I was shortly out of college (7+ long, grueling years getting my Bachelors, then Masters’s in Accounting) when I applied to work at BASS (Business Accounting Solutions and Services). I had to wait for an opening, but Scott did eventually hire me. I did have some prior accounting experience at another business (which I am now the CFO of), but BASS was my first “real” accounting job. FCCS was my first client with BASS, and I didn’t do much for you to start. I did minimal AR work (daily invoicing, then agreement invoicing). Over the years my workload for FCCS has increased, and I have learned to do many things for FCCS.  I love being an accounting clerk at FCCS! The business has so many complex accounting situations and different things to track, and I have learned so much and gained so much practical experience – things you don’t get in the classroom in college. I truly do love organizing and tracking your financial data.One of the reasons I like working at FCCS so much IS the Culture. Every day, I get to work with some pretty awesome people. I don’t have contact with everyone at FCCS, but the ones I do are professional and fun to work with. They all take their job seriously, and they all are happy and readily available when I have questions or need clarification on something. There is much fun and shenanigans on the Teams boards that bring out everyone’s personalities. I enjoy the monthly meetings (although I never attend in person – as a night owl, I do not do 8 a.m., sorry!) and hearing about everyone’s promotions and anniversaries. I have worked many jobs in my life, not just accounting, and FCCS does have a pretty special culture, like a family. You can tell that everyone cares about each other. I am thankful and grateful for my role at FCCS. What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Culture is everything! Showing up and being a part of something creates a desire to move forward. Since I joined First Call, watching how everyone interacts and builds each other up has been so refreshing.  Standing shoulder to shoulder.

People will stay or leave a company because of Culture. Money is indifferent if the environment is right.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I’ve said this before, and I say it to anyone that wants to know about First Call and “what” we are. We all know we have a Team full of smart people. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have a place to work. The core of First Call IS the Culture of how we treat each other and our clients. There are smart people everywhere and lots of places to work that have smart people; there aren’t lots of places to work where everyone treats everyone well. This is that place.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I believe First Call’s Culture is like a tight-knit community. I think it represents a need to be our best for each other and our clients. First Call feels more like family than any other job I’ve had.  First Call’s culture, to me, has changed my view on what a job can be.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call culture has always been the comradery between all personnel of the is company.  The willingness to take the time to help a fellow teammate despite busy schedules.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  To me, it means aiming to have trustworthy and respectful relationships with the people I work with and work for. Being a part of a team and putting others before yourself with work and with other relationships outside of work.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s culture at large always seems to be focused on people first, and as such, I always got the sense of a relatively open, honest, drama-free, and flexible place to work with most folks most of the time being able to get along, become friends, or at least work well enough together to keep the ship sailing in good and rough times.  That’s my clinical description of First Call. How does it feel? Safe (relatively speaking LOL), respected, valued.  Being able to go to work and have zero drama and struggles with management, etc., goes a long way towards fostering those feelings and that “I matter” as a person and not just a resource node to be tapped. I’ve direct reported to Chris and Steve for all of my career here, and I’m lucky to always have folks that see my value, even during those times where I might be struggling to see it.  I think “First Call the company” and “what it does for work” is different than First Call the place and Culture. We could be doing just about anything else for work and probably stuff that would make us all wealthier, but I think in the end, “First Call the company” has become a place where (most folks, most of the time if they are a good fit) feels safe, respected, and valued.  There are always going to be challenges (personal and professional) with managing the business of First Call, and I’m glad to see that hasn’t negatively impacted the heart of First Call.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  A shared vision of making the world a better place than how we found it for both our clients and us.  To me, First Call’s Culture is the essence of comradery. Everyone is so uplifting and supportive. It makes for a great place to be employed.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture is important to me because the company does such good work for its clients. Customer service means a lot to me, and First Call has the people to do the job right. It is obvious that a lot of work has gone into building this company.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you It means being the best version of myself in business and in life. See a need and fill that need. Be kind and accountable. To seek the best outcome but only through means that do not compromise being the best version of myself or others.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you Speaking for myself, I have worked with multiple organizations but have never found the type of culture that First Call embraces. It’s all about love & relationship. It is easy to build a professional relationship, but First Call’s culture taught me to build a professional relationship along with trust, love, and bonding. I am from a foreign country from the other side of the world, a very different culture.  I would like to say with 100% surety that First Call’s culture has made me understand that language is just a tool to communicate, but real communication is through love & passion which has helped me in getting accepted <3 !

Thank you, First Call!

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I have had a more unique and different experience with the Company and the culture as I do not work in the office.  Since I am remote, there are a lot of individuals I do not interact with other than on MS Teams. I have found that the culture here is significantly better than some other toxic work environments that I have worked in previously.

I think that we have some really good people in the company, and many are more than willing to help and assist in any way that they can, and it is awesome.   Sometimes I have noticed is there seems to be a loss of communication between some departments and a lot of times. It comes off as the left-hand does not know what the right hand is doing to the client. It is also difficult not to feel disengaged or alienated as a remote employee. A good portion of your work goes unseen and unnoticed by many. While praising others for a win or exemplifying a core value is a good thing, often times those who are not in the office are not going to receive those “praise” worthy posts since no one is there to witness their hard work.  Developing a good team and a positive culture is incredibly challenging. I think there are several ‘A’ level team players here and a good CEO that is working towards a worthy goal/cause.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  The primary thing that I think of and what First Call’s culture means to me is always being there for my coworkers and for our clients. This never makes work or the assistance you’re providing feel like a burden. Always be respectful to one another.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I appreciate being able to work with a team that can adapt to the constant change and growth that is happening here at FC. I appreciate being heard and listened to when there are things that can be improved on, and I am excited to see the changes that are happening currently. The FC Team is comprised of so many intelligent, caring individuals, and I appreciate each and every one of them. Personally, I would like to work on relationship building and being more involved with the culture and people at FC and have a positive impact on others.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  To me, culture is a shared way of life’s values and beliefs among individuals, groups, family, companies, etc… whether it be in the community, the workplace, or your personal life. First Call has achieved this “shared way”.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s culture is something we have evolved over many years. We have not only worked to foster individual growth but team effort towards a shared purpose. Like Conor says, it is no single person’s responsibility, but rather everyone has to keep it alive. I personally aim to foster an environment where people feel heard but also gain a better understanding of our shared goals and the best way to look at them. I have been taught over the years by Conor and Matt to look at the business through many different lenses, and want to teach those to others. I believe we have strength in uplifting A players and a willingness to address those that don’t want to put in the effort needed to meet our standards of quality.  With our current size and growth, we have new cultural challenges that I would love to see us work on.  I would love for there to be a cultural shift where everyone feels their part in our shared mission beyond just I think I am here to deliver this one thing, and it somehow meets our goal. We are all out together to create THE BEST company we can while competing against the rest of the world together! We have a very complex machine running right now with lots of challenges to come, and we have different parts of the machine pointing at each other as a fault of the challenges. It is not at a bad level but needs recognition.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture means being there for your team and doing your part to ensure we offer the best service we can to the customer. We all serve a purpose at the company and are counting on each other to do our parts. It also means helping one another whenever the opportunity presents itself. Always striving to be the best person you can be in the moment.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I just work on the periphery of First Call, but I get a sense of the quality of work and concern for each employee. It is impressive how much everyone seems to enjoy the work and each other. I appreciate the emphasis on balance and living a full life within and without the company.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  It is a team & everyone contributes in some way – everyone helps others & makes you feel welcome & appreciated!!!

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I respect, value, and appreciate the fact that FCCS trusts me to get my work done and spend time with my family. I like that I can work and have fun at the same time. I like the opportunity to grow and learn new things and take on new challenges.  I appreciate when coworkers take ownership and responsibility for a problem.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call culture is a group of like-minded people coming together as a team to offer a solution to something related to IT. While salary may attract a person, it is Culture that will keep a person. My drive has changed over the years, and Culture has become the most important. I could echo everything you wrote, Conor. Except I LOVE information technology too.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?   Culture is closely tied to core values.  It is each person’s individual effort to be more together; than they could ever be alone. It’s a belief, yet you can feel it

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  One of the most impressive parts of the Culture here is the close nit working relationship with all employees, the transparency of the executives of this company makes it easy to know what is happening within the company, where the company is sitting in all aspects, from finances to how we deliver our product. There are a lot of personal touches here at First Call and a sense of general caring about the people who work here and not just on a people basis but on a “person basis. It means a lot to work for a company that doesn’t look at any employees as a wasted investment, even if the company knows this may not be the forever job of someone, and I find that incredible and a true diamond in the rough. Overall, the Culture here is impressive, motivating, and most definitely makes me want to come to work. From my experience in the places I have worked and the various jobs I’ve done in the IT world, I look at First Call as a WORLD CLASS IT PROVIDER. We may not have clients on all seven continents, but we provide a hell of a service here. The teamwork that goes into accomplishing our missions is far above the bar average. We own problems and solve them. If there is a problem, we get the minds together and solve the problem, I am a part of a World Class Team at a World Class IT Provider.  One area we could improve on is how we dress to align with our world class service.  The company provides the clothing and options but lots of us don’t always “meet the standard”.  I’d like to see more people dressing the part.  Overall, this is hands down one of the best cultures and environments I’ve ever worked in. I’m truly appreciative of the fact I get to be a part of this World Class Team at this World Class IT Provider called First Call! I’m glad to be here!

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  As cheesy as it sounds, First Call’s Culture has created a family outside of my own. I have built relationships beyond just working as an employee alongside others and instead have come to find I have true friends that I trust both inside the walls of First Call and out. Our Culture means trust and knowing that my fellow employees have my back. We care about one another, and our shared caring equals success not only for ourselves but those that we serve as well!

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  To me, it means being able to come into a workplace environment and enjoy working with any of my coworkers and the work I’m going to do. That the Culture brewed is one where everyone wants to help everyone succeed, so there are no outliers of people who feel like they can’t do their job or dislike being here.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture is focused on developing and supporting leaders. Individuals are encouraged to take ownership of our standards, process, and tools – fostering not just a “this is how it’s done” attitude but rather a “let’s make this the best possible system together” approach.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Calls culture, to me, means teamwork. Looking out for not just the people on our First Call team but the vendors and clients who make up the team as well.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call culture, I look at this as I have a family at work. Being a manager, I want to be able to provide a healthy working environment for my team. It is super important to have a team that is accountable, reliable, and works to add value to the entire First Call team. I know that I can call anyone at First Call if I need something or need assistance. There have been several times I relied on our technical staff to help me understand IT concepts, and I have never been made feel less of a person because I didn’t know something. I choose to stay with First Call because of the team and Culture. The Culture encourages positive attitudes that lead to valuable results.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  To describe what First Call’s Culture means to me, I think it’s important to define first how I think of Culture. Only people have Culture.  Organizations don’t create Culture. Nations don’t create Culture. People do.  A strong, positive culture is a testament to, and a reflection of, those individuals who helped create it. I was fortunate to join a group of people who had already worked very hard to develop and strengthen said Culture. Every individual, as part of any culture, is either enhancing the Culture or diminishing it. At First Call, it’s reassuring to witness most people making the daily choice to be enhancers rather than diminishers. I have always felt a deep inherent responsibility to pay things forward, to be useful in the ways I’m able, and to be helpful to those around me. As it relates specifically to my role at First Call, I can primarily (but not only) do this by helping create and protect value for each of the people who create and protect the Culture. Beyond the feeling of responsibility, it has also become a desire which has only grown with time. All because of the Culture that has been created.  I can’t think of many cultures more worthwhile than that.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture means everything to me. I hope I am not alone in that I work to live, not live to work. I will admit I was apprehensive about joining First Call as this year was my first foray into the professional IT world. After reading one-to-many horror stories on Reddit, I told myself I’d never work for an MSP or an ISP. However, I am very glad I listened to my friends and family and took the jump to First Call. The atmosphere and the people I work with are great. I do not state that lightly. The amount of care and consideration for each other as fellow human beings is immense. I do not believe any work environment is perfect. However, First Call appears to make an effort, and I think that’s what matters. The fact that a C-level employee requests and is interested in feedback from all staff in the Organization speak volumes.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  In short, everything. It is the Culture that makes a company. The Culture informs who is hired and who stays. Because of this Culture and our alignment with it, I love the people I come to work with. Making them better and watching them grow and succeed is why I get out of bed. Seeing the impact of our Culture on the results we produce for our customers is why I come to work.  I could go on, but I won’t. In short, everything.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Our Culture is our guiding light for why and how we do what we do. All too often, it seems, business is driven by the bottom line, where earnings, profits, and production are all that matter. First Call’s Culture is what sets us apart. Monetary rewards are important for everyone involved in the business but are rightly viewed as a result of our hard work rather than the most important goal. Fostering a culture where everyone strives to be an A player, not to make the most money, but to give our best to help our coworkers, our clients, and ourselves is a special thing. Continuing to evolve and improve our Culture is an important goal to continue building an A team now and into the future.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Our Culture is our operational compass. It defines the parameters of our character that we judge ourselves by, and it is the fabric of our existence as a company of individuals striving to be a team.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Family is what I think of when I think of First Call’s Culture. I’ve always wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. I got sober ten years ago, and that’s when I got to learn about selflessness and helping others achieve sobriety. I spent half of my sobriety at different jobs, trying to find that family culture. When I decided to change career paths and go into information technology is when I found that I could help others with their technical needs. I’ve worked at a few IT companies here in and so far, only one has had that family culture. When I attended my first-morning huddle is when I got to experience First Call’s family culture. I’m excited to be a part of something great than me and to help others achieve IT greatness! LOL

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  The First Call company culture is focused on providing the best experience for our clients. That requires everyone at the company to do their best to achieve a “true win.” That means we need to be A-level people and do our best to deliver the best experience, products, and interactions.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  Camaraderie. We spend a hefty chunk of our lives at or thinking about work. First Call’s Culture of lightheartedness and camaraderie makes even the` rough days manageable when you have confident, competent friends to share the burden.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  At first, I didn’t know how to answer this question. So, I went home and thought about it. Spoke to my wife and pondered…First Call is the first company that I feel at home. The first place where I feel a sense of belonging. But at the same time, I feel apprehensive and nervous that I’m not truly a fit. From my previous employer, I developed a LOT of self-confidence issues. I was gas-lit into thinking that I was stupid, lazy, and just couldn’t do anything right. But I stuck with it because I didn’t think I was good enough to try and get out of there. One particularly bad day, I stumbled on an Indeed listing for First Call; I had never heard of FC before that day. I turned to google and did some research. What I found sounded interesting. An MSP? I had always heard that going from internal IT to an MSP was DIFFICULT. Would I fit in? Was I even good enough? I talked to my mom. My best friend. My girlfriend. I prayed. Then I took the leap.   This is HANDS DOWN, one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did I get along with Ephraim when we interviewed on the phone, I got hired. I was shocked, stunned to my core. It was at that moment that I started healing. It took weeks and weeks for me not to feel nervous about going to work, months to not flinch when I heard the Teams ringer; my last boss would exclusively call me on teams to scream at me.  First Call was tough. There was a lot to learn. I still had thoughts that I wasn’t good enough; I still do. But because of how things are here, because of the sorts of people that I get to be around and work with, because of how the company is run, I feel happy. For the first time in more than three years, I felt happy going to work in the morning. Here I feel at home. Here I feel part of something. Here I am, Happy. I have only been here for six months, but I know deep in my heart that I am staying here for the long haul. Because of the Culture that First Call has developed. To whoever reads this, I want to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude for making me feel like a person.

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  I love the goofy Culture of First Call. Getting to have fun and joke around with like-minded people. Like… I don’t know how many ‘your-mom’ jokes I have on Teams with Justin (don’t look, it’ll just embarrass everyone, LOL.) Yet on the flip side, having colleagues who are hard workers pick up the slack and are self-driven to do the little things right. But not work hard; play hard. Having a healthy work-life harmony, and I’m going to copy/paste this from the internet “where we incorporate work into the rest of life in a way that promotes happiness both at home and in the office.”  It’s no secret that a medical condition has made it difficult at times for me to be a normal, functioning human being. Having the understanding and flexibility from FC has literally meant everything. Some of my biggest cheerleaders are at FC, and I share my medical information, not for pity, but so that people are aware during the times when I need to have some flexibility. I have a shitty medical condition, but I’m still able to be a full-time kick-ass employee. On a less direct personal note, I appreciate the Culture of trust that FC has been able to set in place. In one part, we have the infrastructure to have that trust with our tracking and documentation. On the other hand, there’s just a culture of trust. Trust that employees are going to get their work done. Trust that employees are going to get their work done WELL. Trust allows employees to make day-to-day business decisions. Trust to get shit done.

I can’t not mention debate. And not just debate for debate’s sake. But one piece of our Culture that I do not want to lose is how FC has always taken employees’ ideas into serious consideration or listened to what issues we have going on and helped resolve them. This is not a ‘be quiet and do your job kind of place, and if it ever became that, I would feel suppressed and lose my joy in the work that I do. I appreciate that I can challenge ideas even with Matt Manley, even if I do sometimes provoke him into being a curmudgeon. 😉 In all seriousness, I enjoy the sharing of ideas, knowing that everything we do is in the spirit of constant improvement.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture means a place I not only enjoy working at but look forward to each day. It’s the similar drive to contribute to the team and help each other be better and more successful that’s a big part of the enjoyment of being part of that Culture.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  For me, it means working as a team and really getting along well with each other. Also, leveraging each other’s strong points and being willing to help where we can.

 

What does First Call’s Culture mean to you?  First Call’s Culture is all about work-life balance. Offering comforts in the office (snacks, coffee, etc.) ensures that we are all comfortable at work and therefore avoid burnout. Company events that are not work-related are another way that FC balances work and life. Encouraging time off is another example of how FCCS pays attention to our work-life balance.