Meet a Spreader - Juliane Nowak

It’s been a while, but it’s time to meet the next Spreader, Juliane Nowak.

Juliane knows how to resolve other people’s problems. As a call center agent she coped with addicted online gamblers who wanted to spend more money on online poker. From now on she will put her accumulated experiences into the service of the Spreadshirt shop partner counseling. An interview.

How long have you been here at Spreadshirt?

For three months. An ex-workmate gave me the hint. Here they were looking for someone who’s got call center experiences, can speak foreign languages and is literate with printing. I’ve got two formations in related areas, so the job was perfect for me.

What is your background?

After school I first didn’t know what to do and started a vocational training in media design. I also worked for a while in this profession, but then thing didn’t go well with the company, and I had to look for something else. And then I started a vocational training as foreign language correspondence clerk. Curiously, this took place at the same school - “Gutenberg-Schule” - here in Leipzig. Then I even became class representative. Moreover, I went abroad two times, to the US and to the german-french chamber of commerce and industry in Paris. After the second formation I worked in an international call center. Then I came here.

You worked in a call center? Did you flog financial services or over-priced cleaning supplies to the people?

No!!! Thank god, it was inbound, a hot line for an internet paying system. It was about internet games, poker, online casinos, stuff like that. The clientele sometimes was a bit strange, there were real game addicts, who didn’t get along with their budget. They also became aggressive once in a while, so one had to have a thick skin. But we were a nice team, very international. I got to know Joanna there, the English girl in my department.

What do you do here at Spreadshirt?

I’m attending our shop partners in the service department. If they’ve got a problem with the layout, want to know something - these issues end up on my desk. Of course I don’t have always every information ready, sometimes I have to ask people from other departments who are more literate with special topics. Moreover I’m doing the premium upgrades, we’re still doing that manually. And a few times per week I’m on duty in our hotline.

Which things do you like about your work, which things are disturbing you?

It is a nice young team, we are working together very well. It’s probably going to be even better if we move again with the production under one roof, at the moment the personal contact is lacking a bit. The office hours are clearly better than in the call center, where we worked in shift system - 24 hours per day and seven days per week.. But here it is sometimes so stressful that I skip the lunch break to get home somewhat on time in the evening. But fortunately, my workmates also help out if it is too much.

What was the strangest customer request so far?

Recently a customer called and complained that his T-shirt didn’t fit, although he had ordered it in XL. When I checked his order, I discovered: It was a girly shirt, these are smaller in XL as well. This happens once in a while because the girly shirt is appearing first in the designer. At the same time you can recognize it easily in the picture - the contour obviously is feminine. But some of our customers don’t contemplate too much, they just buy any shirt.

And then there was a customer who called Friday afternoon and wanted 30 shirts for about 600 Euros. Until Saturday! Moreover this works out only with advance payment. He really didn’t want to accept that this is not that easy, because we have to wait for the receipt of the payment first, and threatened to close his shop right away on Monday.

What are you doing in your leisure time?

In the summer I like to go around the lake after work, when I sit at the desk the whole day long I need some exercise. I’ve got a subscription to the German magazine Stern, unfortunately time is lacking to read books. Except for my holidays, then I even like to read English or French books once in a while. Moreover I’m watching “Tatort”-thrillers sometimes. In winter we go skiing, in summer barbecues are a nice thing, generally I like parties… Just the normal stuff.

Do you enjoy surfing the web in your private life?

Well, less since I’m working here. The whole day I’m sitting in front of the computer, therefore in the evening I’m happy if it’s disconnected. I prefer reading the newspaper then.

Where did you spend your last holidays?

In Canada, in February. It was ice cold, with mountains of snow. My best friend from highschool times has migrated there. This was also a dream for me… But unfortunately things are no so easy with the visa, they’ve got really hard regulations there.

If you were the boss for one day, what would you do?

A month’s bonus pay for everyone!

Okay, now we’re going to play a small game. I say two terms, and you vote for one of them. Mountains or Sea?

Sea.

Coffee or chamomile tea?

Dear me! Chamomile tea actually only if I’m sick. Coffee then.

Sugar or artificial sweetener?

Sugar.

McDonalds or Burger King?

I prefer cooking by myself. Burger King, if needs must.

Revolutionist or nerd?

Defiantly not nerd, so…. Revolutionist.

Early bird or late riser?

Early bird.

Money or love?

That’s easy: love.

Kids or career?

Kids. I’m happy with a job that I like and where I earn enough to live well.

Beethoven or Wildecker Herzbuben?

Rather Beethoven then.

What kind of music do you like?

It varies. German stuff, Mia for example. Sometimes house. I also like Shakira and Nelly Furtado.

Okay, last one: Blouse or T-shirt?

T-Shirt.

Correct answer, 100 points Who shall be the next spreader to be interviewed?

Manon, our French PR Manager.