Beverley: The Face Of Team Digital
Car parking feuds. Nervous guests. Lightsabers. Just a few of the occupational hazards receptionist Beverley Simmelink has to manage at Team Digital.
She’s the Mother Hen of our merry bunch of Digital chicks. So,what’s the secret to working in our eccentric little box of energy?
First things first: should we call you Beverley or something different?
You can call me Beverley. If you want to know why I don’t use the first three letters as a shortened version of my name, then ask a Dutch person what it means.
*Googles the meaning*. Wow, that’s quite the term. Anyway, Beverley, which track should people play while reading this?
Lakmé, the Flower Duet, by a chap called Léo Delibes.
If you put this on and you don’t like it, then you don’t deserve to be here. It’s just beautiful.
Describe Beverley in five words.
Kind, caring, thoughtful, compassionate, outgoing.
Outgoing. So a bit of a party animal then?
I’m very positive. I love life. Carpe diem.
So, what do you do here?
I’ve been a receptionist at TNT Digital since July 2016. I work alongside two other ladies, Geeta and Linda. I say reception, but we’re much more hospitality than security.
We try to look after people. It’s a unique department here, with people from all sorts of different countries and cultures. They need to be made to feel like it’s a home away from home. Hopefully, that’s what we do.
What’s the best way to greet someone that looks important?
Everyone who walks through that door is important. When I started, I couldn’t tell senior management apart from anyone else. A few months later obviously I was aware and thought, ‘Oh Jesus, that’s the Regional President’. But it’s good to be that way.
You see almost every employee, every day. What do you really think about this motley bunch?
Wonderful. I’ve never seen anyone here angry or fire off about something. Work wise I’m sure there are disagreements but it’s a team that gets on together.
It all sounds too perfect. There must be one negative about the place?
Well, it’s probably fair to say the team doesn’t cover itself in glory when it comes to car parking. I presume everyone has a right to a parking space in other workplaces, but it’s egalitarian here.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen at reception?
Dart Vader walking into the office. We held a superhero themed party as soon as we moved into this building. Science fiction is quite big here.
I was sitting at reception greeting everyone, taking photos for people and things like that. Then I suddenly heard this music coming from the garage downstairs.
The doors then opened and there he was. He even had a machine on making the ventilator sounds. I’ve got goosebumps thinking about it. He just nonchalantly walked up and into the party. That will take some beating.
What do you think of a grown man spending that amount of money on a Darth Vader outfit?
He didn’t care what anyone thought and absolutely loves Star Wars. It was slightly chilling though.
You have to deal with our yellow and brown branded rivals as they deliver packages into our orange fortress. Do you give them a hard time when they enter?
I ought to really. But we welcome competition.
You’re also the first port of call for people anxiously awaiting their job interview. Do you ever do anything to calm people’s nerves?
I act more motherly, definitely when they’re from different countries. Some of them are shaking!
They’re often very young and nervous. And now, I genuinely tend to have a feeling about who will make it and who won't.
So you’re the oracle of job interviews? What’s the key?
They’re just on the same level as the people who work here. Work wise, of course they’re brilliant as they’ve made it for an interview. But the open, friendly ones — they’re the ones who always cut the mustard. I’ll make them a cup of tea though to calm them down though. That solves everything.
Want to find out for yourself what it’s like to be ushered into the building by our beloved Beverly? You can, if you come in for an interview. Take a look over here if there’s a spot for you!
