“I really enjoy finding creative solutions to problems, whether that’s actually changing the product or finding an innovative approach that helps a customer with an immediate need using existing functionality. Having insight on how customers ACTUALLY using the product – as opposed to how engineers, sales, and marketing expect them to – empowers you to influence how that product develops over time.”
Amanda Tetanich: Driving Collaborative Problem-Solving in Law Enforcement Software Solutions
At Benchmark, product management is the cornerstone of transforming ideas into successful, customer-centric solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and market needs. As Director of Product, Amanda Tetanich leverages her extensive experience and acute insight into best practices to align product strategies with user needs, ensuring that every innovation resonates with and meets expectations.
Amanda comes from a family of law enforcement officers, but her path to the industry was unconventional. Her journey began at Furman University in South Carolina, where her initial focus on medicine shifted to communications — a move Amanda credits for equipping her with crucial skills in understanding different perspectives and motivations.
Amanda’s professional career started with a few years in the hospitality industry, where she further honed those skills. During this time, a guest noticed her customer focus and recommended her for a customer support role at their software company. Amanda accepted the offer and entered the tech world, working first at Blackbaud and then at Omatic, companies specializing in nonprofit management software.
Transition to Product Management
At Omatic, Amanda’s knack for problem-solving and understanding user challenges caught the attention of a product director, who recruited her into product management. Her ability to anticipate user needs and improve product functionality made her an excellent fit for this role. Working with nonprofits gave Amanda a deep understanding of users who are passionate about their causes but may not have strong technical backgrounds.
Joining Benchmark
Amanda joined Benchmark Analytics in April 2022, where she continues to apply her expertise to serve law enforcement agencies. The company’s mission immediately resonated with her, and her family’s law enforcement background – both her father and brother serve as police officers – provided a strong connection to Benchmark’s impact-driven approach.
“I grew up in police departments — I spent many afternoons on the third floor of North Charleston City Hall after school. I understand how things were done the old way in police departments and the old attitudes.”
Challenges and Achievements
One of Amanda’s significant challenges at Benchmark has been balancing the company’s commitment to customer focus with the need to build scalable solutions. She has worked diligently to shift perspectives and develop products that meet a wide range of needs without sacrificing specificity. Her approach emphasizes understanding users’ root problems rather than just providing surface-level solutions.
“It’s about getting people more comfortable asking ‘why.’ Often, we’ll hear people say, ‘Oh, I need a checkbox that says X on it.’ The old way of thinking is, ‘Okay, we’ll work that into our plans and put that checkbox in.’ But doing great work starts with truly understanding the goal behind that checkbox. What problem are you trying to solve?”
One of her proudest achievements is her work to enhance the visibility and reportability of officers’ training within the software, integrating it more seamlessly into other areas of the product. This integration ensures that effective training, which is key to a successful and fulfilling career as a peace officer, is recognized and utilized efficiently.
Leadership Style and Philosophy
Amanda’s leadership style is rooted in transparency and collaboration. She believes in the power of asking “why” to get to the heart of user needs and challenges. This approach helps her team develop more effective solutions by addressing underlying issues rather than just symptoms. Amanda’s ability to communicate her vision and build trust among colleagues and customers is crucial to her success as a product manager.
“Product management is one of the few positions in a software company that has to make everyone happy,” Amanda explains. “When we’re thinking about the product, we consider the customers, supportability, saleability, marketability, engineering—everything. A big part of our role is to get many people on board with decisions and help them understand why these choices are best for both users and the company.”
Future Goals
Moving forward, Amanda is focusing on enhancing data accessibility and security within Benchmark’s products. She aims to ensure users can easily access and trust the data they need, allowing them to concentrate on more critical aspects of their work. Additionally, she is committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, recognizing the importance of mental clarity in a role that demands creative problem-solving.
Advice for Aspiring Product Managers
Amanda advises those aspiring to a career in product management to gain experience in customer-facing roles within software companies.
“If your background is not in tech or engineering, look for entry-level opportunities such as customer support or early sales and business development. Do your best to understand how the business works and how customers think, and work from there. Having insight on how customers ACTUALLY use the product – as opposed to how engineers, sales, and marketing expect them to – empowers you to influence how that product develops over time.”
Amanda Tetanich’s journey is an example of how diverse experiences and a passion for helping others can lead to a fulfilling and impactful career. Her work at Benchmark Analytics continues to make a significant difference in the lives of those serving their communities, embodying the company’s mission and values.