One of the most important concepts for a business to understand is that a customer is never under any obligation to buy its product or service again. Repeat business and customer loyalty must be earned. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Todd Bridges, vice president of Sales & Customer Service at SEL, about one of the most powerful competitive advantages there are—outstanding customer service.
Feb 05, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 13
When innovation is key to your company’s success, building the right team is critical. But what does that mean? Do you need more specialists—people with deep expertise in one area? Or do you need more generalists—folks who have a working knowledge of many disciplines? In this episode, Dave talks with SEL Distinguished Engineer Tony Lee, a veteran product developer and leader, about finding the right mix.
Jan 22, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 12
One of the best ways to attract and retain great employees is to offer great benefits. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Joey Nestegard, SEL Chief Business and Financial Officer about one of the most valuable benefits a business can offer employees—ownership.
Jan 08, 2021•25 min•Ep. 11
We’ve all experienced the frustration of having to wade through layers of automated phone prompts trying to get through to a customer service rep or had to wait weeks for a technician to come out—and even then you have to block a half day window. In this episode, Dave Whitehead discusses how this model can look very different with two SEL experts, Dr. Ed Schweitzer, founder, president and chief technology officer and David Costello, chief Sales and Customer Services officer....
Dec 05, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 10
It’s been said that teaching is selling. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks about the art of teaching and selling with Laura Stento, Senior Sales Manager. Laura talks about the work she does to help customers solve their challenges and the importance of providing value first.
Nov 20, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Whether in engineering or business, Dr. Ed Schweitzer, a prolific inventor and founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, always encourages going back to first principles. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Dr. Schweitzer about how creativity, innovation, business and economies thrive in a free, flat, fair, and open environment.
Nov 06, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Did you know that the power system can reconfigure itself when a fault occurs, and that it can automatically adjust line voltage so that the energy delivered to your house is just right? Did you know that adding wind and solar power to the grid can make it less reliable? Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with automation engineer Bryan Fazzari about how distribution automation is meeting these engineering challenges head-on.
Oct 23, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Often in the wake of a blackout, the focus is on what caused the power to go out, but we seldom hear how utilities get the power back on. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Bill Cook, a power system expert with more than four decades of experience, about how he worked operations team at San Diego Gas & Electric to get the lights back on after the 2011 blackout in Southern California.
Oct 09, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, SEL Supply Chain Director Diane Donnermeyer talks with Dave Whitehead about how to keep the links of a supply chain connected and strong—even during a pandemic.
Sep 25, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks to Dr. Ed Schweitzer about power system protection, why speed is so important, and what the future might look like.
Sep 10, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Join Dave Whitehead and Greg Zweigle for an in-depth conversation about synchrophasors—the eyes and ears of the electric power system. Greg serves as a Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories fellow engineer and leads a research team developing wide-area power system analysis and control solutions. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science, a Master of Science degree in (physical) chemistry, and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Washington State Universi...
Aug 12, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Welcome to Schweitzer Drive! In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks to Edmund O. Schweitzer III, the founder, president and chief technology officer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) about the early days of SEL and the development of the company's culture and principles of operation.
Aug 12, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome to Schweitzer Drive! In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Edmund O. Schweitzer III, the founder, president and chief technology officer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) about the company’s beginnings, and the idea and invention that were the creative spark.
Aug 12, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Schweitzer Drive is for anyone interested in what goes on between the generation of electric power and the light switch. The podcast explores a broad range of topics impacting the electric power industry from integrating new sources of energy and securing the grid, to advancements in design, manufacturing, business, education and more.
Aug 12, 2020•3 min