Toney needed help — a positions merger had eliminated her previous job. She had a friend who’d mentioned an opening at America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) to her, so, “I got a hold of Mary and asked if they were still hiring.” Thank goodness that answer was yes, because Toney’s journey with APHW has resulted in several advancements over the last five years — plus recent recognition as Employee of the Month.
Starting out
Applying to APHW turned out to be pretty easy. “I loved experiencing ‘A Day in the Life’,” Toney mentioned, noting how it gives you an in-person idea of what the job is like before you’re hired. Training was a bit more of a challenge, but very thorough. “I came from a utility background, so customer service for home warranties was a whole new experience for me,” she said.
As it happens, however, most people who join APHW have little to no home warranty experience — that’s why it’s included (in detail) in the 5 weeks of paid training all customer service reps receive. “I had Beth as a trainer, and she was really good. She had a good way of explaining things, even if you had a hard time understanding them,” Toney shared.
After some time in Customer Service, company leadership noticed her hard work and promoted Toney to a role in Claims Administration. A couple of years later, she spent another ‘Day in the Life’ with a colleague in Quality, applied for the role, and earned her third job title at the company as a Quality Analyst.
APHW family culture
Companies use “We’re a family here” so often it’s become cliché — except that team members like Toney back that up for APHW. “The culture was definitely not what I was expecting,” she recalled.
“The background I came from was very ‘Go to work, go home.’ There was really nothing else to it; but APHW really is more of a family. Everybody encourages everybody. You can talk to the supervisors with no problem. You’re never being put down for stuff you may have messed up on. It’s a very friendly and open atmosphere.”
One perk of the family culture at APHW is truly getting to know your colleagues and having them get to know you. This became imperative for Toney when family medical issues started piling up.
Support like no other
“My grandfather had cancer,” Toney shared, noting that she ended up needing to place him in a home about nine months later. A month after that, she found out her mom had Stage 4 cancer. Through all of this, APHW and her team members had Toney’s back.
“Between Susan and Kellie, there’s just been massive support in everything. These past few years have been really rough for me, and having that support and not worrying about my job has been wonderful. They’ve stood behind me and supported me through these rough years, while helping me keep on track with work. There was never a question of needing to take time off – it was always just ‘How long do you need?’.”
APHW’s culture of support is like nothing Toney has experienced at any other job. “At APHW, you’re not only here as an employee. They invest in you," she said. "You’re not just a number; they care for you — about you — as a person.”
Recognized and recommended
When APHW’s leadership recognized Toney as the August 2023 Employee of the Month, she was shocked: “It knocked me out of my chair,” she laughed. “I’m very appreciative. It’s good to be recognized for the hard work you put in.”
Would you like a chance at recognition from people who truly know and care about you as a team member? Toney highly recommends applying with APHW. “Absolutely! Go for it!” she cheered.
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