Q&A with Patti Junger, Dorsey Alston

Longtime Realtor Patti Junger switched to Dorsey Alston, which has been voted the No. 1 medium-sized workplace in Atlanta, five years ago. (Phil Skinner, for the AJC)

Credit: Phil Skinner, for the AJC

Credit: Phil Skinner, for the AJC

Longtime Realtor Patti Junger switched to Dorsey Alston, which has been voted the No. 1 medium-sized workplace in Atlanta, five years ago. (Phil Skinner, for the AJC)

Building, attitude make Dorsey Alston, Realtors stand out

Patti Junger spent 26 years as a real estate agent with one firm, but switched to Dorsey Alston, Realtors five years ago when she saw the changes there.

From the leadership of company president Michael Rogers, to the support of co-workers and to its luxurious and spacious building at 100 West Paces Ferry Road, Junger has plenty of praise for Dorsey Alston, Realtors.

“I mean, if I want something, I walk into the president’s office and ask for it,” she said. “You couldn’t do that in the larger company that I was in. It would always take a while to get answers and stuff. It was more of a corporate-type structure. And I liked a lot of the agents here. It always seemed more like a family operation here.”

Junger, who said she had her best sales year ever in 2015, chatted about working for Dorsey Alston, Realtors.

Q: What was the appeal of Dorsey Alston, Realtors for you?

A: It was more of a traditional real estate company, and I was coming from a large, bureaucratic, corporate type environment. When I came over here, Michael was underneath a desk working on the technology (setting up a computer). It was very supportive and a there's lot of camaraderie with the agents, and that was an appeal to me.

Top Workplaces in Atlanta 2016

Q: You mentioned camaraderie. It seems there would be a lot of competition between the agents.

A: A lot of us are certainly A-type personalities. I've got inner competition. I don't compete against the other people. I think we're more supportive about that. … You know, a lot of the agents here, we share a lot. They'll go to an evaluation on a (real estate) listing and the company will put out an email to everybody, and as many of us that can go and help that agent.

Q: What kind of support do you receive here?

A: We've got a wonderful support system. The staff, I mean, they can't do enough for you. Michael can't do enough for you. I mean, the brokers, my gosh. You can call them any time of the night or day. Our marketing department is just amazing. They give it to you as fast as you give it to them. They keep us up on all the stats we need, they help us with newsletters in the neighborhood, they do our postcards for us. I mean, they're just a dynamic group. Anything that you need, they're so accessible, and they'll just help you. It's amazing.

Q: What are you proud that Dorsey Alston offers you?

A: Goodness gracious, working in this building is one of the biggest perks, just the location of it (next to the Atlanta History Center). This is the finest residential real estate office building in the city. People think it's a consulate.

Q: What would you say makes a company a top workplace?

A: I love coming into this building, and it's not just the building, but I love being here, I love working. I love this time in my life. I just like coming in and being here and the people, they're supportive. I got a call yesterday, a house I had sold to people maybe in 2013, and I thought, "Oh Lord, you know, what am I going to list that for today?" and right away I went to two people's offices (at Dorsey Alston). They knew the house. I value their opinion. So it's camaraderie in here. You don't see backstabbing, you don't see people talking about one another … I think we all feel that everybody is here to help you.