employee spotlight: Joe Woolley

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again! At eve Wholesale our people are at the heart of everything we do.

In this edition of our Employee Spotlight series, we’re catching up with Joe Woolley, our Lead QA Analyst, who has been part of the team for an impressive 12 years.

From helping shape product usability to ensuring releases reach customers without issues, Joe plays a vital role in delivering the high-quality solutions our customers rely on every day, and has recently been working on the release of our new UC CRM Integration product.

We spoke to Joe about his career journey, what motivates him, and what he gets up to outside of work.

about you

what’s your role and how long have you been with eve Wholesale?

I’m Joe Woolley, Lead QA Analyst, and I’ve been with the company for 12 years.

what did you want to be when you were a kid?

A vet or a wrestler!

what’s something people are often surprised to learn about you?

Probably that I manage a football team.

coffee or tea? Early bird or night owl?

Coffee, and definitely a night owl.

your role & journey

what does your role involve day to day?

My main responsibility is ensuring our products are released without any issues. I’ll attend daily meetings, receive work from the development team to test, and once everything has been thoroughly examined and approved, we’ll plan the release. I also enjoy contributing to how our products look and feel from a usability perspective.

what does a great day at work look like for you?

A great day is when we have multiple successful releases. Being able to test work, get it released quickly, and see customers benefit from it is always rewarding. The best outcome, though, is when no issues are reported back after release.

how did you end up in software testing?

I started my career in mortgage collections before being offered a role in technical support. From there, I moved into software testing, which was around 18 years ago now.

what attracted you to eve Wholesale originally?

The fast-paced environment and the people. During my interview and office tour, I quickly realised it had a great culture and was somewhere I’d enjoy working.

impact & achievements

what’s a project or achievement you’re particularly proud of?

Probably our softphone products. While I haven’t written them myself, I’ve been involved in aspects of the design over the years, as well as all of the testing. Touch wood, we’ve had no major issues, which is something I’m really proud of.

what part of your work has the biggest impact on customers and colleagues?

Quality assurance has a significant impact. If I miss something during testing, the effect on customers can range from minor inconveniences to major issues. It also creates extra work for teammates who need to investigate and fix problems, so it’s important to get things right.

what do you appreciate most about the team you work with?

The openness. I’ve worked in places before where people would take it personally if you found issues in their work. Here, everyone understands we’re working towards the same goal of delivering the best possible products, and that collaborative mindset makes a huge difference.

learning & growth

what’s something new you’ve learned since joining eve Wholesale?

Test automation. It’s now a major part of my role, and it was something I had no experience in before joining.

what skill have you developed the most?

Again, that would definitely have to be automation. It’s been a huge area of growth for me over the years.

what helps keep you motivated?

Knowing the impact my role has. If something slips through testing, it can affect customers and colleagues alike. I’m motivated by wanting to make sure we’re delivering the best possible experience and maintaining high standards.

outside of work

what have you been watching lately?

My most recent favourite show is Legends on Netflix, it’s a really good true story. My all-time favourite, though, has to be Game of Thrones.