Agel Customer Service Representative
Description:
Ben Luthi started his college employment with Agel as a simple customer service representative who answered incoming calls from Germany. He took orders from German-speaking customers for oral and topical products to improve one’s immune system, energy level, general body systems, and skin health. Ben has been promoted twice and on occasion, he is even known to drive the company advertising car around Provo in order to familiarize the public with this growing company. At the present time, he has five people who work under him in two teams: sales and refunds. Ben sees to it that they all know Agel products well because the employees have free access to the same products for which they take orders. He recommends that people learn to multi-task with phone, e-mails, and for those who work in the European market, they should familiarize themselves with Skype.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
Over the duration of Ben Luthi’s LDS mission service in Germany, he encountered many health-conscious people, particularly those elderly ones who had personally experienced malnutrition that resulted from a world war. Understanding this people’s mindset and the intensity of this market, Ben accepted an invitation in September 2007 from a former companion to interview for the German-speaking opening at the call center. In January 2008, he finally got the job. Later, he became the team lead of the refunds department and then was ultimately promoted to supervisor of the European region.
He made a conscious decision to stick with this opportunity because the compensation was significant, particularly for a college student, and because the company regularly sought to promote its employees. Ben is educated and health-conscious as well, which made him more valuable in his search of the ideal employment opportunity.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Ben’s success did not come automatically. After his interview in September, he did not hear from the employer. Finally, he took the initiative to appear in person, only to find out that the position had been filled by someone else and that he would be hired for the next opening. Ben persisted in having his friend inquire of the employer daily until he was finally hired in January of 2008. He would advise anyone to have persistence if he is to earn the desired position.
Nowadays, his hardest challenge is dealing with upset customers and retaining cheer because he carries the burden of more projects in his latest promotion. Ben works with corporate, information technology staff, and operations management to assist in solving team members’ challenges and maintain morale. Hurdles are resolved quickly by working closely and diligently with executives of the company because of their influence on final decisions. He was even overridden his supervisor on occasion.
Ben Luthi advised to those who would follow in his footsteps, “To prepare yourself for that, learn how to work! No matter what happens, if you can work, you can figure it out. It’s a lot of information to learn anyway about markets and areas of the world; all will work itself out.”
What I learned:
This employment opportunity during college years has confirmed that which Ben learned from prior years: Take charge! Take responsibility for a situation. When a difficulty arises and more work results from it, which the company could handle in a better way, he thinks, “I’ll just do it and not wait for someone else to. Take it and run with it.” Improve something by becoming the leader.
Overall, Ben’s employment experience offered further leadership and discipline development. He has to be more disciplined in time-management because he works and attends school full time. Prioritizing has taken priority!! From this, his lifestyle has changed and he actually has less stress in addition to full-time work and school because he knows how to accommodate for challenges and be flexible.
Computer Support Representative
Description:
Fix and update professor’s computers, maintain network servers including the share and print server. Provide back up for faculty’s data. Respond to tickets opened in our database in a timely fashion.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My cousin worked at this job and told me when there was an opening. I thought it would be a good opportunity because I would get paid more than other on campus jobs and learn a lot about computers. This job also allows me to choose my own schedule and take time off when I need to for school or other purposes.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I arrived and found out I didn’t know much about computers. My cousin and boss trained me and I worked hard to learn the workings of computers. Now I’ve been at the same job for two and half years and I’m the one training the new employees. I also have learned a great deal about computers and how to fix them. It will pay off in any job I take down the road.
What I learned:
I learned that if I work hard at whatever I do I can accomplish anything. I wanted to give up a few times and find a job that was easy, but I kept with it and now I’m the one that most of the professor’s know and trust. I also got a big pay raise ($15/hr).
Customer Service in Multi-Level Marketing
Description:
Take calls for customers regarding company policy, transactions, shipments, etc. Employees get paid training, and receive very useful benefits such as health and dental insurance, as well as a 401(k) plan. Utah County is full of multi-level marketing places like Noni, Xango, and Mona Vie. Because of the frustration of the many customers that have joined these marketing schemes, they are in great need of customer service employees. They are in great demand of bilingual employees, as well. What a great opportunity for the many returned missionaries living in this area!
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My brother worked for Mona Vie, a multi-level marketing company selling "miracle juice". He started out at around $12/hour, and received frequent pay raises, and a 401(k), which his employer matched. They offer many benefits in order to retain their employees for many years. I looked at similar businesses on many job search websites, and nearly all of had the same offers and benefits as Mona Vie.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Training prepares you well for the actual work you will be doing, but not for angry, unreasonable people. You will need to develop a strong sense of tolerance and patience. This job is strictly for people who can deal with people in a respectful manner, no matter how out of line they are. My brother had to become a much nicer person on the phone, and it took a couple of weeks before he didn't mind angry callers anymore.
What I learned:
There are great opportunities out there even for college students. Jobs like these offer great benefits that, if students take advantage of them, can really change their future for the better.
Customer Service Provider
Description:
For this position, I worked at BYU Broadcasting to be a point of contact for viewers and members of our organization. I was on a team of 5 other students who took turns answering calls, responding to emails, and updating accounts of our members. Often we were used to help viewers access programs online, or assist them in technical problems they experienced with their television. Additionally, we fielded comments, both good and bad, and strong suggestions from viewers on how what programming and videos should be shown on our stations. Working as a team, we learned each other’s strengths and focused on separate aspects of the job to get it done most effectively as a whole. I became responsible for email correspondence along with answering any incoming calls that we received throughout the morning.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
The first step I followed in obtaining this employment was applying to many different on campus jobs, since I don’t have access to a car. I really wanted to find a good entry level position where I would be able to develop valuable skills to help in my later career. I used my previous work experience and educational reputation to obtain the job that best fit my hours, work agenda, and atmosphere. By applying to several different places, I was able to compare and contrast the opportunities to find the one that I would not only enjoy the most, but one that would help give me the best tools as I developed my resume.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
The first challenge I had to overcome was deciding what exactly I wanted from my employment and what skills I wanted to develop. I attended classes at BYU that discussed the business atmosphere and what are the characteristics of successful people and finally determined that the ability to communicate patiently and effectively was the best tool that I could focus on at this time in order to make sure that I could be the an effective employee in the future. Another challenge came as I began to work at the job and became overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge that was demanded of me. Working as customer service, it is expected that you will have all the answers. This was frustrating and made the job extremely difficult at first. To overcome this weakness, I decided to try and answer as many emails and phone calls as I could to gain the most experience in the least amount of time. Additionally, I spent a full day at work just shadowing another employee. These techniques, diving right in and learning what you can from others who are experienced, allowed me to quickly become confident in my work.
What I learned:
From this experience, I learned a lot about how to communicate both pleasantly and effectively. Trying to answer questions over the phone and through email, rather than in person, changed the way that I had to communicate. I had to use direct and clear words and could not simply show what was needed to be done to obtain a result. This quality I believe is necessary as you become a manager or supervisor, so that you can effectively delegate responsibilities without spending a lot of effort. Additionally, I learned that patience and staying calm when dealing with others produces the best results for both parties involved.
Golf Course Guest/Outside Services
Description:
The guest services staff at Siena Golf Course is in charge of the golf carts, and making sure that the guests are taken care of. Two workers begin the day at 4 a.m. They fill the cart coolers up with ice and two water bottles. They put wet towels in the cubby of the cart and cups in the cup holders. They then line up all the carts and as the players arrive they take their golf bags and load them onto the proper golf cart and check their name off of the tee sheet. Once all the players of a certain group have checked in, the guest service crew drives the carts and bags to the driving range where the players can warm-up, and then begin their round on the first tee. When the players are finished, members of outside service clean their clubs, and take them out to their cars where they can load up their golf bags. The cart is then taken into the cart barn, cleaned, and restocked with tees, a score card, and a pencil. Then the cart is either sent back out to be used by another player, or parked and plugged in to charge the battery for the following day. At nine o’clock a third staff employee arrives to help the two openers with the guests, but he is also responsible for making sure that there is enough practice balls on the driving range at all times. At twelve o’clock the two closers arrive, and the two openers leave. The single mid shift worker stays till five. Along with helping the guests there are some odd jobs that need to be completed every day such as doing loads of towel laundry, cleaning the cart barn, and making sure that the water coolers on the course are clean and full. Throughout the day players tip the outside service staff. The openers give the money they get to the closers, who at the end of the day split the tips between the five people that worked that day. The hourly pay was 8 dollars an hour, but with the money added in from tips, the guest service crew usually made between 12 and 15 dollars an hour each. The job pays really well, but there are other perks that make it a great job. Staff members are allowed unlimited range balls, and basically unlimited playing privileges meaning that they can play whenever they want with up to three friends as long as they don’t obstruct the play of paying customers.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
What made me decide to work at a golf course was the possibility that I would be able to play golf for free. I had heard rumors that if you worked at a golf course you could play for free, this was all I needed to hear to get motivated to find a job at a golf course because I love playing golf. I went around to all the golf courses I new about and filled out applications, then before I left I asked to speak to either the GM or the head pro of the golf course. I briefly told them that if hired I would be a great asset to their staff, and would do all they asked of me and more.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
There were a couple of down sides to this job. When scheduled to open I had to be at the golf course by 4 a.m. This took a while to get used to but before long I learned to like opening because for two hours of the shift all you do is pull out carts, and since the opening shift ends at noon, I still had plenty of time to play golf once I got off. Another thing about the job I had to get used to was the customer service, I learned a lot about how to help people and make people happy, but in the beginning it was stressful because I wasn’t good at talking to people I didn’t know. As time went on I learned that if I approached a situation afraid that I would seem weird to the customers most times I would. Before long I was calm and normal when talking to people, I learned what to say and how to start conversations, which has made me a friendlier person all around. Many people I worked with were entirely concerned with getting tips, and they often complained if they didn’t get tipped. I found that if I really just focused on making each player’s experience as good as I could the job was more fulfilling. When I exceeded the customer’s expectation I could see it in their face, and that made it all worth it. If I didn’t expect to get tipped and did it was a pleasant surprise. I think that listening to my fellow employees complain about having to help people showed me the exact wrong attitude to have when helping with customers, it was a lot less burdensome on me when I was ready and happy to help people which is simply a change of attitude.
What I learned:
I learned how to drive and park really well. I drove and parked golf carts all day, which has in turn made me a better driver of cars. I Learned how to prioritize, the customer was my number one priority, if a customer needed help I dropped what I was doing and did what I could for them and then resumed my previous task. I learned how to talk to people as described above. I learned how to make people happy, and make people laugh without trying too hard. I realized that there was something I had in common with every customer, and that was that we both liked to golf, so I used this common ground to make connections with them. I learned how to be on time, and how to wake up early. If I was late it was my fellow employees that suffered. I also learned how to work with and learn from others.