What made you want to join us?
“I was excited to join CustomsLink after I first met the team. I have always had a keen interest in travel and a passion for assisting people navigate their problems, and CustomsLink fits that challenge.”
How long have you been at the company?
“I joined CustomsLink just over two years ago and have never looked back.”
Could you tell us a little bit about your work experience before joining the business?
“Prior to joining CustomsLink I worked within the school meals service for the Local Government for twenty years as the role fitted in with my young family during term time. This involved cooking and baking for the children's lunchtime meals.”
How would you describe your current role?
“As a Customs Clearance Agent, my role involves giving our customers advice and solving their problems - both of which give me great pleasure. I enjoy talking to the customers, helping them with their requirements and getting them a resolution to enable them to navigate the sometimes mind-blowing world of customs declarations. It can involve large shipments that are going to and from Europe, to the smaller businesses taking tools over to Ireland to complete a job. I can be talking to a wagon driver on one call, and then a multinational company needing our help on another."
What have you learned during your time here?
“In my time with CustomLink I have learned so much. From how businesses operate, how they all have specific complex customs needs, how we as a team can navigate them through the process and how the whole customs operation works.”
How else do you support customers?
"Along with my other roles within the team, I specialise in helping Funeral Directors to provide the documents required when repatriating deceased to their final resting place. I can also assist the Funeral Directors and the deceased families with any special requests they may have - such as arranging a quiet and private area within the port for transfer to the Funeral Director, or arranging for the family to surround the funeral vehicle on board the ferry. Though this is a sad and sensitive time for all concerned, I always delivered the best service for them."
What is your favourite part of working at CustomsLink?
“The way we all pull together to get things done, everyone is always happy to help and we are all supportive of each other. As I am fluent in Dutch I also love that I can use my language skills to communicate with our Dutch clients. A lot of them are based around the town where I grew up in Holland. This gives me a lot of pleasure and the customers are all super to deal with.”
