From cargo sales in aviation to foam packaging – Anne Thelen joined the Customer Service Team at Leidel & Kracht in December 2022.
anne Thelen worked in air freight for 13 years, where she quickly discovered her passion for organization. She joined the Customer Service Team at Leidel & Kracht last year, where she gets to put her skills to the test every day. Above all, it is the daily variety that the freight forwarding agent appreciates about her job: "You start in the morning and have no idea what the day will bring. When you work with people – both customers and colleagues – everything turns out differently than you think. If you expect a quiet day, it could turn out to be really hectic. If the first hour is busy, suddenly no one calls anymore. Every day is a real surprise!"
Foam isn't always disposable packaging!
She finds not only her everyday work exciting, but also the product itself, because "foam and packaging are somehow sexy!" The reason for this is the special versatility of high-quality foam packaging, which can be engraved, laser-cut, or even covered with leather. "When I tell someone, 'I sell foam,' people often think of cheap disposable packaging. Hardly anyone thinks about the fact that foam can also be high-quality! For example, we've made the inserts for the Emmys—the thing that holds the award! Everyone knows what that is, it's totally tangible!" According to Thelen, every product also has its own unique feature. Something that sets it apart and distinguishes it from the others. "The fact that we can manufacture the foam so precisely that you would think it and the case were made for each other and not assembled afterwards is really exciting."
With empathy and an open ear for customers
Anne Thelen likes to describe her tasks in three concise words: "Concerns, requests, needs." In customer service, she and her teammates are often the first point of contact. "Of course, that sometimes means we're the ones who take the heat from customers," says the freight forwarding specialist. "But honestly, I can always understand that. I think people need someone to talk to when they want to complain. It's nothing personal and completely normal – as long as it remains professional. But I can't complain about our customers." She finds balance in the many pleasant phone calls she makes, because customers are often delighted to hear the name "Thelen" on the phone. "These are always special moments, because at that point the customers don't yet know what I want. That rewards me to a certain extent for my work." That's why she and her colleagues are happy to go the extra mile and assist their customers with their orders.
Thank you very much for your valuable work and your fun-loving nature, Anne! We are delighted to have you as part of the team!
