Meet Mike!
Mike works out of High Touch’s Kansas City office, serving as Support Services Manager, leading the charge for our Microsoft Dynamics team. You’re probably familiar with many Microsoft products (Windows, Word, Excel, etc.), but Dynamics takes a specific skill set to support.
On the broadest level, think of Dynamics as a kind of accounting software—it’s an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that helps businesses streamline and manage their operations from top to bottom, including supply chains, financials, employees, and more. Mike and his team specialize in Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL, as well as Dynamics 365, for sales and customer service.
“Day-to-day, I’m working with customers and High Touch staff on moving projects along or solving outstanding support issues,” states Mike. With complicated, sophisticated software platforms like ERP, building a personal relationship with clients is essential. “In this day and age of email, chat, instant messaging, etc., it’s very easy to avoid picking up the phone and calling a customer. I prefer to reach out to customers with a call and work with them on their issues,” states Mike. “You can learn so much about your end-users and their needs with a simple phone call.”
Getting Plugged Into the Tech Industry
Mike got his career started behind the ice cream counter – that sweet first check came from a Dairy Queen in Wichita. Jokes aside, Dairy Queen wasn’t where interest in technology really started.
According to Mike, he’s been interested in technology for as long as he can remember. “My first computer was a Tandy 1000 (with no hard drive),” he states. “From there, I was always messing around with or playing on computers. Working with technology and solving technical problems has always seemed to be a natural thing for me.”
Like many of us at High Touch, Mike’s interest in technology extends outside of the office into his personal life, where he spends way too much time on Reddit. To put Mike’s love of technology into perspective—he’d instead give up dessert for three months, rather than give up his phone for 30 days, which explains why he got out of the ice cream-slinging game for a technology career instead.
Bringing the Human Touch to Technology.
“I’ve worked on so many projects over the years—I can’t think of one that really stands out.”
Mike joined the High Touch team following the company’s acquisition of Associates Solutions Inc. in 2018. Since, he’s helped guide the Dynamics ERP team to better serve its customers. According to Mike, “My favorite aspect of my job is when we have an issue or request from a customer that allows them to see their data in a way that aides in their business decision making. Helping our customers be successful is one of my favorite things I get to do at High Touch.”
Outside of the office, Mike spends much of his time with his three daughters and 4-month old puppy. “One of the most awkward parts about being a dad to three girls is trying to do anything with their hair other than put it in a ponytail. I’ll get a handle on it one day,” he laughs. Mike and his wife also spend plenty of time playing “Ticket to Ride” with a group of their friends. “For those who don’t know, it’s a board game,” he states. “Every time someone wins, we write their name and their score in the lid of the box. We have played so many times that we have run out of space in the lid!”
Get to Know Mike
As part of our Employee Spotlight interview, we ask a series of lighthearted questions to highlight the unique, diverse personalities that make our High Touch team great. As it turns out, Mike has taken a controversial stance on a controversial issue at High Touch—he believes that a hot dog is, in fact, a sandwich.
If you could move to any other High Touch market, which one would you choose?
If I could move to any other market, I would move to Denver. We have vacationed in Colorado before, and everyone in my family loves the mountains!.
If you could jump into a pool of anything of your choosing, what would you fill it with?
If I could jump into a pool of anything, I would fill it with cool water during the summer and warm water in the winter. There’s nothing better than cooling off on a hot summer day or warming up when you are chilled to the bone.
What’s one quirky thing people don’t know about you?
My wife and I have some friends that we frequently play a game of Ticket to Ride with. For those that don’t know, it is a board game. Every time someone wins, we write their name and their score in the lid of the box. We have played so many times that we have run out of space in the lid!
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
A hot dog is definitely a sandwich!
Who or where would you haunt if you were a ghost?
If I were a ghost, I would haunt a campground. All the ghost stories told around campfires would finally be true!
What was your first job?
My first job was working at a Dairy Queen in Wichita, KS.
Does a cyclops wink or blink?
A cyclops can do both. Blinking is a naturally occurring function. Winking is meant to convey body language. Now, those on the receiving end of a cyclops wink may have no idea what he is doing.
What’s something you wish you could automate?
I wish I could automate the task of doing and putting away laundry. With a full house, this process seems to take away so much of our life.
What’s your favorite mobile app or website?
I spend too much time on Reddit.
Do you have any pets or kids?
I have three girls (nine, nine, and six) and one dog (four months old).
What’s the most awkward things you do on a regular basis?
The most awkward thing I do on a regular basis is attempt to do anything with my daughters’ hair other than put it in a ponytail.
If you could breed two different animals together, which two would you pick, and what would you call the new lifeform you’ve created?
I would pick a cat and a fish, and I would call it a catfish…oh wait.
Would you rather go 30 days without your phone or three months with no dessert?
I would definitely rather go three months without dessert.
Do you have any superstitions?
The only superstition I have is that bad things come in 3’s.
What’s something you always do wrong the first time?
I always try to plug in a USB device wrong the first time.
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
My warning label would say, “Warning, this person requires caffeine to function optimally. Failure to follow this advice will result in subpar performance.”
You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?
I’d train the elephant to suck water out of a bucket and spray cars. I’d then open a car wash and use the elephant as the main attraction to bring people in.
Bringing the Human Touch to Technology.
Thank you, Mike, for everything you do for High Touch!
To learn about the Microsoft Dynamics software platform supported by Mike and his team, check out our ERP Software and Microsoft Dynamics pages.