Doing Real Work, Real Customer Service

Qaiser is in the first row, second from the left.

 

I didn’t know what to expect when I started my internship with Lenbrook during my junior year at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School. But I made sure to come with an open mind. Very happily, I can report that I’ve gotten to experience so much compared to any of my previous jobs! 

 

Here’s a look at what my day at Lenbrook is like and what I’ve enjoyed the most.

      

I start the morning off making resident wake up calls from the Concierge’s desk. After greeting residents in person and on the phone from 8 to 9 am, I proceed to work in Project Management. There I get to conduct resident experience surveys, asking residents questions such as “Is there anyone at Lenbrook who provides exceptional service? How satisfied are you with the Grill, the Bistro and Fine Dining restaurants; with housekeeping and maintenance?” 

 

Most recently, I’ve been creating Microsoft Excel spreadsheets using each department’s data from the completed surveys, which I love to do. After my work in Project Management is done I move on to the Marketing Department. Here I do a variety of marketing assignments, edit and upload blogs, and, as of this moment, I’m getting to write my own blog!

     

As the day winds down and I’ve finished my Marketing work, I assist Lenbrook’s  Concierges with answering the phones, logging packages, delivering packages and flowers, calling residents to notify them of their packages, and more. 

     

This is the first job where I’ve truly gotten to do way more than file paperwork. I’ve gained more diverse work experiences by working with different departments throughout the day and learning different skills and tasks.

 

One of the best skills I have learned from Lenbrook is customer service. I’ve learned customer service by handling phone calls from people I don’t know; talking with residents of Lenbrook, and conducting resident experience surveys. Another skill that’s been crucial for me to do at all times — and especially on the phone — is to enunciate my words more clearly. Doing resident experience surveys and seeing the resulting data also showed me how important customer service is.

 

One of my favorite experiences at Lenbrook was when I helped conduct a series of dementia simulations for people without dementia. This simulation “lab” exercises enable employees, caregivers and family members to experience, in some ways, what it’s like to have dementia and the struggles these patients face. 

 

During the “lab,” one of us read the instructions to the participants while they wore a headset with background noises playing — making it hard for them to hear the instructions. Next, participants were given glasses and gloves and asked to perform a series of tasks in a room with very low light. 

 

The tasks are hard for you to do because the glasses make it hard to see and the gloves make it hard to grab things and move your hands. And, you are being timed and given about 8 minutes to complete the tasks. Afterward, you get to reflect on how well you did. My responsibility was to administer a survey at the end of the lab and remove their test equipment. 

From this experience, I saw how hard life can be with dementia and how caregiving for these patients can also be difficult.

     

Most of all, I’m happy Lenbrook picked me to become a part of their team because I have learned so much. Thank you!

 

Qaiser Davis is a rising senior at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School. He and three other students completed an internship at Lenbrook this school year as a part of their unique Cristo Rey educational experience and its one-of-a-kind corporate work-study program.