Zapiet is a team of talented team members around the world. Remote work was never a second thought and just became part of the culture at Zapiet, a common passion shared by our entire team from different backgrounds and skills to help merchants with the most advanced store pickup and delivery tools available to Shopify merchants worldwide. Today we are traveling to the North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, Morocco.
Meet Ismail!
Ismail is a Senior Merchant Support Specialist here at Zapiet. Ismail works hard to make sure our merchants are set up for success and is very knowledgable in every aspect of our apps. We chat with Ismail to learn more about how and why he joined Zapiet, his love for his pets and educates us on why Ramadan is significant.
Q: What is your role and how did you join Zapiet
I’m currently working as a Senior Merchant Support Specialist at Zapiet. I joined Zapiet at the end of November 2018. Andy, published a job post looking for a customer service representative with technical skills which fitted my profile. I applied for the job and Andy contacted me within few hours for an interview. Six days later I was part of the Zapiet family 😊
Q: You have helped so many merchants, what is a moment that stands out for you?
Every time I help a merchant, it is a special moment, but one that definitely stands out is when a merchant selling mangos wanted to ship a box of mangos to my home as a thank you gift. I explained how I was only doing my job, but it really felt good to help and be appreciated for it.
Q: What is your favorite part about working with so many merchants around the world?
When working with merchants around the world, you get a glance at other cultures, what they like to shop in terms of clothes, food, etc. Plus, I now know more places around the world just by helping merchants with their pickup and delivery locations.
Q: What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend?
Family is a big part of the Moroccan culture, so I like spending time with family when I’m not working. On the weekends, I like to visit my grandparents’ house and I sometimes travel to the country side which is not so far away to visit extended family and friends. There is also a great opportunity to enjoy the quiet and peaceful nature.
Q: Ramadan is coming up, tell us about this event (what is it) and how long have you participated?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims around the world refrain not only from food and drink, but also from any sinful behavior devoting themselves instead to prayer and recitation of the Quran. It is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and it becomes obligatory once puberty is reached. All adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, traveling, elderly, breastfeeding, diabetic, or menstruating will fast from sunrise to sunset during this month.
Q: Tell us what a typical celebration of Eid al fitr looks like in your family? What is something special about the celebration?
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. It is distinguished by the performance of communal prayer at daybreak on the first day after Ramadan. Following the prayer, extended families gather for festive meals, starting with spreads of food for breakfast and continuing through the main meal of the day. Families buy new clothes for their children who also receives small gifts of money from relatives as they encounter them throughout the day.
Even the poor get the means to enjoy the holiday, which is amazing. All heads of household are obligated to donate food to the needy on behalf of each family member. The food usually takes the form of necessities and staples such as wheat or flour. This charity is called Zakat Al-Fitr or Sadaqa Al-Fitr and becomes due on the day of Eid Al-Fitr.
Q: What does your family think of your work?
At first my family didn’t really understand how I could be working from the comfort of my home, it’s not something they have seen before as it’s not really a common thing here as it is in the western culture. Now however, they understand that working doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be in an office. I think the pandemic forcing most people to work and study remotely around the world has helped with this, one of the few positive aspects of this pandemic I think lol
Q: A little bird told us you have a pet pigeon, tell us about him/her?
Not just a pet pigeon, but 24 pigeons as of today! I started with only a few pairs of pigeons and they’ve almost tripled in number. It’s crazy how fast they can breed. I really like taking care of them, cleaning their space, providing good food, clean water and giving them showers. They have definitely been a great emotional support during the lockdown periods of this pandemic.
Q: What’s the top bucket list items?
1. Memorizing the Quran
2. Visiting Mecca, the holiest city in Islam
3. Building a house in the country side where I can go to escape city noise and enjoy nature
We learned so much from our chat with Ismail. If you are interested in working with us at Zapiet, we’re always happy to hear from you - whether we’re currently hiring or not. Feel free to contact us at careers@zapiet.com with your CV and a few sentences about why you think you would be a good fit for our remote company culture.
