Sophia Herring, a tenured employee celebrating 30 years with Quantum Services, has steadfastly impacted her teams and clients since 1995. We are proud to shine the spotlight on this remarkable woman and to celebrate her leadership, professionalism and big heart!
For the past 10 years, Sophy, as she likes to go by, has served as the Division Manager of Atlanta, following 20 years in Rochester, NY. Over the past three decades, she has built strong partnerships with clients always leading with consistency, professionalism, and a calm presence—especially when it mattered most.
One story that perfectly captures this comes from an audit that began under stressful circumstances. A new store manager, caught off guard and understandably upset, was facing an unprepared audit day. Through patience, clear communication, and empathy, Sophy helped calm the situation. They walked the store together, discussing vendor issues and hidden merchandise. Sophie kept the manager informed every step of the way. By the end of the audit, not only did they match within two packs on the cigarette count, but the store manager called it “the best audit she had ever experienced”! That wasn’t the end, however. Sophy also corrected price book errors which made future wrap-ups easier. The relationship grew stronger from this moment onward and demonstrates the power of great client partnership.
When asked what she finds most interesting to audit, Sophy’s answer is beer because no two clients handle it the same way—by the package, by the can, with retail, without retail, or sometimes with the wrong retail! It can be a puzzle, but she enjoys the challenge. She admits that her least favorite category is health and beauty, though she’s happy to count almost anything, as long as it’s organized.
As an Auditor, she has a winning recipe: a heaping spoonful of consistency, a helping of time management, the common ingredient of continuous improvement, a sprinkling of keeping focused on the goal, as well as a dash of staying calm under pressure. Her preparedness tool bag includes Advil, bandages, hand sanitizer, a mask, spare batteries, a spare cord, Post-it notes, a flash drive, and a paperclip (if you know, you know!).
Professionally, Sophy credits Quantum Services for developing her reasoning and problem-solving skills, while also providing opportunities to mentor and train divisions throughout the organization. She has learned that the strongest client partnerships are built on shared knowledge, great customer service, and providing insight that helps them to succeed. Her favorite audit moments are when the audit team and store staff are fully aligned, where chaos is kept to a minimum.
What she’s always loved most about Quantum Services is that no two days are ever the same—new locations, new challenges, new people, and the opportunity to travel and solve problems along the way. She thanks Quantum Services for 30 incredible years, and we thank her for her commitment, leadership, and excellence. Sophy’s impact is felt every day, and we are grateful that she has been a strong member of our team for the past three decades!