MEET JOANNE: DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER SERVICE & PROJECTS
As a group leader, one of JoAnne’s roles is to make a case for improving the processes followed by her team.
Montel Director of Customer Service & Projects, JoAnne Dougall, originally from Toronto, Ontario and have had lived several years in Winnipeg, Manitoba, chose to come and live in a small town in Québec over twenty years ago with her husband. All these years later, she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else!
JoAnne began her seven-year tenure at Montel as an inside sales coordinator. With her many years of experience in customer service, she quickly rose to the department head. Her main role is to provide support to the talented team of Inside Sales Coordinators and tracking departmental and interdepartmental efficiency while encouraging the principles of continuous improvement and lean manufacturing.
But what really gets her jazzed about her work are all the big, complex projects with a lot of moving parts, such as the mobile storage system that Montel installed in the New York Public Library. This high-profile multimillion-dollar contract was a huge score for Montel, but it involved complicated delivery logistics and many more points of contact than the typical project—if there is such a thing as a “typical” Montel project.
So what made this installation so triumphant? Teamwork.
“From the time we first embarked on the quoting process for the job to when the last item was installed at the site,” JoAnne said, “every single department at Montel contributed to making that project a success.”
When overseeing a large-scale storage installation, her role is to bring together all the many moving parts to create the perfect outcome. Project management takes proper planning, communication, adaptability, and discipline. JoAnne must equally represent the interests of Montel while fully advocating for her customers.
“It’s all about balance,” JoAnne said, “and always trying to find win-win situations.”
As a group leader, one of JoAnne’s roles is to make a case for improving the processes followed by her team. She understands the importance of an intelligently designed organization, and as such, she must be able to articulate and show her team members why these changes matter. JoAnne also knows that progress isn’t a one-way street – asking her team to not only question but to also explore possible solutions.
“I’m proud of my team’s ability to jump on board; their willingness to imagine, explore, test and adapt,” JoAnne said.
