In the Fall of 2024, I had the opportunity to work as a co-op student on the Technical Account Management Team at Pepper. In this report, I will reflect on my time at this company and give an overview of the work I accomplished during this term.

Pepper provides a white-label eCommerce solution for independent food distributors serving businesses such as restaurants, schools, and retail stores. Founded in 2019, Pepper has grown to a team of approximately 150 employees, supporting distributors across Australia, the United States, and Canada. Notably, one of these distributors serves several Canadian universities, including the University of Guelph, where I study. The company is based in New York, but also has an office in Toronto, with most employees working remotely.

At Pepper, I worked on the Technical Account Management Team, supporting a variety of distributors organized within a tiered system. Tier 0 to Tier 2 distributors were assigned dedicated team members, while Tier 3 and 4 distributors were addressed as lower-priority tasks. My primary focus was on Tier 3 and 4 distributors, where I assisted with technical support requests and implemented changes to their integration logic to meet their needs.

I also participated in the Operations On-Call program, which ensured food orders synced correctly between Pepper and distributors’ systems. My contributions included writing comprehensive documentation for addressing sync errors across different distributors and actively monitoring and resolving these issues during business hours.

Midway through my term, our team transitioned into two specialized groups: support and project management. This restructure was designed to scale support services in response to the rapid growth of our customer base. During this shift, I helped pilot the Tier 1 Support Team, working alongside two colleagues to handle incoming support requests. We resolved simple issues and triaged complex cases to either the Tier 2 support team or the Project Management team, ensuring efficient and effective customer service.

1. Develop a strong understanding of Pepper's tech stack



During my time at Pepper, I developed proficiency with a variety of tools used for modern software development and support. I gained experience writing SQL queries to navigate and analyze a large, complex database with multiple different tables. I used Git regularly for version control within a shared codebase, ensuring efficient collaboration. Additionally, I learned to use Sentry for monitoring and diagnosing errors in production code and Jira for organizing and managing work tasks. These skills have equipped me with confidence and practical expertise that will support my future career ambitions.



2. Build proficiency in navigating and working with Pepper's integration codebase



One of my primary goals while working on the Technical Account Management Team was to actively contribute to tasks involving Pepper's codebase. During my co-op term, I had the opportunity to make a range of changes, from small tweaks to distributor integrations to larger projects, such as reworking the pricing logic for a distributor. These experiences gave me valuable insights into working with production code that processes data from various sources, transforming it into a consistent format suitable for integration into Pepper's app.



3. Adapt effectively to remote work and establish productive work-from-home habits



During my time at Pepper, I successfully adapted to working remotely and developed habits that enhanced my productivity in a work-from-home environment. I created daily routine, set up a dedicated workspace, and utilized online tools such as Slack and Google meet to stay organized and connected with my team. Clear communication and proactive collaboration became essential in this setting, allowing me to contribute effectively despite the physical distance. These skills have prepared me to navigate remote work environments confidently in the future.

Overall, I am incredibly grateful for my time at Pepper. I had the privilege of working alongside a talented and supportive team who were always willing to guide me and answer my questions. This role gave me the opportunity to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, where I gained both technical and professional skills that will be invaluable in my career. I particularly enjoyed learning about Pepper’s innovative platform and the tools that support its functionality. Reflecting on the term, it was a challenging and rewarding experience that has prepared me for future opportunities in the tech industry.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire Technical Account Management team for their support and kindness as I learned to navigate this role and become an effective member of the team. Each team member generously took the time to teach me various aspects of the job and were always willing to assist and answer my questions.

I want to extend a special thank you to Vivek, my supervisor, who consistently supported me throughout the term. He provided valuable guidance, kept up with my work progress, and ensured I was involved in challenging and rewarding tasks. His clear explanations of how our integrations work were instrumental in my learning experience.

I also want to thank Anastasia, whom I worked closely with during the second half of my term. She offered me a platform to provide feedback on the Tier 1 Support Team pilot and actively implemented the suggestions I shared, which was both encouraging and rewarding.

Additionally, I am grateful to the many individuals from external teams who demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering quality work, setting an excellent example of professionalism.

Overall, I am deeply thankful for this opportunity and would be thrilled to cross paths with anyone from Pepper again in the future.