Can you give a description of what your role entails?
My role in Customer Service & Contracts means I am first port of call for faults, requests or general enquiries. This means I have to liaise regularly with all areas of NVT depending on the nature of the conversation
What does your working day look like now you’re working from home?
I get up at the same time each day as although I don’t have to travel, I think it is still important to prepare your mind for going to work. Not having to travel has been such a big bonus and I would say I’m probably less stressed without tackling the morning traffic Thanks to technology and the expertise of NVT support teams, there has been no significant change to my working day as I have everything I need right here to communicate with our customers in the usual manner.
What has been the biggest changes or challenges in your role?
The biggest change was working alone, the biggest challenge was putting up with myself for company…..now that is hard work!
How have you adapted to the overall change?
Admittedly it took me a while to adjust, not my working practice but more changing my mindset to a different working environment. My husband is front line support so it was a constant worry about who he is working with and if he is safe. Working on my own gave me more time to think about everything. I have now adjusted fine that my mind is not in overdrive any more. It is business as usual, I have all the tools to do my job right here in my dining room which is my current workspace. I am very fortunate to live in the countryside, so plenty of fresh air and nice quiet walks available
Some customers are taking more time to talk about life in general during the current circumstances. I suppose many of us only have our own company and you often don’t think about how it is affecting others. Everyone needs someone to talk to and it is nice to see people in a different light
Working remotely, how do you stay productive and connected with your team?
Being a first port of call, Teams has allowed me to multi-task better, to keep up with colleagues whilst keeping the phone and email channels free for customer communication.
It has been important to stay in touch, not only to discuss work-related matters but also to ensure people are well. I think without Teams video calls, it would be very lonely indeed. I use it every day to check in with close working colleagues
Do you have any tips for home working?
For me, I think it is important to stick to a schedule, get up at the same time to start the day but also really important to take breaks, have some breathing space and clear your mind. You need to switch off occasionally and recharge.
What are you most looking forward to in the future?
I am looking forward to spending time with family and friends again. We also have a 6 month old cocker spaniel, who arrived with us just before lock down. It will be good to socialise him with other dogs and people as that is what he needs right now… In fact, socialising all round sounds good.
Having less hair is in there somewhere too, you can’t get by on a self-trimmed fringe forever!
The new “normal” is unavoidable, so keen to understand it, accept it and just move on