Maggi van Aswegen
Imports Coordinator, RLG Africa
Maggi found her niche in the logistics department thriving on organising multiple functions such as imports/exports/local deliveries. She realised that pressure motivates her more than...
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Meet the mentor
Tricky Workplace Situation Handled
- Be polite, inquire what she is interested in and show her the available items, if necessary guide her toward something suitable for her age.
- NEVER ASSUME! Be polite and respectful, ask the customer how you can assist, and do so. Customers generally trust the opinion of the sales person and will take advice if given in a kind and gentle manner.
- Paperwork and queries - take time away, talk about stresses, plan and accept when I am unable to fix everything
- Plan your day, accept that everything will not work out as expected and ensure you make time to breathe. If you experience major stress, own up to it and discuss it with your manager to take constructive action.
- A need to succeed at all cost, competitive markets, irrational expectations from management, personal issues, relationship challenges
- I try hard to set my work day aside and get involved with things at home, feeding my animals, making supper and catching up on social media or just relaxing and taking time to myself.
- I am still in the process of trying to teach myself self-care and personal development - things that I have lagged on for many years, if I have any advice to give it is that you need to take care of yourself to ensure your health and longevity, allowing stress to rule your life is only going to make it shorter
- A more charismatic approach may have had the desired effect, uncertainty might have caused me to be more stressed than confident at the time.
- Be sure that you present well, dress appropriately, be polite and confident and ask the right questions. Answer truthfully and with conviction and make sure that you maintain eye contact without being creepy.
- Knowing that you are heard, and receiving an apology are both reactions that will have a calming effect on Carla, once she knows that this is taken seriously she should be more accepting of an alternative.
- Listen to understand what the client is complaining about, ask questions to get clarity if there is any uncertainty, apologise for any inconvenience and try to find a solution that will appease the client and ensure that they will return.
- Customer service is key to ensure a sustainable business, without them there is no business to be had, you have to always bear this in mind when dealing with any customer and more so with an upset one. Ensure that you listen attentively to understand what the client is complaining about, apologise and acknowledge where things went wrong, thereafter take the time to resolve the problem to the client's satisfaction, following up is very important to ensure that you have remedied the situation.
- When dealing with people from other cultures it is important to ensure that you are aware of their customs and what they deem acceptable or not, you will avoid conflict and perceived disrespect collapsing your business proposal.
- Taught as children Life experience Traumatic events Relationships Group mentalities
- It is easy to make assumptions but much harder to interact and understand, it is better to know than assume, always investigate first and make decisions later.
- Being authentically yourself and acting accordingly and being the best version of you
- I'm seeking my security at the moment as I'm in the process of getting divorced, I am working hard at reaching self actualization
- You need to realize that you are unique and precious, as is every other human you may come in contact with, you have to be humble but know your worth and work at being the best version of you every day, you are only in competition with the person you were yesterday. Stay positive!
- Learning to listen without responding too fast or trying to resolve the problem before the client has completed their conversation
- Remaining calm is key, allowing the client to complain/vent without becoming defensive. You have to understand the whole problem what caused it and what the client wants to appease them before you can effectively assist them. Listen, think and then talk whilst remaining calm throughout.
- During Covid we've have had to adapt on many levels, it has not been easy, but I have managed to set up an office at home and manage to work (sometimes more productively) than I did at the office.
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- You always need to be open to learning; not just about other people and skills, but about yourself as well. You are never too old to learn, and having a sense of humour is great attribute to have. Sometimes when things just get too much you need to find the humour in it.
- If you have to be honest about your feelings, keep it respectful and tactful. It is never a good idea to insult people at work, you still have to work with them. We do not always have to like everyone, but give credit where it is due and be tolerant of disadvantages your colleagues may have. Rather help them than knock them down.
- Mostly closed questions or open questions, on occasion also probing questions when specific information is required, and rhetorical questions when I encounter service delivery challenges
Tricky Workplace Situation Handled
- Be polite, inquire what she is interested in and show her the available items, if necessary guide her toward something suitable for her age.
- NEVER ASSUME! Be polite and respectful, ask the customer how you can assist, and do so. Customers generally trust the opinion of the sales person and will take advice if given in a kind and gentle manner.
- Paperwork and queries - take time away, talk about stresses, plan and accept when I am unable to fix everything
- Plan your day, accept that everything will not work out as expected and ensure you make time to breathe. If you experience major stress, own up to it and discuss it with your manager to take constructive action.
- A need to succeed at all cost, competitive markets, irrational expectations from management, personal issues, relationship challenges
- I try hard to set my work day aside and get involved with things at home, feeding my animals, making supper and catching up on social media or just relaxing and taking time to myself.
- I am still in the process of trying to teach myself self-care and personal development - things that I have lagged on for many years, if I have any advice to give it is that you need to take care of yourself to ensure your health and longevity, allowing stress to rule your life is only going to make it shorter
- A more charismatic approach may have had the desired effect, uncertainty might have caused me to be more stressed than confident at the time.
- Be sure that you present well, dress appropriately, be polite and confident and ask the right questions. Answer truthfully and with conviction and make sure that you maintain eye contact without being creepy.
- Knowing that you are heard, and receiving an apology are both reactions that will have a calming effect on Carla, once she knows that this is taken seriously she should be more accepting of an alternative.
- Listen to understand what the client is complaining about, ask questions to get clarity if there is any uncertainty, apologise for any inconvenience and try to find a solution that will appease the client and ensure that they will return.
- Customer service is key to ensure a sustainable business, without them there is no business to be had, you have to always bear this in mind when dealing with any customer and more so with an upset one. Ensure that you listen attentively to understand what the client is complaining about, apologise and acknowledge where things went wrong, thereafter take the time to resolve the problem to the client's satisfaction, following up is very important to ensure that you have remedied the situation.
- When dealing with people from other cultures it is important to ensure that you are aware of their customs and what they deem acceptable or not, you will avoid conflict and perceived disrespect collapsing your business proposal.
- Taught as children Life experience Traumatic events Relationships Group mentalities
- It is easy to make assumptions but much harder to interact and understand, it is better to know than assume, always investigate first and make decisions later.
- Being authentically yourself and acting accordingly and being the best version of you
- I'm seeking my security at the moment as I'm in the process of getting divorced, I am working hard at reaching self actualization
- You need to realize that you are unique and precious, as is every other human you may come in contact with, you have to be humble but know your worth and work at being the best version of you every day, you are only in competition with the person you were yesterday. Stay positive!
- Learning to listen without responding too fast or trying to resolve the problem before the client has completed their conversation
- Remaining calm is key, allowing the client to complain/vent without becoming defensive. You have to understand the whole problem what caused it and what the client wants to appease them before you can effectively assist them. Listen, think and then talk whilst remaining calm throughout.
- During Covid we've have had to adapt on many levels, it has not been easy, but I have managed to set up an office at home and manage to work (sometimes more productively) than I did at the office.
- You always need to be open to learning; not just about other people and skills, but about yourself as well. You are never too old to learn, and having a sense of humour is great attribute to have. Sometimes when things just get too much you need to find the humour in it.
- If you have to be honest about your feelings, keep it respectful and tactful. It is never a good idea to insult people at work, you still have to work with them. We do not always have to like everyone, but give credit where it is due and be tolerant of disadvantages your colleagues may have. Rather help them than knock them down.
- Mostly closed questions or open questions, on occasion also probing questions when specific information is required, and rhetorical questions when I encounter service delivery challenges
