Interview Tabea Hilgenstock - THOM

Tabea Hilgenstock

Store Manager at Orovivo

"The most important quality is to be self-confident. This attitude encourages the team and gives them stability"

Can you tell us about a typical day?

Our days are all different because our customers always come into our store with different needs. Every day, I manage my team of 7 Sales Assistants, and I organise the team work for the day with them.

Our days are never the same because we have so many different things to do, from customer service to office work, managing repairs or decorating the store. I make sure the teams don’t do the same thing every day and that they keep developing their expertise to give our customers the best service possible.

What is it about your job that you especially enjoy?

I love being in contact with our customers. It is a real challenge to satisfy them and find just the right thing he was looking for but wasn’t able to express. It also makes me really happy to see the development of my team, how they get better at their jobs every day, and how they feel proud of their achievements.

What are the qualities necessary for your job?

The most important is to be self-confident. This attitude encourages the team and gives them stability. Another quality I need to have is empathy: you also need to be very understanding with your customers. Last but not least, you need to have talent to organise.

What makes THOM Group a particularly human company for you?

The example of the Covid-19 sanitary crisis is living proof of how THOM Group considers their employees. THOM Group was really behind each of us. We were never left alone with our challenging situations and communication with our Management was really transparent and friendly. My feeling is that I am part of an organisation that cares for its employees.

Among the 5 values of the Group, which two speak to you the most? And how have you integrated them into your daily life?

Team work is crucial to make every day a success.

Simplicity is also important to give our customers a good experience in our store, but also to make the team happy to come to work each day.

What do you think is the secret of a successful day?

Great sales, of course! But I believe that if there is a positive team mood, if we are having a good day and enjoying what we do, the sales will be even better. Furthermore, seeing how proud my team is makes a day really successful for me.

What has been your best moment at THOM Group?

I have many, but there is one I remember : A customer came into our store and said he only wanted to take a look. And in the end he ordered platinum wedding rings that are especially crafted in our workshop, as well as a watch to match the rings. This was an exceptionally good sale for our team and made us all very proud.