December 5, 2018
She’s a teacher, mother, grandmother, wife, friend, clown, mentor, servant, face painter, balloon artist, fear-fighter, and true renaissance woman. For Lori Keppler, Alpine’s customer service manager, she will move mountains to connect people to their communities.
As the customer service manager and advocate, Lori is tenacious about getting it right. Her desire to care for customers is what ignites the most passion for her work. “I enjoy how it all comes together: from the beginning when a customer calls in, all the way through the installation, and then the follow up with the customer making sure they are connecting the way they want to.”
Building on her desire for a superior customer experience, Lori is known around the office for ensuring accuracy in billing for customers and trouble resolution. When asked about her greatest work accomplishments, she humbly added that she is proudest of the achievements she has made as a team. Lori lead her customer service team through two billing conversions, two email system upgrades, and six fiber-to-the home projects.
As a lifelong learner and teacher, Lori gives back to the community and telecom industry. She shares her knowledge and expertise with the telecom industry through her service on various industry committees and teaching technology workshops to customers.
“I enjoy my job as much as I do because it is interesting, challenging, and ever-changing. Just when I think I have a handle on things today, then tomorrow a new technology emerges that I don’t have a clue about, so I’m learning again. There’s never a dull moment and I’m never bored.”
When Lori joined the Alpine team 15 years ago, more customers were using dial-up internet than DSL (averaging download speeds of 384 kbps). Lori commented the biggest technology advancement she has experienced during her tenure is the way people use broadband and technology. “We now have social media, streaming video services, a myriad of devices, and everything has become so instantaneous. The use of broadband is huge,” recalled Lori.
Lori connects with her customers and co-workers in different ways. It’s usually through the topic of family that she best connects with people. “Family is important to everyone. Whether it’s talking to my co-workers about their parents, kids, or their dogs and cats, family is an important part to everyone’s lives. It’s no different for our Alpine team, we are all family here. If something happens to your regular family, we are here to support each other.”
“Hands-down, my favorite way to connect with our customers is at our annual customer appreciation dinner. I love to greet everyone that comes in. Even though I may not know each person by sight, sometimes I hear their voice and recognize who they are from speaking with them on the phone. I enjoy connecting with our customers when we host workshops and at the Clayton County Fair, too.”
Lori’s gifts extend beyond her role at work. As a talented face-painting and balloon artist, you are sure to see Lori at a community celebration and church expressing the creative side of her personality. When asked how her family and friends describe her, Lori said, “I’ve been told I’m sunshine and happy-go-lucky. Creative is the most common way people would describe me. Also, inspirational and faithful – which is a big part of my life.”
One thing people may not know about Lori is that she is deathly afraid of the water. Lori shared, “I usually try to address my fears. I said to myself, ‘this is it, I am done being scared of the water.’ So, I decided to conquer my fear and take adult swimming lessons. To pass my lessons, I needed to jump off the diving board into the deep end. I did it! I jumped off and swam to the side without help. All I can remember is other students in the shallow end clapping their hands and yelling, ‘you did it!’ That was pretty cool.”
A peek into Lori’s home office would show her quirky side, vivacious personality, and hodgepodge of interests. One part of her office is clown costumes, wigs, face paint, and balloons. Another section of her office is designated to Keppler Custom Hire, the land improvement and farming operation she owns with her husband. Intermixed is her church work for the Emmaus Pastorate. Lastly, sprinkled about are toys for her three treasured grandchildren: Ace, Layla, and Ivan.
Lori and her husband of 29 years, Paul, have three grown children: Catherine, Michelle, and Steven. She loves this stage in her life. “Being an empty nester is a great place to be. I thought when the kids were grown and moved out that I would have a lot of time on my hands. I find myself busier than ever, just refocused in different areas. I have my family and then I have my church family.”
In the Loop
Three words that describe Lori: Creative, loyal, spiritual.
Three words that never describe Lori: Spoiled, high-maintenance, dull.
What makes Lori laugh: Her grandkids. Some of the things they say and do, you can’t make that stuff up!
