Uncommon calm
Christina Casares, Spain
... has descended upon Spain where both inhabitants and tourists would usually spend their days at the beach and in the towns. Owing to one of the strictest curfews in the world, everything has been deserted – this is also the case in Valencia, where the Bauerfeind Ibérica, S. A subsidiary is located. Cristina Casares is there in close contact with customers who know her for her amusing nature. She de-scribes the current situation as difficult – for Bauerfeind in Spain, medical retailers, and the entire country.
Let’s start with the most important question: How are you, Cristina?
Thank you, I’m fine, even if the current situation is so difficult.
That’s good to hear. Your boss, Miguel, has suggested you for this profile. Do you know why? We think it’s a real accolade!
No, I don’t have a clue, but I am very pleased. It was a real surprise to me. Perhaps it’s to do with the fact that I’ve been working here for 24 years – and I’m still enjoying it a lot!
Wow, that’s a long time...
Yes, I started at Bauerfeind as a trainee, and I just stayed. Now I work in Customer Service, I maintain customer relations, I take orders, process returns, and I help with any questi-ons our customers may have.
How is your team currently getting on with the work?
We’re all working from home. That works really well, and it means I don’t have to use the train and the bus. It’s harder for our field sales colleagues, who can’t visit our custo-mers and the doctors. Direct contact is still very important in this respect: meeting in person, having a chat and demonstrating the products is currently not an option. The situation is difficult for everyone.
What are specific consequences?
As a subsidiary, we currently have little turn-over – the same is true for our customers. In Spain, this mainly includes pharmacies and shops for orthopedic products. They’re only open for a few hours each day. A lot of them can't work at all. And, unfortunately, many customers are returning their products. The whole country has come to a stop, and we're concerned about the coming months becau-se there will be hardly any tourists.
It’s a difficult situation. How are you managing to shake off your worries?
enjoy reading, I cycle, and I talk to my fami-ly, friends and colleagues on the phone. My husband is also home more often because he only works for four hours at the moment, in a supermarket. And the best part is: he cooks delicious meals, that’s a little dangerous if you’re trying to watch your bikini body. (She laughs.)
I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humor.
Some things are really crazy. The restau-rateurs are thinking about installing glass screens on the tables. We had to think how we can pour wine for each other and clink glasses with this screen in front of us. Sometimes you have to laugh about these situations.
About Christina Casares
24 years ago, Cristina Casares started at Bauerfeind in Spain as a trainee and has been working for the company ever since – currently in Customer Service & Administration. Cristina is from Valencia and part of a team consisting of seven people who work for the Bauerfeind Iberica subsidiary. The plan is to move to a new office in the center of Valencia in May. Cristina is passionate about her work and always has something nice to say to customers and colleagues.