Just before Christmas Jane Streat, Head of LRS, hit the road and met up with three of her fabulous reception team, who work across different client sites.
In the third of our mini blogs we’d like to introduce you to Vincenza. Here Jane talks to her about her career and asks what she enjoys about working in reception services…
J (Jane): Hello Vincenza, thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to talk to me. So tell me, how long have you worked for Lexington & what attracted you to us?
V (Vincenza): I have worked with Lexington for just over a year. An exciting role attracted me and the client seemed perfect – I knew it would be a great place to put my skills to good use and make a difference.
J: How long have you worked in the industry?
V: I have worked in the front of house industry for 17 years and loved every minute.
J: So what’s kept you here?
V: Every day is different. You meet lots of different people. Being the first point of contact for a business and making a great first impression is something I personally love doing – it’s about ensuring that everyone who graces my reception is always given a 5-star service so when they leave they feel better or happier than when they arrived.
J: What’s your most memorable moment whilst in work?
V: I once worked for large accountancy firm and in the space of two weeks I met Johnny Depp, Simon La Bon and the world’s youngest lottery winner (16 years old).
J: We all know Mondays can be the toughest day of the week so how do you deal with Monday mornings?
V: I find something to look forward to on a Monday. Today it was the piri piri chicken wrap they were serving in our staff restaurant! I love work but it’s good to take a break – sometimes I schedule lunch with a friend or pop out to the shops during my lunch break to buy myself something, even if it’s something small like a nail varnish. Retail therapy always makes me happy, no matter how big or small the purchase is!
J: Top tips there, and yes retail therapy is always a winner! So, when things get busy in work how do you and your colleagues keep each other going?
V: We’re a really positive team we help each other out and if you see things getting too much for someone it’s time to pull out the banter! We always remain professional but there’s plenty of room for professionalism and good humour. It’s also important to learn from daily experiences so quite often we get together and recap on the day so that we can see if we can learn anything from it or would do anything differently.
J: What’s been you biggest challenge working in this industry?
V: Dealing with unhappy customers and turning them around. I don’t like seeing anyone unhappy, so I make it my job to make sure I do everything I can to turn the frown upside down. 17 years on and I still love doing it!
J: Where have you personally experienced the best customer service?
V: A few years ago I bought a cardigan from M&S. I washed it for the first time in the recommended temperature. Once the cardigan had dried, I notice it had shrunk along with gaining lumps of wool on the surface of the material. I took the cardigan back to M&S with no receipt and explained what happened. The lady serving me was really friendly yet professional and without hesitation exchanged the cardigan for me while apologising. I truly got the whole the ‘customer is always right’ experience with M&S and what made it even more memorable was how well the lady behind the counter served me. Friendly, professionally and there to genuinely help the customer.
J: Sum up good customer service in three words:
V: Prompt, friendly and professional.
J: Vincenza, thank you again for your time.
V: My pleasure.
