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July 16, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

How Multivac Cut Technician Turnover in Half

July 16, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

How Multivac Cut Technician Turnover in Half

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Episode 325

What if you could cut technician turnover in half while building a more engaged field service team? In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro sits down with Dave Sarazin, VP of Customer Service at Multivac, to explore how his organization transformed their approach to recruiting and retention. Learn how they've built a successful veteran hiring program, implemented an innovative apprenticeship model, and created structured growth paths that keep technicians engaged. Whether you're struggling with field service turnover or looking to modernize your talent strategy, this conversation offers practical insights into building a sustainable service workforce through intentional leadership, transparent communication, and meaningful recognition.

Reducing technician turnover requires a comprehensive strategy combining thoughtful recruitment, clear career paths, and genuine employee engagement.

In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro speaks with Dave Sarazin, Vice President of Customer Service at Multivac, about how his organization successfully cut technician turnover in half through strategic initiatives and leadership practices that prioritize both recruitment and retention

What You'll Learn

  • How to build successful veteran recruitment programs that now comprise 31% of the field service workforce
  • Why transparency in recruitment leads to better retention by setting clear expectations about work environments and demands
  • The framework for creating structured growth paths that offer multiple career progression options
  • How to develop and implement an apprenticeship program that creates a sustainable talent pipeline
  • Why intentional communication and recognition strategies drive higher employee engagement
  • The importance of balancing workload and schedules to prevent burnout (52-57 hours sweet spot)
  • How to build strong partnerships between service leadership and HR to drive recruitment success
  • Why removing underperforming team members is crucial for maintaining high-performing service teams
  • The value of regular face-to-face engagement through regional meetings and management dinners

About the Guest(s)

Dave Sarazin is the Vice President of Customer Service at Multivac, a global leader in packaging and processing equipment for the food and pharmaceutical industries. With a background in mechanical engineering and extensive experience in technical service leadership, Dave has successfully led initiatives to transform Multivac's field service operations. Under his leadership, the company has cut technician turnover in half through innovative programs including a structured apprenticeship program and strategic veteran recruitment that now comprises 31% of their field service workforce. In this episode, Dave shares valuable insights on building and retaining a high-performing field service team, managing a 200-person customer service organization, and developing engagement strategies that have resulted in the highest employee satisfaction scores across Multivac. His successful transformation of service operations from a cost center to generating 45% of company revenue makes this conversation essential listening for service leaders focused on talent retention and operational excellence.

Follow Along

  • [00:00] Intro: Cutting Technician Turnover in Half - A Service Leadership Story
  • [04:47] Veteran Recruitment Strategy: Building a Sustainable Talent Pipeline
  • [18:12] Creating Career Paths: From Field Tech to Leadership
  • [22:53] Innovative Apprenticeship Program: Growing Your Own Talent
  • [27:50] Engagement Through Intentional Communication
  • [30:54] Recognition and Rewards: Making Field Teams Feel Valued
  • [37:34] Work-Life Balance: Schedule Innovation and Respecting Time Off
  • [39:53] Leadership Lessons and Building High-Performing Service Team

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