Our heart is beating for Munich today!
“Here is warmth, here is laughter!”, Sylvie Dos Santos begins our conversation. And after just three minutes, such warmth comes into the interview that we want to meet them as soon as possible at the Satellite Office in Munich.
Sylvie Dos Santos is Operations Supervisor in Munich. Actually, it was a coincidence that she ended up at Satellite Office. “I saw the job ad on a job portal in the evening and thought I’d write to Mr. Wolf. And he got back to me the very next morning. Now I’ve been with the company for almost two years and I don’t regret a single day that I applied so spontaneously,” says Sylvie Dos Santos about her start at Satellite Office. She also interprets her first day of work on Sept. 9, 2019, as a good omen because of the special date. After a week of familiarization at the Berlin headquarters on Ku’damm, they went to the Munich office trained and motivated. Before Satellite Office, Sylvie managed a restaurant business in Maxvorstadt for 16 years. After that, she wanted a job that offered more work-life balance than a restaurant that was open from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. every day – including weekends.
Why did you choose Satellite Office as your employer?
Sylvie Dos Santos: “First of all, the environment, the workplace is great! Coming in here and being able to work in this luxurious location is nice every day. The decisive factor, however, was that there is a fixed structure, binding work processes and specifications that nevertheless leave room for one’s own personality. After all, I had already been a manager for 18 years.”
The Munich location “Ludwigspalais” was completely rebuilt in March. CEO Anita Gödiker has given it a complete “facelift”. How did you feel about that?
Sylvie Dos Santos: “I’m still flabbergasted at how great this looks now. Simply unbelievable! In the course of the renovation, however, attention was not only paid to making everything look nice, but the technology was also brought up to the same, very high level. That’s incredibly important. Because in my experience, three factors need to be on an equal footing: The best IT equipment, aesthetics and a service-oriented team. You can’t forget any one factor! Because if the team and the beauty are right but the technology is not, no customer will stay long. I like to compare it to a restaurant, if the environment is beautiful but the service is bad, people won’t come back.”
What is important specifically in Munich?
Sylvie Dos Santos: “Here in our Munich neighborhood, a certain luxurious coolness is important, and we have achieved this with the facelift of the center. It has now become more than beautiful, no one can imitate what we offer. In combination with the refreshing team, this is unique in Munich. I am sure we will remain at this highest level in the coming years. I don’t see any competitor coming close to us at the moment.”
What do customers in Munich like best?
I think, in the first place, it’s actually the human element. Our strength is to build a trusting, warm relationship with our customers. Here, everyone feels that the soul is right, that our multi-faceted team works. A colorful and lively mosaic of personalities from all over the world has emerged, which harmonizes perfectly in its entirety! The customer senses this: Here, people not only work diligently, here they give warmth, here they laugh! We always ask our customers at the beginning how they would like to have things, what does not work for them. In addition to structured processes, it is attention that counts. Chatting in between is just as important. In the last few weeks I have had an intense time. The attention with which the customers always treat me is quite great. Yesterday customers:inside brought me ice cream from outside! I am happy about that and glad to return it. It goes far beyond the usual attentions. Our customers and we have the feeling of being at home here in the office, of having arrived.
How do you live yourself?
I live with my 15-year-old daughter in Maxvorstadt, right in the middle between the two Satellite Offices in Munich. Each two kilometers to the right or left of my house. I walk to work, I am an avid runner. The route is beautiful, especially to the Ludwigpalais, when I walk up Ludwigstrasse at seven in the morning, it’s a wonderful feeling. Such a beautiful city! When I walk to the Satellite Office “Alte Hopfenpost”, I like to cross Stiegelmaierplatz, where the Löwenbräu cellar is. Before work I go jogging at 6am, most of the time my job doesn’t start until 9:30am. So I am also at home when my child has to go to school. This balance between fulfilling job and private life is my secret, that’s why I can come to work so beautifully fresh!
What is important to you in life?
Keeping a sense of humor is important, don’t take life too seriously, laugh a lot! Sometimes I also call one or the other colleague when I know they are stressed and make them laugh. With my now over 40 years of life experience, I can say that my humor and composure have saved me through more difficult phases.
