What is your role at Churchill and what does it involve day to day?
I’m the chief DayMaker at On Verve, the latest brand to join the Churchill Group. Our mission is to be the maker of someone’s day through our guest and employee services. My day is never the same – some days I’m talking to clients, or to the DayMaker Team, or recording a podcast (check out our podcast on Spotify or Apple podcast by searching – On verve: Modern approach to customer experience). Sometimes I’m creating and recording training, finding the right partners, or keeping up to date on the latest technology. I love the fact that no two days are the same.
How did you find your way into FM? (Tell us a bit about your background)
My first role in London was an assistant to the CEO of a global events company. Through that I was introduced to FM and joined networks like EWL and IWFM. The members of the community embraced me and shared their journeys. I saw there was huge opportunity to grow within FM and fell in love with it.
As for finding my way into Guest Services, I would say I was born into it. My family owned a restaurant before I was born, so my entire upbringing as an Italian was within that restaurant. Eventually, my father and I bought a restaurant together and I ran the front of house while my dad ran the kitchen. I felt pride in welcoming guests and making them happy so, when I moved to London, I wanted to keep that feeling and move forward in guest services.
What is your favourite thing about your job/the industry?
I love helping people and making their day. I am so very grateful to be in an industry that gives me the opportunity to do what I love every day. There is no greater feeling than seeing the impact my teams and I have on our guests and clients. Nothing gives me more pride and energy than seeing my team make a difference – from hand-written thank you notes, to accommodating that last-minute request, or solving an impossible problem.
As a woman in FM, what are your biggest frustrations?
I would say my biggest frustration is the lack of women CEOs in the industry – there are few, but not enough. I’m sure we have all heard the saying ‘success leaves clues,’ as we all look for someone to aspire to that reflects us personally. So, I would like to see more diversity in CEOs and board positions, including diversity in gender, ethnicity and disabilities, so everybody can see someone like them in a role they want.
I am where I am at the moment because of incredible mentors and industry networks that supported me when I asked for guidance and help to open doors. I love that I work for Churchill, which has many women in senior roles.
What are your key predictions for/the biggest issues facing the FM market over the next year?
The biggest issues we will face as an industry are;
- How to make the workplace a destination. Workplaces are now competing with employees’ home offices, co-working spaces and coffee shops. So how do we create something employees, guests and clients will choose to return to?
- How to keep one team/one culture approach. When workplaces fully open again, and employees and guests decide where they work and meet, organisations must ensure those choosing to work virtually still feel as connected to the organisation as those coming to the workplace regularly.
- Growth and learning for young talent coming into the industry. Many of us learnt how to do our jobs by being mentored by senior leaders who shared their knowledge and expertise and by learning on the job. With the rise in remote working we must ensure young talent doesn’t lose out on opportunities to progress and learn.