Written by Rebeca Piccardo
Joseph Stagnaro talks about his career path in sales and how joining Cox 13 years ago has changed his life for the better.
For an avid golfer like Joseph Stagnaro, getting to spend time out on the green for work sounds like an absolute dream. And he gets to do just that at Cox’s annual customer appreciation golf tournament in Orange County.
For several years, Joseph has been invited to play alongside customers as a company representative for Cox Business (part of the Cox family of businesses).
“It’s a great way to get out and kind of see our customers in a different environment,” he said. “Golf is one of my one of my hobbies, and I feel lucky that I’ve been asked to participate every year — it’s definitely something that I circle on my calendar.”
While this event is a highlight for Joseph, he also loves what he gets to do every day as a senior inside sales representative for Cox Business.
“I’ve always enjoyed being able to help customers and guide them in the right direction,” he said. “I always want to do the right thing by my customers.”
Here, Joseph talks about his career journey into sales, the key to his success at Cox and how the company supports his personal and professional goals.
Joseph’s secret to success
Early in his sales career, Joseph worked in a retail store for Cingular Wireless, which later became part of AT&T. With technology sales experience under his belt, he sought out new opportunities, which led him to a company he’s known since he was a kid: Cox.
“We had Cox cable growing up, so I was familiar with the brand and the service and that’s what I knew when I applied and interviewed for a sales position,” he said.
The key to Joseph’s success throughout his 13 years at Cox has been his ability to embrace change in his career. It’s what allowed him to take a chance on an operations role when he transitioned from the residential services team to Cox Business. Even though he made his way into sales eventually, trying out something different made him better at his job.
“Moving into the operations side was a blessing in disguise because it helped me learn the processes and familiarize myself with Cox Business before jumping into the deep end on the sales side,” he said. “Being adaptable and flexible has definitely helped me in my career.”
Putting customers first
For Joseph, one of the coolest things about working in inside sales is that he gets to work with customers across the country.
“I’m in California, but I could get a call from someone in Hampton Roads, Virginia. And then my next call will be from Oklahoma City or from Pensacola, Florida,” he said. “So, I get a unique view of how customers talk about us and think about us from a national standpoint, not just in my one local market.”
And while Joseph enjoys the sales environment and friendly competition, he also appreciates how his team comes together to uphold a larger shared mission of doing right by customers.
“I think that Cox uniquely goes above and beyond for their customers and wants employees to match that level of customer service,” he said. “So, we’re sharing best practices and providing feedback to one another to make each other better.”
A family man and a student
As much as he enjoys practicing his golf game, Joseph said that when he’s off the clock, you’re more likely to find him at his kids’ school coaching their sports teams, from baseball to flag football to soccer.
“My oldest is seven and my little one is four, so it’s kind of babysitting more than coaching, but hopefully they’re learning some skills,” he said.
Joseph also recently decided to go back to school and get his bachelor’s in business — something he’d always wanted to do and is now possible with Cox’s support.
“Cox is one of the one of the main reasons I’m going to be able to finish my degree because they’re reimbursing me 100% for my tuition,” he said. “It’s a huge deal for me personally to be able to take advantage of that benefit of being an employee here.”
