eBay In Person:
Kristin Smock
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Kristin Smock |
Kristin is a Manager in PayPal's Customer Support organization based in Omaha, Nebraska.
When did you start at PayPal and what did you do before?
I started at PayPal in May of 2000, back when it was still X.com. Before PayPal I worked at Gateway in North Sioux City, South Dakota, as a Contract Administrator for their Government Relations team.
What are your responsibilities at PayPal?
I manage the Operations Communications team within the PayPal Operations organization. We're responsible for communicating when there is a problem, both to our member Community as well as to decision-makers and other employees within PayPal and eBay. This includes anything that affects the functioning of the PayPal site.
We also read and help support various eBay Discussion Boards, and we post as regualar "pinks" to the PayPal boards on eBay US, eBay Canada, as well as eBay Australia. We also coordinate mass emails, phone routing messaging, and email support for Voices.
Can you describe some key PayPal Operations Support initiatives that you worked on/or which are currently in development?
I recently helped with a new initiative Shop Without Sharing. We want to make sure everyone knows that when you pay with PayPal, your credit card and bank numbers are never seen by the seller or merchant. Your financial information stays safe. Plus, you're protected 100% against unauthorized payments sent from your account
Describe some of the challenges involved in working in PayPal Operations Support.
One of the biggest challenges we have as an Operations organization is getting our teams to think "globally" all the time. Since we are a global organization, we need to keep in mind how anything we do can impact our customers around the world, not just our US customer base. PayPal's secure global network now reaches more than 56 countries and regions, and involves multiple currencies. This expansion has happened so fast that sometimes it's easy to forget that we don't serve customers only in the US. I feel we've come a long way from when we first launched our first international site (PayPal UK), but knowing that we have customers all over the world is still something that we need to continue to focus on and try to incorporate into our day to day thought processes.
What do you like about working at PayPal? What's the most rewarding part of working at PayPal?
I love the people I work with every day! I feel like I have a family at work and we always have fun, no matter how hard we work. I don't think I have ever gone through an entire day without some one making me smile or laugh! I am surrounded by a dedicated group of individuals that truly respect each other and would help me, and each other, anytime, anywhere.
What skills have you found yourself utilizing most in your career at PayPal?
I don't know if can single out one specific skill, but my role in Operations Communications has helped hone my ability to keep my communication clear and concise, whether the audience is the eBay and PayPal Community or our internal teams. I am somewhat of a perfectionist, so there are times when I agonize over getting every word of the communications I send out just right. I feel this is critical, because a small nuance in communication can have a huge impact on our Community.
What do you buy or sell on eBay?
I don't have a specific category that I purchase from, but I have purchased some purses, clothes for my daughter, and some gifts for my friends and family .
What's the most memorable item that you've bought or sold on eBay?
Unfortunately I haven't yet sold anything on eBay, but I have a pile of items that I need to sell. I do have two designer purses that are still in the original packaging since I neglected to look at the dimensions before I won them….Someday I will list them on the site!
What do you like to do for fun?
I love to watch TV! I shouldn't admit this, but I am addicted to reality TV! I also enjoy spending as much time as possible with my daughter…she drives my ambition.
