Customer Service Placement Student Review

I've really enjoyed my experience, it's been great to have started with a large Placement Student cohort (around 23) as there is always someone in the same boat. The company is great to work for, the benefits provided are generous (such as subsidized canteen and discounted therapy treatments e.g. massages) and being able to work on flexi-time and therefore choose when to start and finish is so useful when it comes to needing to go to a doctors appointment etc. as you don't have to take unpaid time off. The amount of support provided in my placement to ensure there is enough to do is great, there is a list of different people I can go to with any issue if I had them and everyone is very approachable.

Everyone in the organization is very friendly, including people you've never spoken to or don't have contact with in a work setting. Colleagues in my department were happy to give me tasks to do on slow days if I was running out of things to do. Everyone was happy for me to ask for help, for example finding something out on our computer system.

I am lucky in my department to have someone who is designated for training new starters and as a result our training was thorough. In follow up meetings I suggested that I would like a bit more to do and to try and involve myself in other tasks and this was followed through and my list of various tasks that I was able to do keeps growing. As a result of various initiatives there were sometimes points where both my manager and trainer were away though, and so there were occasions where I was left unsure where to turn. However these experiences were not common and I was always able to find someone to help me.

Although initially I did not have enough to do as a result of a miscommunication between departments, once this was communicated to my manager and trainer my work level picked up and I had lots of different tasks to do each week. Some weeks I am busier than others but I can always find something to do on a quieter day.

Understandably as I work in Customer Services I was not given as much responsibility to begin with, but I do have contact with customers and my responsibility level continues to grow. I am trusted to carry out many organisational tasks within the company also. As my experience grows, so do the levels of responsibility given to me.

I am studying English Language, which is not particularly related to my role, however the skills learnt here will assist me in the long run. It is great experience to have behind me and I believe that it will be invaluable to me down the line. I have learnt when I like about working in an organization as well as what my strengths are and this will make me more confident.

My office is quite relaxed, there's always a hum of conversation and everyone is approachable. Everyone works hard but it's not rigid and strict. The benefits of an open plan office are clear to see as people discuss job-related issues or even just their dinner while continuing to work. It is also easy to find people and to tell if they cannot be disturbed. You can look across to check if people are on the phone etc. There is also room for people to relax a bit when it's just one of those days, as often seems to happen to everyone at the same time!

The placement scheme in general is very well organised, there are lists of people to approach with issues. A group residential for the students was a great way to bond as well as to introduce us to KB as a company as well as useful teambuilding excercises etc. Although there may have been some variation in individual's experience, the scheme as a whole works very well.

Regular catch-ups with management meant I was able to develop new skills and learn about different business streams when I wanted to. The students attended a residential which was good.

I would really like to return to working here after I finish my degree. It's a fantastic place to work, great people and benefits as well as I really like the factory/office set-up which means it is easy to go and ask people questions rather than just emailing them. I've found this invaluable to building relationships and has been important to my enjoyment of the placement.

Our cohort of placement students are very close, we all sit together at lunch as well as doing things together out of work hours. It's great to have a group of people close to my age and in the same boat as me. Otherwise, I play badminton with people from work on Tuesday's which is a great way to get some exercise and to meet new people, as well as being involved in the KB Christmas Choir, another good way to meet people.

I live at home so the cost of living is low for me, although I can't comment on what it would cost to rent a flat or room. As it's quite a rural area it helps to live in one of the bigger towns around here in terms of socializing as the cost of taxis, trains etc back to my small town can be quite high after a night out.

Although I have been spoilt by going to university in Birmingham, the nightlife here isn't bad. Bristol is probably the best.

If you know where to look there is lots of things going on in this area, such as sports clubs, markets, marathons etc.