How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role?I have been employed with FSI for over 6 years as a Customer Service Representative. I handle customer service for numerous clients.
What did you do before FSI, and how in the world did you get roped in with these guys?
Before coming to FSI, I was a Customer Service Supervisor for a food distribution company. I received a call from the President of our division and he told me that he was going to work for a new company and he thought it would be a great fit for me, too. He said I needed to come and apply. I was ready for a change and so I did. That was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. The rest is history!
What do you enjoy about the fulfillment business?
The fulfillment business is always challenging and no two days are ever the same. You never know what you might be doing from one day to the next.
What do you enjoy about customer service?
I enjoy working directly with our clients and learning about their companies.
What have been some of your memorable moments from your time at FSI?
My favorites include the holiday gatherings and FSI's famous 15th Anniversary party. We always enjoy ourselves!
What do you think separates FSI from other fulfillment companies? What makes FSI different?
All of the employees work as a team and are willing to go that extra mile to make sure the job gets done no matter how big or how small it is. Everyone wants to go the distance to make our clients happy. FSI is constantly looking for ways to help our clients and find better ways of doing things.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (16+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What do you think FSI must do in order to continue being successful?
Basically we can’t stand still, not even for a moment. We have to have the continued support of our clients and the continued hard work and determination of our management team and employees.
What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI when you’re not doing customer service, checking on inventory, and so on?
I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Tammy Rezac
FSI
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role?I have been with FSI for a little over 5 years. My role at FSI is to provide the best customer service to our clients. I am the day to day contact person for many of our clients. My responsibility is to maintain clients’ inventory, process their orders, and handle the unique specifications for those accounts. I also make sure kit-packing projects are executed and completed in a timely manner. This includes coordinating to collect all necessary kit components, providing instructions on how to put the kits together, and so on until the kits are ready to ship.
I was an administrative assistant for hospital development. I posted a resume online at a career site and was contacted by FSI’s Director of Administration, Carleen Blakes, about a Customer Service job opening. The rest is history.
The best part of the fulfillment business is that you help your clients on a daily basis. I enjoy the kit-packing projects most of all. I like to challenge myself on how quickly we can complete error-free kit-packing projects. Seeing the clients happy is always worth it.
I enjoy the relationship you build with the clients. They rely on you to get their inventory shipped. More importantly, they trust you to get the job done.
Some of the greatest moments at FSI are the food gatherings. It gives us time to bond as a company no matter which department we’re in.
FSI is a different company because of the ownership and care. The company is family-oriented and works closely with each and every one. FSI listens to your ideas and respects your opinion about it. They are always willing to implement new ideas, and they actively encourage people to come up with serious solutions to new challenges. FSI’s long-standing “Ideas for Cash” program is a great incentive that gives the FSI employees a means to come up with better ways and ideas on our work processes. So seeing your idea put into place and knowing it makes a difference is very rewarding.
I would attribute it to a combination of hard work and dedication to excellence. Basically it boils down to a continual process of improvement. It is the ability to work and come together that makes the company successful.
What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI when you’re not receiving inventory, picking/packing/shipping orders, kitting, etc.?
I enjoy spending quality time with my family and watching my kids play football and basketball. I also enjoy bike riding with my husband when we get a chance to have alone time. I love to read and go to the movies.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Tora Ross
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role? I have worked for FSI for 6 years. My main role is pulling orders, but I also get involved in the packing and shipping areas.
I have worked at other warehouses and also in the medical field. A friend of mine I used to work with told me about FSI, and it sounded like a great place to work. I interviewed for the job and was hired.
I enjoy the fast-paced environment of fulfillment. There is rarely a slow moment!
I like the dinners we have. The people here are great. When I lost my son, I was overwhelmed by the love shown to me by everyone here. And when I recently had cancer, they were all great to me.
FSI has a great work ethic throughout and they make all of us feel like family. They show respect to all clients and help a lot in the community through breast cancer walks and contributions to other charitable organizations. I think FSI’s success can also be attributed to their thoughtfulness toward each client. We all try to do the best job possible.
I enjoy being with family and friends, and going to the mountains on weekends.
Judy is a little camera shy and wouldn’t let me take her picture for her article. So the closest I can come is a group picture. Judy is third from the right on the back row.
(Editor’s Note: Judy is truly an inspiration to us at FSI. As you can see from some of her answers, Judy has been through a lot. Her son passed away in his twenties, and not long afterwards, Judy was diagnosed with cancer. She went through treatments and beat cancer, and she takes the loss of her dear son one day at a time. If anyone is ever feeling down, they need not look any further than Judy to put things into perspective. She has our full support and is a valuable part of FSI’s team. We at FSI enjoy being a valuable part in Judy’s life, as well.)
Tags: Employee Interview, Judy Rogers
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role? It’s hard to believe but I have been with FSI for 12 years. I mainly handle FSI’s local pickups and deliveries. Outside of that, I help wherever I am needed whether it’s on the shipping line, kit packing, or maintenance.
I did the same thing for a printing and fulfillment company prior to working at FSI. They were purchased by a company located in another part of the country and the Atlanta location was eventually moved out of state. I had known the owner of FSI, Ken Marbutt, from his days on the management team at that same company. So when it was time to find a new job, I got in touch with Ken who by that time had started FSI.
I love the challenges that each day brings. There’s never a dull moment, and a lot of people at FSI would say the same thing.
I always enjoy the parties, friendships and the growth of the employees. We enjoy working together, so the social gatherings are great.
For starters, the people are great. We also understand why we’re here. It isn’t just about putting something in a box and shipping it. We’re actually partnering with our clients and managing something that is critical to their own success. Every time we complete a job on time it lets them trust us with even more important projects down the road. And we’ve never missed a deadline. Ever!
It’s very family oriented and the owners understand the needs of their business going forward.
I love watching sports with my grandsons and great-grandsons.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Fred Nichols
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role? I have been employed with FSI for 12 years, and my role is Warehouse Supervisor. Running the warehouse is a team effort, and my job is to help coordinate the various teams from Shipping to Receiving.
I was the Warehouse Supervisor for a printing and fulfillment company prior to coming to FSI. At some point they were bought out by an out-of-state company and their operations were moved out of Atlanta. I had known some of the FSI personnel from their previous work at the same company, so I applied for the job at FSI and was hired.
The demands of the business and the challenge of meeting deadlines. It is a fast-paced environment and there is rarely a dull moment.
I find all company gatherings memorable, but the one that stands out the most was our 15 year anniversary party. We got to dunk the FSI owners and management in a dunk tank – that was fun! (see photo below)
I would have to say FSI’s order accuracy (99.9%) and IT Department’s ability to customize online programs to meet our clients’ needs. It separates us from most of the other fulfillment companies and helps us get business we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to handle.
I love playing with my grandkids and fishing.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Charlie Hayes
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role?I joined FSI four years ago. I am a Project Coordinator on the warehouse side of our operation. After the sales team brings a kit packing or handwork job in, on the warehouse side responsibility is handed to a Project Coordinator. Basically, my job is to ensure the kit packing projects are handled to the Client’s specifications and are completed on time and on budget. It is also my job to manage the labor crews on the production floor doing the handwork and kitting. It is very much a hands-on job, so I am often right beside our crews packing kits and doing quality checks. Many of these jobs are quite complex, and every single one of them deserves careful attention to detail, so it keeps all of us on our toes.
I worked for a home remodeling company. When the housing market tanked, I looked for work elsewhere and ended up at FSI. The rest is history!
The challenge of getting the jobs out the door on time.
FSI’s 15-year anniversary party where Forrest, Bobby, Daryl and Ken took turns in the dunk tank (see photos below). That was quite a memorable moment, and I’m sure it was for them too since it was a freezing cold day in April and the water in the dunk tank was icy.
We all work together and get things done no matter what it takes. We go above and beyond to make sure that our clients are happy.
I enjoy playing with my grandson, going to church and fishing.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Langley Rider
How long have you worked at FSI?
As of this month I have been at FSI a little over seven years.
What is your role at FSI?
I work in the IT Department as a Programmer Analyst. My duties include systems integration, data modeling and database design, web services and web application design. That’s a fancy way of saying we design systems that allow FSI’s clients to do business with us with as few technological hurdles as possible. Maybe they have their own web site, and if so, they can send orders to us via web services instantly. Maybe they don’t have a web site, so we’ll customize one for them. Or maybe they need a built-from-scratch database system to handle a sweepstakes. My job is to program it.
Before joining FSI I worked as a Systems Application Engineer for a company that made warehouse management software (WMS) and handheld computers. I was ready for a change and when a position opened up at FSI, I felt it would be a good fit.
What do you enjoy about programming and IT services?
I enjoy creating new and innovative solutions to complex issues. I like to think I have one of the best jobs in the world because it is something different every day, and I enjoy the people I work with at FSI. It never gets boring. Programming is truly my calling.
FSI is unique from other fulfillment companies by having fulltime IT employees. How does this benefit our clients?
It makes a huge difference because we are able to create custom solutions to fit client specifications instead of forcing clients to fit into existing solutions. Too many fulfillment providers try to box their clients into a vendor-specific “solution”. But it isn’t a solution if it doesn’t work for the client, and that’s where FSI’s philosophy differs. Every department knows the standard isn’t what is convenient for us, but what will help build our partnership with the client over the long haul.
What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI?
I enjoy spending time with my wife raising our two kids and reading.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Alston Callwood
We talk a lot about FSI’s culture because so much of what we do requires a consistent commitment to doing things a certain way and to a certain standard. And when the topic of our culture comes up, invariably so does the related topic of our very low employee turnover. Today’s interview focuses on someone who just happens to be one of our many longtime employees, so let’s see what she has to say about life at FSI.
Karen, how long have you worked at FSI?
I have been at FSI for 16 years, and in fact was one of the first employees when the doors opened in 1996.
Sixteen years? That certainly is a great accomplishment. What is your role at FSI?
I handle customer service, billing, and assist with some of the accounting related work as well. Between all of that, it certainly is a full-time job.
I used to work for a concrete company in Vermont as Receptionist and in Accounts Receivables. My husband was offered a job transfer to Georgia, so we moved here in November of 1995. I applied for work through a staffing agency, and since FSI was looking for a receptionist I was sent to the company. It worked out great, and the rest is history.
FSI handles an amazing variety of inventory items, kit packing projects, sweepstakes, and prizes. I don’t remember what the count was in 1996, but today we have close to 30,000 different products set up in our system. It takes quite a lot to keep that running smoothly and the variety makes things interesting.
The commitment of making sure orders are processed, projects completed, responding to customers in a timely manner regarding any questions, changes, concerns, etc. that they may have. It’s a lot of work but at the end of the day is very rewarding. (Most days, anyway!)
Since I started at the company, we have moved twice, each time to a far larger facility. Plus we went from 3 employees to over 35 full-time employees. That doesn’t even count an army of dedicated temporary staffers who help with volume fluctuations.
FSI has a team environment filled with people that are willing to go above and beyond to provide our clients great service, care and perfectionism.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (14+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What would you attribute FSI’s success to?
I would have to say lots of hard work and dedication on the part of both management and the employees. Ken, Hoyt, and Forrest have always had the drive and determination to expand so we can take on clients of all sizes. We support some major brands and it’s a great feeling to know they trust us with their mission critical jobs.
I love spending time with my husband as well as with our kids and grandkids. We are huge NASCAR fans so we enjoy going to the races. We also enjoy the beach.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Karen Cross
If you’ve followed our blog for any length of time you know FSI prides itself on building a solid workforce and investing in employees for the long haul. One of the more visible pieces of evidence of this is how long most of our employees have been with us (currently averaging 7 years). This means a lot to our clients because they personally know and have a huge comfort level with the dedicated teams that know their accounts inside and out. Let’s take a look at just such an employee.
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role?Well, May 29, 2012 was my 11 year anniversary with FSI. Who would have thought?! I handle customer service for a number of clients. I am their day to day contact about their account if they need anything. I also manage crews for our sweepstakes programs on data entry, drawings, winner notifications, etc.
I had a background in Customer Service and Receivables prior to starting with FSI, but even so, it is safe to say I had no idea what I was getting into!
With a fulfillment company, you never know what the next day will bring. One day I would spend all day doing nothing but apply mailing labels to coupons and the next day do nothing but process orders for footless panty hose. Amazing!
We have had covered dish lunches, where each employee brings a dish and we all eat together. It is just like a family reunion! Good food and great friends.
When you have worked with a company of over 500 employees, you might wonder at times if the higher ups even knew your name, much less what you did for the company. But with FSI, it’s nothing like that. From management to the new kid in the warehouse, everyone knows your name and notices if you are out. If you have a good idea that might help the company, it is given serious consideration. And if it works, you are rewarded! (see Ideas for Cash program picture below)
Our clients are the best. Some are just starting up, and when we help them grow, FSI grows as well. Seeing new clients take off and knowing you had a big part in their success is extremely rewarding. It makes you feel like you can accomplish anything.
I love to work in the yard, play baseball and shoot pool. I guess you can say I’m an outdoor person.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Mary Wiley
It has been awhile since we last posted an employee highlight, so let’s see what has been going on lately on the business development side. Sometimes this function is very much in the forefront, and sometimes it remains in the background. But as today's interview with Bobby Stephenson shows, this department is another great example of how fresh ideas continue to keep both current and new clients satisfied with top-notch fulfillment solutions.
About a year.
My primary role is working with the Sales Manager and Sales Team, developing ideas and strategies to retain current clients as well as bring on new clients.
What did you do before FSI and how in the world did you get roped in with these guys?
I spent twenty-five years with UPS, twenty-four of which were in sales. I started as a Driver in 1986 and was promoted to an Account Executive in 1987. In 1994, I was promoted to Sales Manager, where I remained for sixteen years until I retired in 2011. I had an existing relationship with FSI, so after retirement, I pursued FSI. Through my job at UPS, I was able to meet with many companies in FSI’s line of business. FSI has always impressed me with how they handle business, how their processes are set up, and how organized their facility is. FSI was the kind of company I wanted to put my experience to work for.
It is of course very similar to the shipping business in many ways. Clients require very high levels of order accuracy and often tight delivery times when distributing their products. I enjoy using my experience in transportation to reassure them that FSI should be their choice for their fulfillment needs.
What do you enjoy about sales?
I've always enjoyed meeting people and finding out what it takes to form a business partnership. I pride myself on being a good listener. Most people think a good salesperson is a good talker. In my opinion, a good salesperson is a good listener. A salesperson must ask good questions and listen to what the client needs before offering any solutions.
We do some very nice things here at FSI. I really enjoyed our annual Fishing Trip. Most of all, I enjoy the opportunities to work with the Sales Team to bring on new business.
During my career at UPS, I've had the chance to visit quite a few fulfillment companies. The things that separate and make FSI so delightfully different are:
1- The ongoing commitment to provide quality service to our clients ALL THE TIME.
2- The ability to offer customized solutions to current and prospective clients who need something besides a one-size-fits-all approach.
3- A family atmosphere where all of us can bring forward ideas that can change and improve the way we do business.
4- An Open Door Policy at all levels.
FSI has enjoyed some growth ( 13,000 ft - 155,000 ft ), longevity ( 15 years ) and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What would you attribute FSI's success to?
A company-wide commitment to be the best solution provider for any client that needs fulfillment.
What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI.
I thoroughly enjoy playing golf and spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Bobby Stephenson
Tags: FSI, Shanda Butler, Employee Interview
So many members of the FSI team have a knack for blending into the background, and yet without them FSI just wouldn’t work. That certainly is the case for today’s interview. Let’s get Tchal’s perspective on life at FSI.
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role? I have worked at FSI for 8 years. I am the Line Leader in the warehouse at the Pick/Pack/Ship area. When orders come to the warehouse, I oversee the pick ticket distribution to our pickers, to make sure the large volumes of pick tickets (packing slips) are processed quickly. I also make sure all orders are packaged well. You never know what type of item or combination of items will come down the line to be packed, and it is a bit of an art and a science in packing an order so it arrives securely at its destination. Literature items such as brochures require one type of package, apparel requires another, ceramic mugs requires another, and so on. At last count we have upwards of 22,000 items in our warehouses, so you can imagine our packaging approach isn’t one-size-fits-all.
When orders containing several types of items come down the line, such as apparel and food products, you have to make use of a combination of packaging techniques. Depending on the requested shipping method there are weight limits to consider, but at the same time you want to use as few packages as possible to keep our customer’s costs low. So packing a single 15-lb box usually is less expensive than packing three 5-lb boxes. There’s a lot more to it than simply putting something in a box, and that doesn’t even take into consideration the custom and branded boxes some of our clients require.
What did you do before FSI, and how in the world did you get roped in with these guys? Before coming to FSI, I was in the restaurant business. I grew tired of that industry and decided to try warehouse work. I called FSI's Warehouse Supervisor, Charlie Hayes, whom I have known for years, and he made arrangements for me to apply with FSI. What do you enjoy about the fulfillment business? I enjoy learning more about the different types of business that we handle, and I enjoy the fact that our industry is so unique. What have been some of your memorable moments from your time at FSI? The memorable moments would be the employee dinners and the quarterly meetings where the company comes together and reviews recent successes. After the annual FSI Fishing Trips, I also enjoy seeing the pictures and hearing about the great times everyone had. (I’ve been invited to go, but I do not like to be on the water). Also, it’s great seeing one of our founders, Hoyt Marbutt, visit on occasion even though he is retired. What do you think separates FSI from other fulfillment companies? What makes FSI different? FSI is great. We are different because we act as one family. We love our “FSI Rocks!” tee shirts because so many people tell us how much we help their business. So it feels good to be part of all of these projects. FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (15+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What do you think FSI must do in order to continue being successful? Our success comes from Ken, Hoyt and Forrest taking the time to focus on the things they know best fits the company. They are fair, honest, and well respected by their employees. It's safe to say you have your hands full here. What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI when you’re not working with inventory, picking/packing/shipping orders, and so on? I love spending time with my family.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Tchal Taylor
The various inventory functions at FSI represent the core of our business, so as we wrap up 2011 it is fitting that the final blog post of the year highlight one of the individuals who helps make it all happen. Let’s see what Kenneth Hayes has to say about life at FSI.
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role?I have worked at FSI for a year now. I work in the inventory department as a receiver, so my main role is to receive inventory as it enters the warehouse.
Before FSI, I worked in the quality control department for a poultry processing plant, and I wanted to change to a better job with more room for advancement. I came across FSI and thought it would be a great fit for me.
I enjoy the nature of the business and the service that we provide to the customers, and the fact that it’s always changing. There’s never a dull moment.
The most memorable moment for me at FSI is a time we all got together on a Saturday morning for a 5k walk (see picture below). It was great to see everyone have a great time and trying to compete.
In spite of its size and growth, FSI remains a family-owned business and we tend to pull together like a family. It is a great place to work. All the people in the warehouse are like family in every sense of the word. I think that’s what separates FSI, not to mention FSI’s superb customer service and IT team.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (15+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What do you think FSI must do in order to continue being successful?
FSI employees have a “get it done no matter what” attitude. No job is too hard and we have to remember the reason we get many of the harder jobs is because other companies aren’t set up to do them that well. All of the employees are proud of our accomplishments, and the various incentives and quality control plans we have keep us on our toes.
Well, I love to work in the yard, play basketball, and shoot pool. I guess you can say I’m an outdoor person.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Kenneth Hayes
Today we continue with our employee interviews. Let’s see what Caidena has to say about her time here at FSI.
How long have you worked at FSI, and what is your role? I joined FSI in 2008, so that makes 3 years. My role is to do receiving, pulling, picking and packing orders, and sometimes shipping.
I came to FSI through a temp agency, and my last assignment was working for a food distributor building kits. FSI had a need for additional warehouse help, so my temp agency sent me. After a short while, FSI brought me on board full time and it has been a great ride.
I like the fulfillment business because there are so many different things to do. I like to see new clients come in with their new products, and every day seems to bring something different.
The most memorable moment was when we had a surprise 15 Year Anniversary party earlier this year. While telling the employees how we act as superheroes for our clients pulling off incredible feats of getting their kits packed and orders out the door, the managers came out in superhero costumes. What a sight to see! If that wasn’t surprising enough, they revealed to us that the purpose of the wetsuit costumes was that they had a dunking booth set up for us to dunk the manager of our choice. There were also carnival games set up, and everyone really enjoyed it.
FSI is different because we do what it takes to make each client happy. There are so many good people to work with who really care that the job is done right.
Keep doing what we’ve been doing. Don’t fix what is not broken.
I like to go out to the movies and hanging out with my family.
Got any good movie recommendations?
Hangover 2 and Toy Story 3 are a couple of good ones. I can’t wait to see the new Transformers movie.
Tags: FSI, employee interview, Caidena Downing
Every FSI employee has a great story to tell, and the guest of honor for today’s employee interview is no different. If you had to take a guess as to who this is, one clue would be that he laid claim to the title of champion of the 2011 FSI fishing outing. Let’s see what Joey has to say about his time at FSI.
I have been with FSI almost four and a half years.
After 20 successful years in third party warehouse operations FSI offered me a chance to work in sales. It is something I have always wanted to do but previously had very little experience in. In sales, I have the opportunity to put my operational knowledge and people skills to work with some of the most talented people in the industry.
I decided it was time for a change from operations, but I wanted to remain in the warehousing and fulfillment industry. Awhile back I had met Ken Marbutt at a social function and he invited me to take a tour of FSI. Long story short, the relationship worked out very well and he gave me the chance to work in sales. It has been a wild ride and I love it.
I enjoy connecting with new people who are chasing their dreams, often starting exciting, new businesses with little more than a spark in their eyes and a great product to offer. Knowing that superb product fulfillment can make or break their chase, I enjoy getting them set up with the various fulfillment programs at FSI, which are the best in the business. These tools give companies their best chance to be successful. Sometimes I run across a competitor who can offer a good program, but when you peel away the bark, they cannot begin to match FSI’s total package. That certainly makes my job easier!
I get to meet creative people with a variety of interesting ideas. I find people’s passion is always the same no matter the size of the idea. There are large companies with big needs and small start-ups who just need someone to help them get their dream going. Watching those dreams come into fruition is very rewarding.
Meeting people like Ted Turner, Leonard Rowe (formerly Michael Jackson’s concert promoter), Dewey Tomko (poker champion) and countless others. Then I talk to someone with a husband and 2 kids and a simple idea to organize her pocketbook. Meeting people like her is every bit as memorable as the celebrities, and in fact she is well on her way to becoming a celebrity herself.
Being a family owned operation. Not the huge mega corporation. You will find every customer service representative, warehouse worker, supervisor and manager has one goal, which is to do the job right the first time. And 99.98% of the time they do. Our customers always talk about the partnership they have with FSI and how we have been a part of their success.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 155,000+ ft²), longevity (15+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What would you attribute FSI’s success to?
FSI was created with one vision in mind. That was to be a top-notch fulfillment center. We have stayed the course for over 15 years and have not diluted that goal with other ventures. With that goal, we have worked diligently to grow and improve on that core philosophy. Strong leadership, careful planning and great execution have given FSI countless success stories. Once a project is set in motion, there is a comfortable feeling that it will be a success. That confidence sets us apart.
I enjoy family, friends, church work, fishing, a good movie, dining out and a road trip anywhere. I work hard on the farm and play harder when we get the chance. A road trip with my daughters to see their brother play college football is special as well.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Joey Harp
How long have you worked at FSI? I came on board in early 2006, so I’ve been with FSI for nearly five and a half years.
I am the Inventory Control Supervisor. Pretty much anything related to inventory is part of my job description.
For 18 years I was a warehouse manager for a printing company in Connecticut. We eventually relocated to Georgia to grow my husband’s Pest control business. When I got settled in I looked through the phone book for companies in the fulfillment business, faxed in my resume, and the rest is history.
I enjoy the demands of the business and the challenges of meeting deadlines. Believe me, there’s never a slow day at FSI.
Definitely our company gatherings. They have all been memorable. One that sticks out was playing “Deal or No Deal” at a Christmas party awhile back.
I would have to say FSI’s Order accuracy and ability to offer customized online programs. It’s definitely different than other fulfillment companies, and with 18 years at a different fulfillment house, I can say that from experience.
Very simple, it is FSI’s determination to be the best in the business.
I enjoy spending time with my family, fishing, and playing football with my boys.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Kim Hairston
Today we interview another one of FSI’s terrific employees. She is the first one to greet our fabulous customers and the last one to see them out the door each day. What would we do without her?
I have been with FSI for almost three and a half years.
I am the receptionist.
What do you enjoy about your job at FSI?
I enjoy being able to see the different products that we ship for our customers. We have some great customers and so many of them have fascinating stories behind their products.
Where do I start? My background includes payroll, production payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, customer service, administrative assistant, stock photography librarian (a boring job to be sure but I loved it), receptionist, and even real estate. I came to FSI through a staffing agency.
One memory that sticks out was during the regional flooding Georgia experienced in September of 2009. There basically was only one way to get to work. Like so many who work in the Atlanta area I live on the west side and everyone that lived on the west side was afraid the Department of Transportation would close a key bridge in an area that was particularly hard hit. If they had done that we would not have been able to get home. So while I love working at FSI, I didn’t want to camp out here for three days!
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (14+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What would you attribute FSI's success to?
That’s an easy one. Very good customer service!
I don’t get to do it as often as I used to, but I love singing and dancing.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Betty Stringer, Receptionist
Today we interview another long-time employee of FSI, Linda Williamson. Let’s see what Linda has to say about life at FSI.
I have been at FSI for a little over five years.
My position at FSI is Business Development Manager, which allows me to do what I love. I get to work with prospective customers and help them find just the right match of FSI services. As a bonus, I get to manage a team of great people!
I have been in the fulfillment industry for about 15 years, working for a competitor before coming to FSI. Seeing the need for a positive change, I actually approached Forrest and Ken about a position with FSI (what was I thinking?) It was not long before I had found my new home at FSI and it was the best career move I’ve ever made.
Fulfillment is unique. Managing fulfillment means there are many different goals and objectives that can vary significantly from client to client. What works great for one client might not be useful for another, and tailoring our approach for a “best fit” rather than a “one size fits all” helps ensure success for everyone. Between all the different kit packing projects we work on, to new types of fulfillment programs, e-commerce system integrations, EDI, sweepstakes management, and so on, it is something new each day.
Solving tough problems and helping customers is what I like the most. If you are confident you have a solid service offering and believe in the company you are selling for, the sales process becomes easy. I really enjoy identifying the unique set of challenges that every program presents and helping to develop solutions. It builds a partnership that starts strong and stays strong over time.
We have a great culture where events such as FSI Anniversary celebrations, potluck dinners, Christmas parties, etc. have been amazing. We work hard and have a lot of fun doing it, which makes this place pretty special. Big wins for the sales team are always memorable. Just for the record, fun times like “Easter Bunny punked my ride” and “decorating King Fisherman’s office” were not my idea…alone. Happy employees do better work, so we see nothing wrong with some occasional humor in the workplace (see picture below).
Definitely the people. Our team is made up of industry veterans, each bringing their expertise and ideas to the table to help customers and make FSI better. Together, we can develop solutions and put them into action better than any other fulfillment company.
Strong leadership has been the key to FSI’s continual growth over the years. Owners and managers who truly care about their customers, vendors and their employees are destined to go far. Careful planning and great execution have positioned FSI to continue to grow for many years to come.
What do you enjoy doing with your spare time outside of FSI
Gardening and travel, especially going to our house in Dahlonega. Enjoying good food, good wine and good times with family and friends.
Tags: FSI, Linda Williamson, Employee Interview
How long have you worked at FSI? I’ve worked for FSI for 5 years.
My primary role is to work with the Warehouse Team to pull orders, pack them, and ship them. Beyond that, anything I can do to help keep the warehouse moving!
Our Clients have some very interesting products, so I enjoy learning about each customer and their products. I also enjoy meeting different Clients when they come to visit.
I’ve had many memorable moments at FSI, but the ones that stand out the most are the times when we get together as a team on special occasions and during the holidays and show our love for each other (See photo below). Being with the same people 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, you can’t help but to love them.
No matter what it takes, FSI gets the job done even if we have to stay over or work the holidays. We care about the customer and it shows.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (14+ years), and won some awards along the way since the business began in 1996. What do you think FSI must do in order to continue being successful?
Keep doing everything we’ve been doing and continue to keep both our Clients and our employees happy.
When I’m not at FSI I enjoy spending time with my family and shopping.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Jackie McCain
We’ve interviewed a number of long-time FSI employees and will continue to do so in the coming weeks. Today however we’d like to have a chat with the one who started it all. Ken Marbutt is the founder and President of FSI, a long-time leader in the fulfillment industry, and remains a driving force in the vision behind FSI. With apologies to Lexus, Ken has relentlessly pursued perfection in the fulfillment business since 1996. Let’s see what he has to say about these past 14 years.
How did you get into the fulfillment business?
I had the good fortune of taking a position with a company called American Graphics (AG) in the early 80’s which was one of the best printing companies ever. AG was a very forward thinking company that began a program with the soft drink industry which was referred to as 3rd Party Marketing. AG printed the point of sale materials, warehoused it, marketed and distributed directly to the bottling divisions of major soft drink companies including Coca Cola. This soon expanded into other industries, and fulfillment became a vital part of their business model. AG eventually was sold to a company called Cadmus Communications and I had the opportunity of working with several of the Cadmus companies assisting them with fulfillment operations. I had always dreamed of operating my own company and finally made the decision to take the risk. So I resigned my position and opened FSI on April fool’s day, 1996.
Many times companies feel they can do the fulfillment themselves. Why should anyone outsource fulfillment?
There are many reasons such as cost, manpower, warehouse space, IT systems and core expertise. Many people think fulfillment is simple. You put some stock on the shelf, take an order and ship it. But those 3 steps are nothing but a summary of a hundred procedures that cover a thousand details. That order must be accurately packed, ship on time, and arrive in good condition. It sounds simple until people are faced with the realities of inventory management, order tracking, customer service, backorder management, returns, credit card processing, data security, systems management, and so on. It becomes even more complex when you consider fluctuations in order volumes, so what do you do when you have ten orders one day and a thousand orders the next? Rapid changes in volume can cripple companies that aren’t prepared to ramp up staffing at a moment’s notice, turning what should have been a financial windfall into a chaotic nightmare.
So to handle these challenges you outsource to a trusted company that specializes in fulfillment. FSI invests hundreds of thousands of dollars annually maintaining our order processing and warehouse management systems, effectively sharing the cost with many clients and reducing the overall cost to any one client. From a pure economic sense, a company cannot handle fulfillment in house as efficiently and cost effectively as a fulfillment company. Then there is the hassle factor. You may have a great product and be really good at marketing it, but you don’t need the daily distractions of product fulfillment. Wouldn’t you rather focus on building sales rather than building kits?
Before starting FSI, you worked for a printing company that had an in house fulfillment division. FSI often competes for fulfillment jobs with printers. Knowing your printing background, when should a printing company handle the fulfillment themselves, and when should they outsource it to a fulfillment company?
Fulfillment can be a value added service for printing companies if handled properly. If you’re simply producing a printed product and immediately drop shipping it to the destination, then by all means do it yourself. If however it requires warehousing the product, taking orders electronically, picking, packing, and shipping the order, providing customer service, funds management, returns processing, etc., then you might want to outsource to a trusted fulfillment company where that is their core competency. Understand that printing companies handle fulfillment because it represents an additional revenue opportunity for them, but when they do it badly it really bites their clients in a visible and damaging way.
So for the majority of businesses, it makes far more economic sense to use FSI rather than to risk product fulfillment to a printer that lacks the depth of experience to make it all happen. Exceptions still exist, but most printers aren’t equipped to handle fulfillment in a way that reflects well on their clients. A fulfillment company does this for a living.
What separates FSI from other fulfillment companies? What makes FSI different?
FSI has invested heavily in IT from the very beginning. We have the ability to track an item from the time it reaches our warehouse floor to the final shipping destination, online and in real-time. We rely on barcode technology rather than hoping people pick the right quantity of the right items, drastically improving accuracy. FSI has an in house programming staff providing the expertise to maintain the systems and provide customizable solutions. This enables a consistent, yet tailored approach for our clients as their business requirements change, so our clients never outgrow us. Rather, we grow with them. Few companies our size can match those capabilities.
FSI has enjoyed some growth (13,000 ft² - 150,000+ ft²), longevity (14+ years), and won some awards along the way since you started the business in 1996. What would you attribute your success to?
We listen to customers, respond to their needs, and treat each and every order with the utmost of importance. It starts and ends with the right personnel, so we are fortunate to have some of the best talent in the industry employed at FSI. It isn’t the 999 perfect orders that our customer remembers, it’s the “ONE” that wasn’t. So through multiple incentive programs and a constant quality review, we keep the pressure on to stay on top of our game
How has the fulfillment business changed since you started the business in 1996?
When I started FSI there were only a handful of companies advertising themselves as fulfillment providers. Now there are hundreds. Almost every printer includes fulfillment as one of their service offerings. They may do some form of fulfillment, but most cannot offer the wide array of fulfillment services that we do. In addition, when we first started most customers were satisfied with shipping an order within two to three days. Now almost everyone wants their order shipped the same day. This changes the dynamics of the business tremendously. Your staff must handle order volumes that literally change as the day progresses. Then there is the IT piece, which many fulfillment providers treat as an afterthought. But our customers have the ability to see a real-time picture of their orders and inventory through their web browser.
What do you envision for the future for FSI?
We have worked very hard to position FSI as one of the most trusted and respected fulfillment companies in America. We have built a reliable, expandable model that will enable us to grow exponentially over the next few years. We are ready for that growth and look forward to seeing the fruits of our labors. So we certainly expect to defend our position as the best fulfillment company around.
As a business owner you can never stop thinking about your business, but what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love to golf, fly fish, travel, and spend time with my grandkids. I have enjoyed building and growing FSI tremendously and I’m very proud of the team that continues to run the company on a daily basis. I will probably never fully retire, but I love having the freedom to enjoy things outside of FSI, knowing that every client remains in great hands.
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Ken Marbutt, President
Today we continue with our employee interviews, highlighting Carleen Blakes, FSI's invaluable Director of Administration. Judging from the picture, it sure looks like we keep her busy!
I joined FSI in 1997.
My role is to handle human resources, payroll and the bookkeeping at FSI.
Ken was my boss at American Graphics, which later became Cadmus Communications. After he left Cadmus and started FSI, I joined his staff.
One memorable moment was moving into our current facility at The Bluffs. It was fun and challenging to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle came together over a very long weekend. It was a lot of work and it took everyone to do their part and then some! It defined teamwork!
FSI is committed to their clients and their needs. FSI’s employees are dedicated and conscientious about their clients, the work they perform and each and every job they handle. I love it that FSI has always been a family organization! They take an interest in every aspect of each job and they have a “can do” attitude.
FSI’s success first comes from Ken and Forrest and their vision for FSI. They are the captains of the ship. But the ship needs a good crew to operate it. So having the right employees and systems in place has brought the success! Each employee must do their part to have the company succeed. No one person can do all this by themselves. FSI employees have an interest and are committed to do whatever it takes to make the company grow and succeed.
I enjoy being with my husband and two sons! Traveling, reading John Grisham books, attending sporting events and taking long walks on the beach!
Tags: FSI, Carleen Blakes, Employee Interview
Tags: FSI, Employee Interview, Sandi Callicutt
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