As part of our ongoing transformation, Genfare recently added an entirely new function to our organization—Account Management. The Account Manager role is key in our support offering, as well as our efforts to become a more client focused Genfare.
So what exactly does an Account Manager do? Read on to learn more about our team of Account Managers at Genfare!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Brandon Residorf: I have been at Genfare for almost seven years, and have worked in several roles: from managing the parts team to internal process improvements, and now my new role of Account Manager. I have learned a ton about fare collection and transit during this time, and I love working with my customers to help them find solutions for the challenges they face day-to-day. Outside of work, I’m a classically trained violinist turned fiddle player.
Daniel Gorey: I have been with Genfare for 19 months, and have worked in different roles during my time here. From working with agencies to get value out of their mobile ticketing solutions as more and more ridership adopts to forms of contactless payment, to working with the suite of Genfare solutions and helping agencies get the most out of their Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) solutions. I’ve helped transit agencies plan for their future, and what it may look like in the upcoming years as it is a rapidly adopting industry. I have developed a wealth of knowledge about fare collection and transit during this time, and was shocked by all of the different pieces involved in helping get individuals from A to Z using one of the most environmentally friendly ways of traveling. Outside of work, I enjoy going on bike rides, playing music, and hiking.
Tell us about Account Management at Genfare.
Daniel Gorey: Account Management at Genfare is a newer role to the company. It was a great way for Genfare to continue to pivot in the evolving transit space. Account Management at Genfare involves learning more about what transit agencies and their staff are going through. There are many moving parts at every agency and several individuals wear multiple hats. Our goal with Account Management is to ensure that the different needs of our customer base are met. Genfare greatly values our partnerships with agencies of all sizes and the Account Management function is to try and help make their day-to-day easier in any way we can. The Account Management team is here to address any changes or solutions that fit our partners needs and help them map out the ways to get to their long-term goals.
Brandon Reisdorf: I was excited to hear that Genfare was creating a new Account Management department as part of our effort to become more customer-centric and to build deeper relationships with our agency partners. As an Account Manager, I am available to work with agencies on issues big and small – whether it is helping someone understand a simple reporting question, or implementing a major software upgrade to the AFC backend. Account Managers at Genfare are intended to be long-term collaborators for each customer.
What do you enjoy most about your new role?
Brandon Reisdorf: My favorite aspect of the job is getting on the phone with customers to understand their current needs, and working together with the transit agency’s team to find a solution. It’s especially rewarding when we can work out a solution that provides major improvements to a process that an agency has been struggling with, such as consolidated reporting, configuring the system for regional fare acceptance, or enabling organizational partners to manage their own ridership.
Daniel Gorey: My favorite thing about my job is the people that I work with. I am newer to the industry and there is so much to learn and continually learn. Everyone I have met at Genfare is always super receptive to my requests for help and I am very grateful for the community culture that we have at Genfare to try and help one another out.
What is a common question you get from customers?
Daniel Gorey: A common question I hear from customers is how can they better future proof their AFC systems. The landscape of transit is continually changing with new technologies like contactless forms of payment and mobile ticketing, and payment technology will undoubtedly continue to evolve. One challenge that customers are continually facing is being able to adapt as the industry is changing. At Genfare, we love to have conversations about what the future of fare collection and transit will look like, as it helps us gather ideas on how to better serve our customers through our product offering and solution roadmap.
Brandon Reisdorf: I am frequently asked to explain our support options. Of course, I would recommend that all of our customers consider a Support Agreement. Having an active Support Agreement ensures that any support requests that come in will be handled with the highest priority without any hourly charges. The Agreements also include all minor software updates across the entire Genfare system, helping our agencies keep their systems up to date and running smoothly.
Will you please share one of your favorite memories from working at Genfare?
Brandon Reisdorf: I have a lot of great memories at Genfare, but I think one of my favorites goes all the way back to my first week when I spent several days working on the line with our outstanding production team. I was able to get to know every team member working on the line while learning the farebox down to the nuts and bolts (literally!) and building a farebox up start to finish. It was incredible to see our team build a complex product so efficiently.
Daniel Gorey: My favorite memories of working at Genfare is the opportunity to go out and meet our transit agency partners and get a better understanding of their operations. I also really appreciate how friendly everyone I’ve encountered in this industry has been, and the sense of collaboration that exists across agencies. Some of my favorite memories include visiting different APTA conferences and sitting in on the different sessions–learning more about the industry and goals that different agencies have. I truly believe we can all work together towards encouraging individuals to take advantage of the great transit systems across the U.S.
Is there anything else you’d like to add or mention?
Daniel Gorey: Transit is continually changing and we’d love to try and help with any market changes, and support our agency partners through any challenges they may face. We look forward to continuing to work with all of our partners large and small. Please feel free to reach out if there is anything that we can do to help in any way.
Brandon Reisdorf: We appreciate the trust that our agency partners have placed in Genfare, and we are working every day to improve our products and services. Please reach out if there is anything that we can help with – our team is ready to support you!