While the majority of us have been working from home for the better part of 2020, field-service engineer (FSE) Sara Deist has continued to visit Agilent customers.
That's the way she likes it.
"I'm such a people person," Sara said.
Anytime she gets to help an Agilent customer with a repair, an installation or preventative maintenance, she's happy.
"We have the coolest customers," Sara said with a wide smile.
Customers she supports include pharmaceutical, metal-plating, food, and oil companies, as well as environmental labs, universities and refineries.
And even though COVID-19 has created heightened awareness all over the world, Sara takes it in stride.
"I've always had hand sanitizer in my car," she said with a laugh. "I wear a face mask, I wear gloves when needed, I sanitize my hands, I wash my hands. So, if you're doing the things that you have control over, that's the best that we can do."
Some customers require additional personal protective equipment, including gloves, but Sara said her process for going about her daily job hasn't changed much.
"We're still contacting the customers before our visits," she explained. "But in addition to our normal questions, there's all of these COVID precautions."
Being an FSE means Sara spends a lot of time away from home. It can make planning the most mundane of events — a dentist appointment — a challenge.
"You can't guarantee to be home any night of the week," Sara said.
But that's OK by her.
She added with her quintessential smile: "You gotta love what you do."