Katie Watson

In my time at Waitrose, I have developed many skills specifically customer service, organisation and resilience. As my role was hospitality supermarket assistant I spent most of my shifts on the cafe or counters which I thoroughly enjoyed as I got to communicate with fantastic people and manage any issues they may have. My colleague and I were awarded the most reviews ever one Saturday and we were so pleased to see comments like "they are always so smiley and welcoming" it warmed our hearts and what we do that little bit more special. I have also been responsible for opening and closing the counters and cafe which has developed my ability to work well under pressure as there was a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it but I made sure everything was always in the right place for the day or the next day to make it easier for everybody around me.

On several occasions, I was asked to jump onto the cafe or counters when I was supposed to be helping elsewhere in the shop but I believe customer service is a key priority so I have always been happy to accommodate which has developed my versatility. Personally, I look at my department as a team so when I am asked to stay late as someone is off ill or on holiday or we are simply really busy I look at it as an opportunity to develop my skills further and I have no problem with staying to help out.

I am also trained in many other parts of the store such as tills, retail, collections, bake-off, and the delicatessen. I think that coming to work not always knowing where I will be or what I will be doing has refined my ability to be versatile and I strive to make the best out of any role I am put into and do it with a smile.

During my time working as a cafe assistant I took on several valuable roles. My day-to-day tasks included interacting with customers and providing great customer service while attending to all the customers in a very busy environment. I believe that balancing multiple tasks while dealing with a variety of customers' needs has further improved my ability to keep myself organised and manage my time while also delegating tasks when needed. As a part of my role, I assisted with opening and closing the cafe, which involved various tasks including cash handling and promotional offers for the day. I think that working in a fast-paced high pressured environment has taught me to be resilient and to work well in a team as without the team the procedures and systems would not function how they are designed to. One thing that I find really valuable about having worked in a hospitality setting is being able to support team morale when things get difficult and stressful. I think maintaining a positive working environment is essential when working in a high-pressure environment. This opportunity has refined my ability to stay positive and energised even when there is a lot to do and has helped me to always keep on top of any tasks I have been given.