Who’s On the Other Line of a Telephone Survey?
Written by Heather Kubacki, RMS Graphic Designer & Marketing Coordinator

As you can imagine, the RMS team’s talents extend beyond market research and exceptional customer service. Meet Kathleen Deming, a telephone interviewer in RMS QualiSight, our in-house Call Center—or you might know her better as Buella from “Twin Peaks.”

Kathleen Deming as Buella from “Twin Peaks: The Return”

I was lucky enough to sit down with our RMS star and pick her brain about how she went from being a red carpet queen to call center guru.

It was happenstance and a series of events that brought Kathleen all the way from Hollywood, where she worked on multiple productions, including the hit series “Twin Peaks: The Return,” to our quaint village of Baldwinsville, NY — just down the street from her daughter. How it all worked out was “really just meant to be,” she says.

Originally from Maine, she says she enjoys being back in a town where there are seasons again. Remembering Christmas in Hollywood, the sun could be shining and not a snowflake in sight.

Upon her return to the East Coast, Kathleen said she put her resume out there just looking for a position where she could use her talents, even if that wasn’t under the “acting” category. It was Lorraine, our late Survey Quality Supervisor, that called Kathleen in December 2018 to come on board to join the RMS team as a telesurveyor in the Call Center, making outbound calls for client projects and following scripts. “I’m so glad RMS found me,” she shares.

No stranger to the call center world, she had worked several positions outside of acting where her main directive was to speak to people over the phone. So, for her, talking to people for a living came naturally, and is just one of her many gifts.

Upon asking if the work is much different here at RMS from other phone operating positions she has held, her response was candid and confident, “talking to people is talking to people no matter what, so if I believe it [the roll] I can make it happen. It’s all about what you do with it.”

When talking to past hospital patients or patients within our dialysis facilities, she continues, “I feel for the person and really do care about them…I speak with compassion while always maintaining professionalism to get the job done right.”

When asked what she likes best about working at RMS, she heartwarmingly states, “The best part about the job is the people I get to work with. I like the team here a lot. We really are like a family…it’s a very chill and friendly environment.” And even though we work on opposite ends of the building in completely different departments, I couldn’t agree more.

Kathleen’s “Buella” pose with yours truly

Since she’s worked at RMS, Kathleen has been involved in several productions that shot throughout Hollywood, Seattle, and even London.

There have been whispers about Buella returning to “Twin Peaks” after an internet poll surveyed the “Twin Peaks” fandom, where it blew up that they’d love to see her come back to the drama. So, we’ll have to stay posted about what is next for our in-house star!

You can also catch Kathleen co-star in the short horror film “No Vacancy,” the music video for Seekae’s “Turbine Blue,” as well as multiple other productions.

Kathleen is just one example that it just goes to show our team here at RMS is compiled of seriously talented individuals, shining bright in more ways than one.