New PAM member Weda Noori: A smile is the main thing in customer service
“Working in customer service has made me more confident with my Finnish. In the beginning I was too shy to talk to the customers,” says Weda Noori, who recently joined PAM. Photo: Liisa Takala
Weda Noori from Espoo has two jobs. She joined PAM in the beginning of August. Noori feels at home in customer service after a year of working in the service industry.
I am Weda Noori
I live in Espoossa
I joined PAM on 8 August 2019.
I recently graduated as a dental technician. I started working at the restaurant Deli Rasoi in Kauniainen a year ago, first as a trainee for a month and then as a permanent employee.
My work includes customer service, serving tables and working at the cashier. My favourite part of the job is working with customers. I particularly like that there are so many different kinds of things to do at a restaurant, from handing out menu cards and cleaning up to handling invoices. The work is independent.
The best thing about my work is meeting people every day. I get to talk to people who speak different languages in my work, and use several languages in the course of a work day. Through my work I have also met many Finnish people, and we chat over the bar. A little small talk is part of customer service, but the main thing is a smile. I want my customers to be in a good mood from the minute they walk through the door. I do my best to make sure the customers are happy and want to return. Sometimes customers will ask “where’s Weda” if I’m not working. It’s rewarding.
At my workplace we have a buffet until the afternoon and then á la carte service, so we work in shifts. My colleagues are chefs and waiters. We have a friendly group and our cooperation works well. We all help each other.
I want to get as much experience as possible from a wide variety of different tasks. I’ve been looking for a second job for this autumn, because I want to eventually go to a university of applied sciences to become a dental hygienist. This week, I started as an hourly-paid cashier and waitstaff assistant at Fazer. If I’m lucky and get to start my studies, I will continue at my current job. If I don’t, I’ll work two jobs so I can save some money.
I joined PAM because my friend suggested it. My friend told me that the union can help me if I have any problems at work. I’m lucky, I haven’t had any bad experiences at work myself. But I still think that being in the union will increase my security at work in the future.
In my free time I like being active and I go to the gym from time to time. I also spend time with my friends, and I hope to have a chance to travel more in Finland in the future.
Text:: Marie Sandberg-Chibani