The end of a journey…
by Michelle Stumpf
During my eight years with Unique Venues I’ve met many great people and have had the opportunity to be a part of a truly cohesive, caring and energetic team. You don’t depart from an experience such as this without learning a few things, both about yourself as well as about business and professionalism. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share a few things I’ve picked up along my journey.
Take care of your customers, they are the reason you have a job.
That is not to say that the customer is always right, but it’s probably not your job to tell them that they are wrong. Be honest and open with people. Let them know what you can and will do for them. Even if the customer isn’t happy with the outcome, you will have their respect.
You’re only as good as the people you work with.
You may be the greatest, most valuable employee around. But it takes an entire team of hard working individuals to keep things rolling in a consistent way. You have to step away from your desk sometime…and it’s your team that will be picking up the phone to answer the next customer question. So value them, train them, motivate them and listen to them. They have your back.
The business that ‘falls into your lap’ probably isn’t the business you wanted in the first place.
It’s rare that the perfect customer will pick up the phone, call you, and invest a large amount of money in your organization without any prompting, outreach or finessing. It just doesn’t happen that way. Selling is hard. It takes tenacity and perseverance to win good, strong, loyal customers.
Love what you do; everything else will fall into place.
You have to love at least a little part of what you do at your job. Whether it’s your coworkers, your customers, the tasks you complete, the creativity you use, the flexibility of the hours, or all of the above. Find something you love about your job. The truth is, you spend more time at work than you do at home, and money isn’t everything.
It’s not everyday that you find yourself at the end of one journey and the beginning of another. It’s a great time to look back and evaluate, consider, and check that ever-present 20/20 hindsight. I can honestly say I would not change a thing. It’s been an awesome journey, full of exhilarating uphill climbs, breathtaking views, and daring downhill dashes. And all with the best group of friends a person can imagine.
Thanks!
Michelle Stumpf is moving on to a new position as the Registrar at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Her last day in the Unique Venues PA office is July 7th.