Brown Butter Cookie Ice Cream?! Robby Gabehart on Sandpoint’s Fine Points

While they love our reliable, lightning-fast fiber internet, Ting customers will tell you that a big part of their great experience is our dedication to customer service and support. There’s a very simple explanation for this: We hire great people. Ting employees are knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. They’re also interesting as heck! Here’s a chance to get to know one of our amazing local team members. We’re internet that gets you.

Please tell us your name and your role with Ting.

My name is Robby Gabehart and I am the Manager for Construction and Operations in Sandpoint, Idaho.

What's your favorite part of your role in Sandpoint?

I like mentoring a team and bringing a high-quality product to our customers. I live outside of our service area so I'm with one of the other providers, and my internet experience is not a good one. I love knowing that the quality of the product that we bring is such that people don't even think about their internet. I've had cut discussions with customers that are like, “You know, gosh, I don't even think about my internet anymore. I used to worry and wonder when's it gonna go out next?” And since they’ve switched to Ting, they just don't have that problem anymore. I love that.

Do you have any memorable stories from any installations you’d like to share?

Not specifically, but I will say that I’m really proud of my team and I’ve got an amazing crew. There's not one of my techs that I would swap out for anybody else. We're a very tight-knit crew, and we mesh very well. If I was to brag about them, I’d say that they don’t take kindly to roadblocks, meaning if something gets in their way, they figure out how to go through it, over it, under and around it, that there's no stopping them. There’s not just one story like that; it’s every day with these guys. They’re awesome.

What does reliable internet mean to you?

To me, it's important to provide that quality service because that's what people are paying for. And I'm a huge believer in getting what you pay for, you know. I pay for a certain size internet package at my house, and I get like a tenth of what I'm paying for. My technicians are on the same sheet of music as I am, and thankfully it's not a hard sell. These guys are very much like-minded. We want to get service up for you quickly, and if you have an issue with it, we want to get it resolved because you're paying for a service, and we want to be able to provide that service.

Have you ever worked with or been employed by another internet service provider (ISP)?

I actually came to Ting upon the completion of my military career. My entire adult life was in the military. This is the first job I’ve had outside of the military. That being said, I love working for Ting. It's the environment that’s created; it's very supportive. The company takes care of us incredibly well. People enjoy coming to work because of those types of things. It's very employee friendly.

Have you been streaming any good shows lately?

My wife and I really enjoy a lot of true crime stuff, so lots of docu-dramas and series on all the platforms.

What's a good local place in Sandpoint to get coffee or food?

Probably my favorite place to eat is a place called the Hydra Steakhouse. I really like it because you can get as fancy as you want, like they'll offer prime rib and lobster, stuff like that. But if you're looking just for a really good burger and a beer, you go there. You can go in there dressed up fancy, or you can go in there coming off of the mountain from skiing in your bibs and whatever, and nobody's gonna look at you sideways for being dressed either way.

Evans Brothers coffee is one of the Friends of Ting that we we partner with, and they've been our partner from the very beginning. It's a very laid-back, very relaxed atmosphere. If I'm gonna get a coffee and want to sit and relax and people watch, Evans Brothers would be my choice.

If you were to go out for an ice cream cone, what flavor would you get?

There's a little place downtown Sandpoint called Panhandle Cone and Coffee, and they have a brown butter cookie ice cream that’s amazing.

What do you love most about living in Sandpoint?

It's the small town feel and being surrounded by the gorgeous outdoors and all the opportunities that we have to enjoy nature. The people in Sandpoint are very friendly, very laid back. It’s very peaceful here.

Thanks so much for your time! We really appreciate hearing from you and learning about your experience with Ting.