Building Connections is one of our core values. To help us stay better connected with one another, each quarter we feature a team member from each of the Ripple Companies. Get to know more about Michael Sprenger (ITS), and José Vélez Homs (JBA).
Michael and his partner, Natella
Michael Sprenger, ITS
What is your role in the Ripple Companies?
My role in Ripple Companies is as a Client Services team member for ITS. I do everything from creating routing sheets and logging documents received, to closing out the project at the end. This includes scanning, a little prep (I’m working to be more in that field in future), assembling and getting the tax return to the client. I also help manage client inflow and answering calls.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day for me looks like clearing my list of assemblies (both physical and Net Client), then calling clients with results and arranging pickup or mailing. After I finish with that, I handle moving documents clients sent in via the portal and get them named and moved to the engagement manager for the preparers. I even prepare some on occasion, though that is looking to increase in frequency as I move toward being a preparer. After that, I look to do some preparation unless there is another project that is brought to my attention. As time allows, I help cover the front desk and all associated tasks (phones, client inflow, mail, etc.) and work on finishing other tasks such as finalizing and rolling projects forward and closing out projects.
What aspect of your work makes you happiest?
Getting to check things off my list and getting to chat with coworkers gives me a good feeling and are probably the parts of work that I find most enjoyable.
When are you at your best?
I’m at my best when I can just put my head down and just get the work down. Especially once I’m loaded up on coffee.
Left: José at Arch Cape in Oregon | Right: José’s recent trip to Puerto Rico
José Vélez, Johnson Bixby
What is your role in the Ripple Companies?
Within the Ripple Companies, I work on Johnson Bixby’s Client Services Team.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day in Client Services looks different for everyone. While there’s a wide range of tasks, here’s a general idea:
Some days, we’re waiting for paperwork and clients to come back to us with responses to questions or conversations we’ve been having. I may also have a chance to work on some internal projects I keep on the back burner, such as creating guides for myself on OneNote, preparing prep materials for client meetings ahead of time, or helping my teammates if they’re at capacity and need a hand.
On other days, we’re filled with client phone calls popping up randomly throughout the day. Some of these calls can be more conversational and end up with me catching up with a client that I’ve known for some time. On the flipside, they can be long and short calls and equally require quite a bit of follow up, which means taking steps internally to process a request, reach out to planners and ultimately follow up with the client on where we’re at with their request. It really depends on the client and the nature of the call, but these are all things that can impact anything I’m doing. From entering notes from a client meeting, composing an email of their follow up, setting up paperwork – all it takes is a call to schedule an appointment to take my work in a different direction for a few minutes. It constantly keeps me on my feet, but I must really keep track of my work and manage my time so I don’t get carried away by biting off more than what I can chew.
What aspect of your work makes you happiest?
The aspect that makes me happiest is how great of a team we have on our Client Services Team. I feel lucky to have a manager that looks out for me to make sure I’m doing okay with my work capacity, and prompting me to look for help, even if I’m the one that doesn’t know that I need it. That’s why Mandy is such an amazing CST lead and person to work with. Thankfully, this extends to everyone else; each one of us is willing to lend a hand to pick someone up if they’re starting to get at, or over, their work capacity. It gives me peace of mind when I’m struggling to work on something that’s taking up a lot of time, or for something like going on PTO – I know my team will take care of me, so it builds a great sense of trust that I feel is sadly lacking in many other workplaces.
When are you at your best?
Every day I try to be at my best, and there really isn’t a way to determine when I am or aren’t. There are some days where things might feel a little bit rough, and you could say that right there is an example of when I’m not at my best. I would say, I still feel like I’m at my best because I have colleagues I can lean on for help on those bad days. Whether I have the space and time to do more focused work or having something taken off my plate – it’s the team’s ability to help me on those days that end up making me feel like I’m working at my best. We each have those kinds of rough days, but since we’re all there to help and have each other’s backs then it feels like I always have the chance to be at my best knowing and having the peace of mind that they’re there ready to pick me up, and myself likewise to them.
