"Customer Service Rep"

BY JJ WEAVER

She is a customer service representative, but really, she describes herself as a whatever-you-need person. From supporting the president directly to supporting sales managers and overseeing the inside sales department, she does a little bit of everything. She goes over the top to ensure everything runs smoothly in the office. “I’m naturally a fix-it person; I see a problem, and I fix it.”

A day in the life of my work is very hectic and unorganized. Never a day goes by that I have a set list of what I will do and get through it all. I work the phones often, and this leads to many problems the customers and other workers bring to my attention. It is my job to fix these problems. I’m on phones all day, I always get derailed. However, this does not bother me. I thrive on distraction, and I’m okay with it. Often, I talk of stress and disorganization, but I manage to get the train back on the rail each day however I can.

As one might expect in such an environment, I complain of time management being the most difficult part of my job. With the constant distractions, my to-do list for the day often bleeds into the day after. I feel like the list never ends, as there is always a new problem with a new solution needing to be found, from fixing an accounting error to killing a spider in the inside sales department. 

My fellow coworkers treat me with respect, and I echo the same treatment back towards them. It is expected for other employees to treat me with some level of respect, as I am the manager of a few of them. However, I create an open and welcoming environment in the office. Acting almost as an office therapist, I try my best to create an open space for communication. The employees and I feel more like a family than a company. This is an environment cultivated by the owner; you’ll never find a more kind and caring boss that not only supports you professionally but also personally. While this is obviously a wonderful benefit, it also has its shortcomings.

Above all else when hiring—yes, even above qualifications—I look for a personality that will fit the environment of the office. Since they work so closely with each other, it is expected that all employees will get along very well, at least those within the office. This can lead to hirings where the employee does not perform the way they are expected to. Worse, some are hired and end up not “fitting in the family,” in which case they are typically let go soon after. 

I enjoy my work, and I cannot imagine working somewhere else. I wish to move out of my townhome of 10-plus years and into a home I can actually own. However, I worry I will never be able to find an environment such as the one I am a part of now. 

In a single word, I describe my work as “multifaceted.” This is painfully obvious with how many different little things I do on a daily basis. I enjoy the chaos and challenge it brings me. Although I may get stressed, I always keep the train on the track.