Employee Spotlight: Ali Hinkle

Rent Manager is a one-stop software solution for property management professionals that integrates accounting, contact management, work orders, marketing, and more. With so many capabilities come a learning curve for new users of the program, and for our own employees who also have to learn the ins and outs of the software. To streamline this education process, we staff a team of Training and Implementation Specialists to help guide our users through Rent Manager.

This month we sat down with one of these specialists, Training Manager Ali Hinkle, to ask her what it’s like working internally with LCS employees and externally with Rent Manager customers. Ali reveals what she loves most about her job as well as some fun projects she’s completed during her time with the company.

Tell us a little about yourself, Ali… Let’s start with your favorite part of your job.

No two days are exactly the same here. We have a lot going on everywhere at LCS and the Training department is no exception. This means every day is its own little adventure. I can’t remember the last time I was bored here. In training, we are responsible for all new hire training, Virtual Classrooms, Weekly Webinars, User Conference sessions, custom training projects, and Rent Manager University (RMU). We have a lot of projects to manage, which keeps everything fast-paced and fun.

I also really enjoy getting to flex my creative muscles. I actually started out my career as a CPA, but never really felt it was my true calling. I love that I get to blend that background with something entirely new here at LCS. As a training team, we are constantly trying to find new and creative ways to teach employees and customers how to get the most out of Rent Manager. The brainstorming process is exciting and it’s very rewarding to see those ideas come to life.

What do you like about working at LCS?

Is it super lame if I say everything? It is, isn’t it? OK, fine then ”I really enjoy the corporate culture here. Even as we continue to grow, I still feel the small company culture. I started out my career working for a large, international public accounting firm and then moved to a Fortune 50 company. LCS has a completely different vibe than the other places I’ve worked, and I really appreciate that. In other companies I’ve felt more like a number than a name. I always found it difficult to feel like I was making an individual impact or that what I was doing really even mattered. It’s different at LCS. Leadership makes an effort to hear everyone’s voice and I always feel like my work matters. For example, my passion for health and fitness is not a secret around here. So when LCS decided to include a fitness center in the plans for our new headquarters, I was beyond thrilled to be asked to lead a committee to design the space.

What has been your biggest success while working at LCS?

Rent Manager University. I moved into the Training department about two years ago. At that time we had a training plan in place for new hires that seemed to be working, but with the rate we were hiring employees, it was difficult for the Training team to keep up enter Rent Manager University. We went on the search for a solution that would allow us to keep better track of our new hires and also deliver our content online. We have been live with RMU for over a year and a half now, and in that time we have had 60 new hires graduate from the program. It has changed the way we train our employees and I can’t imagine how we ever lived without it.

Do you have any specific work goals for 2016?

Rent Manager University. While we have been benefiting from it internally for awhile now, we are just at the tip of the iceberg with the potential RMU has for our customers. One of my goals for 2016 was to launch a customer-facing Rent Manager University. We’ve checked the initial launch off the list but I have big goals for its continued growth. There are still a lot of exciting things to come!

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing most?

Rent Manager University.

Just kidding. Outside of work most of my time is spent being active. I am a CrossFit trainer, so I teach a few classes a week. Outside of the gym, I’m usually just outside. We have three dogs and as any dog owner knows, a tired dog means a happy owner. We spend a lot of our time taking the dogs on “adventures.” Every October we take them down to Tennessee to hike the Smokies with us. Once we’ve made the dogs tired, we wear themselves out on the bike trail, canoeing on the river, running, doing yoga, or trying something else new.

Surprisingly, with all of that activity I still find time to watch what some people may call “a lot of TV.” I’m a huge Game of Thrones fan. I actually won the LCS Halloween Costume contest last year when I came dressed as Daenerys Targaryen, the First of her Name, Queen of Mereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, called Daenerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons. No big deal.