On a rainy day in April, after a few minutes’ delay, the door to the meeting room opens. Paolo, from the Sales Team of Sampierana U/C Spare Parts, has kept our appointment and joins us smiling to tell us about his experience in the world of spare parts.
How long have you been working in Sampierana?
I joined Sampierana on 20 November 2006, in November it will be eighteen years. I started in the warehouse and then moved to the Sales team at Sampierana U/C Spare Parts. And I’m still here!
How come this change?
In the spare parts department there used to be Mauro, my manager, and another colleague. After the resignation of this colleague, as was often the case at Sampierana, good internal figures were identified and they were offered a role advancement, especially if they showed competence in a given area.
Was the transition easy or did you have difficulties?
I think it is more correct to say that the transition was traumatic. Mauro, who supported me both before and after the role change, was often busy, since the spare parts team consisted of me and him, so only two people. At the beginning it was hard for me, there was a lot of work and several times I also found myself training alone, taking notes and carving out time even at home to get to know the products, the characteristics well.
It wasn’t an easy time, especially because at that time you often had to be ready for multiple tasks and often found yourself overworked. Then over time, today even more so, the situation has improved and everyone is more focused on their own role.
When the others from the Sampierana U/C Spare Parts team arrived, it was you who trained them, right?
Yes I was in charge of their training. If I think back to my early days, I remember the crises, the desire to give up and instead resist, to give confidence to the company as well, it gave me the opportunity to learn more and more and then to teach it to the rest of the team that arrived.
What do you value most about your work?
Helping the customer and being able to have a solution in hand for him or her. I specifically deal with the Italian market and the purchase of one spare part in particular, rubber tracks.
The U/C Spare Parts team is mostly based in Modena, but both you and other people are operational in San Piero. Has the physical distance with the rest of the team proved to be a problem in your day-to-day work?
No it was actually an opportunity to go to Modena often, to confront each other when needed.
After sixteen years in Sampierana, a question is in order: what kept you here?
I really enjoy my job and I am very lucky because I get on well with those I work with. Since I arrived I have a great relationship with everyone even outside the office, we even challenge each other on the football pitch. So I can really consider myself lucky.
Doing this job I became patient, a quality that did not belong to me. Being in contact with customers, however, requires patience and I must admit that the job has made me grow a lot in this respect.