Ana Rita Claro
Customer Service
Cruz Martins & Wahl, Lda (CMW Foundries)/Portugal

The job
I currently work in the commercial sector, in customer support - Customer Service, however this was not my first position in the company. I started working at CMW Foundries when I was 23 years old in an internship whose objective was to implement the environmental license in one of the companies of the group. I quickly moved to the commercial area where besides the budgeting work and representing the company at trade fairs, I would visit customers, establishing the closest contact. From there, it was a small step to the position I currently I currently occupy.
Some of the daily tasks are connected with direct contact with the costumer and the constant management of the various phases of the company (planning, production, machining and subcontracting). In addition to that I also work on projects of development within the company, in close collaboration with the department of Project and Quality, always with a view to improving the service provided to the end customer.
Education
Master in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering [Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto]
Skill and competences
Among the most relevant skills for the job of Costumer Service is knowledge of the company’s process, ability to communicate in English, problem solving and management, namely customer oriented business management (CRM, strategy, internationalization) and which is increasingly present in industry, particularly in the transition to Industry 4.0.
On a day-to-day level, and since most of the work revolves around communication with employees, customers and some suppliers, communication, emotional intelligence, responsibility, and critical thinking are also indispensable.
The challenges
As in any business, work ethic is always the most important thing to succeed. If we work to achieve the company's goals is a source of motivation. Alongside this motivation are also the challenges intrinsic to the industry itself, which is itself dependent on a multitude of factors that have to be controlled/studied or changed to obtain a quality end product. The fact that is a mostly male environment was never a negative point, on the contrary, I was always treated with respect and there was always an openness to help in whatever was needed.
The fact that I am always in contact with the customer, makes the pressure of doing things well and on time, has a weight in my day-to-day life, even outside of work. I never stop thinking about the client's priorities and how to achieve them, and therefore I never really disconnect from work.
For other women who want to get into the business, my advice is to try working in the industry, without carrying a stigma that it's only for men. You will be surprised by how much you can grow and by the atmosphere among co-workers.