Meet This Quarter's Top Xplorers: Neighbours Showing Up for Neighbours

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that each quarter we celebrate our Top Xplorers, members of the Xplore team who go above and beyond for our customers. We're back again to toot the horns of some truly outstanding teammates who have been making a difference in our rural Canadian communities. They're not just champions of faster internet; they're living, breathing examples of the culture of rural Canada – neighbours taking care of neighbours.

This quarter's all-star Top Xplorers exemplify what it means to be a part of the Xplore family. They understand the unique challenges and opportunities small towns face, and they go above and beyond to ensure that our customers have the best experience possible.

In this post, we're thrilled to introduce you to three Top Xplorers whose dedication to our mission of bringing ultra-fast internet to every corner of rural Canada is truly heartwarming. Whether it's coming through for their community or going above and beyond for their customers, these Top Xplorers are shining stars of the Xplore family.

Grab a cup of your favourite hot beverage and get ready for some feel-good stories about real-life superheroes, making rural Canadian life better one connection at a time!

Jill Glenn

When her previous employer shut down, Jill moved to Fredericton to find work.

“My mom was getting up there in age so I figured it would be better to be closer to her in case she needed me,” she said.

She joined Xplore as a sales agent in 2013 and after being promoted several times, is now one of our talented Inside Sales Managers.

Seeing her team succeed in helping customers brightens up her day.

“By having agents who are knowledgeable about our products and the process, I can ensure it’s a seamless experience for the customer,” she said.

Chris Cameron, Xplore’s Director, Direct Sales, nominated Jill for the Top Xplorer award.

“Jill’s commitment to going above and beyond sets a high standard of excellence for the entire team. This fosters a culture of accountability and excellence within the department which can lead to improved customer satisfaction and have a positive ripple effect throughout the company,” he said.

Jill says that compared to the other places she works, she really feels that she’s a valued part of the Xplore family.

“You’re not just a number, they know who you are. Whenever I talk to new hires, I always tell them what happened when Hurricane Arthur hit, what Xplore did for their employees,” she said.

That year, Xplore provided food for displaced employees and their families from 7 a.m. to midnight for nine days.

“We had baked potato boards, chili days - it was good food. We were about seven days in and I was outside and there was a young Xplore employee in tears. She said she lost everything in her fridge and wouldn’t get paid until Tuesday. In our manager meeting that afternoon I brought it up and they went out and purchased grocery store gift cards so that people could eat until payday came around,” she explained.

Growing up in Minto, New Brunswick, 45 minutes outside of Fredericton, this type of generosity is not foreign to Jill.

“The community knows everybody and if someone is in trouble or needs help, they step up,” she said.

That’s one of the things she loves most about living rural. That, and mud.

"I love playing in the mud, getting dirty, four-wheeling, going out to the camp in the middle of nowhere to play cards with friends and family. I have more rubber boots than I do high heels!”

Darcey Christie

After 16 years with the company, Darcey Christy has become an invaluable member of Xplore’s customer care organization.

As Senior Manager of Customer Care Operations, she supports every aspect of customer care from establishing efficient processes and procedures, to making sure customers are looked after.

Advanced Technical Support Liaison, Kim Flogeras, described Darcey’s positive impact in her nomination.

“There are people who come in and do their job, but then there are people who come in and make a difference. That person is Darcey. She has been making a difference at Xplore for over 15 years,” she said.

Kim said that Darcey is a mentor to many. She’s always there to support, guide, problem solve, and be a listening ear for her team and, just as important, someone who brings joy to the office with things like sharing "TGIF" GIFs with everyone on Fridays.

"Darcey is one in a million. She's a mentor for many, an advocate for the customer, a dedicated employee,” she said.

Darcey is determined to make customer service as streamlined as possible so that her team provides an exceptional experience for the customer.

“It’s all about getting the customer what they need. For example, this year we have completed thousands of adjustments for our customers to ensure they are getting the best value.” she said.

She says that this type of customer focus is what sets Xplore apart.

“We care about the customer. We really do. They’re not a number. Every customer deserves the attention and importance that we give them,” she said.

Darcey says that, living a in rural area themselves, the team understands the customer’s experience firsthand.

“We are the customers! Many of our staff have Xplore. We are proud of what we offer, we take pride in doing a good job. We understand what our customers want and need and try to give it to them. We live it. It’s really personal and important to us. It makes the job really enjoyable.”

She was born and bred in Xplore’s hometown, Woodstock, New Brunswick.

“I’m close enough to Woodstock to drive to the grocery store in five minutes but far enough out that I can sit on my back deck and see nothing but the trees and the birds,” she explained.

Like Jill, she really loves living in a community where neighbours look out for each other.

“They will look after the house if you’re away for the weekend. If they are mowing their lawn, they will mow yours a little if you’ve missed a spot. If there’s a sick child, or a family going through a hard time, maybe they lost their home to a fire, people will step in and give without being asked to. They genuinely care. They do it because they want to or because someone has been there for them in tough times.”

Sylvia Tompkins

Working in accounts receivables isn’t just about collecting payments for Sylvia, she takes every interaction as an opportunity to make sure the customer is happy.

Her dedication to the customer is exactly why Xplore’s Customer Care Specialist, Lori MacKenzie, nominated her for the Top Xplorer Award.

On one occasion, while making a payment, a customer mentioned he wasn’t having the best experience with his service. Sylvia decided to inform Lori and her team in customer care.

“We were able to call the customer and after some probing deduce that he would benefit from our Whole Home Wi-Fi System to extend the Internet’s reach within his home. It was installed and now the customer is extremely pleased with his connection and our customer service,” Lori explained.

Helping customers is one of the most rewarding parts of Sylvia’s job.

“It’s a good feeling being able to help someone. I know what it's like to be on the other end of the phone and not getting the assistance that you need. People tell me over and over again “it’s so nice to talk to somebody who cares”,” she said.

Like Jill and Darcey, Sylvia was born and raised in rural New Brunswick and shares the mentality that neighbours should care for each other.

“Knowing your neighbours and helping each other – it doesn’t get any better than that,” she said.

Sylvia brings this generous spirit to work every day. Another time, she was speaking to a customer in his 80’s.

“He didn’t seem super experienced with technology. He needed to sort out his payment method. His wife who had developed dementia was the one who had set up the account,” she explained.

To protect our customers’ privacy, we have to verify accountholders before adjusting payment information.

“She was sitting beside him but had trouble validating the account. I have personal experience with a family member with dementia, and you could tell she was getting frustrated. We took our time and we figured it out together. He asked to speak with my supervisor and said, “if I could I’d, buy her a cake”. It was so sweet,” she said.

Sylvia was once unfamiliar with technology too. One of the things she’s most proud of is developing a strong understanding.

“I’ve discovered what I’m capable of. When I started, I didn’t know the difference between a router and a modem and look at me now. I had no Idea what I could do,” she said.

She has become an expert with the help of her amazing team.

“Everybody is willing to help everybody. As soon as you need help, everybody’s got their hands up. Those things are important when you’re learning. All the way through I’ve always felt that the people I worked around were there for me. It’s a good company from the team to the pay and benefits. I love it here.”

Ever consider joining a team where you're not just a number but part of a community? We're always looking for folks - just like our Top Xplorers, Jill, Darcey and Sylvia - who understand what it's like to live in rural Canada and are all-in to bring better, faster Internet to more of their neighbours.

Check out our careers page for the current list of openings.

And, if you’re looking for great rural Internet from people who care, call 1-855-651-2118 today.