During my final week at Indigo Swan I have been reflecting on my experiences over the past two and a half years and cannot quite believe how far I have come in this short time.
First Day
On September 2nd 2013 I joined this small but up and coming business in the centre of Norwich. As a young, self-conscious individual I was full of nerves and anxious to make a good impression. My first day began with a gathering (on the beanbags!) with the whole team.
One by one everyone went round to introduce themselves, give a brief overview of their role and a fun or interesting fact about themselves. I was (and still am) overwhelmed at everyone’s enthusiasm within the team and how relaxed everyone could be around each other. The thing I noticed most was that everyone knew exactly where they fitted into Indigo Swan and how they made a difference each day. I couldn’t wait to get started so I could become as passionate about Indigo Swan as the rest of the team so obviously was!
Cygnet to Swan
As a complete energy novice, I was shown the ropes by my new manager James Groves. He guided me through the energy market and I quickly came to grips with not only our function, but our purpose too. I remember being excited each day to learn more and more about this complex industry and most of all, to understand how I could help my clients to make sense of it too.
The biggest thing I took from my first few months was the teamwork that goes into everything at Indigo Swan. From marketing ideas to process developments, everyone is involved regardless of your position. Within such an open environment, I have never felt that my opinion doesn’t matter or that I won’t be listened to if I have a question or issue. I think this is one of the many reasons that our ethos of ‘finding a better way’ does not only relate to the service we offer our clients, this is very much internal as well.
My main purpose within my new role was to help the existing Client Guides with their busy work load and to help with complex tenders wherever needed. During my first 6 months I managed mainly small (SME) businesses with less complex queries and helped out in the team wherever I could. After proving myself as a quick learner who was keen to do well and develop further, I was gradually given much larger clients to manage over time, who required a new set of skills.
Although my job title has remained the same, I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and develop in other areas too; such as process development and staff training.
Throughout this process I have had the pleasure of working with a wide array of clients and I am very proud of the relationships I have been able to build with these businesses. From sole traders to charities to large corporate organisations, each client is completely different, so understanding their needs is a big part of the Client Guide role.
By January 2016 I was managing some of Indigo Swans biggest clients and I am very proud of the portfolio of clients I was able to develop over time. I eventually became responsible for a very high percentage of our annual turnover, which I imagine could have been very daunting for some. At the time I was not fazed by this and I think that although hard work was a big factor, this was mainly down to the continued support I had, not only from James but from the rest of the team too.
I have witnessed some huge changes within Indigo Swan and I am so pleased to have been a part of them. We have seen changes to our processes, teams and developed further as a company. Last year I was lucky enough to attend the TELCA awards where we won Most Trusted Consultancy and Best Small Consultancy in the UK. For a fifteen strong team, I cannot put into words the buzz around the office following our success at the TELCA’s and it was such a wonderful thing to be a part of.
Leaving the Nest
I started as a nervous, inexperienced 20 year old who didn’t really know what direction she was going. I will leave Indigo Swan confident that I have the skills and knowhow to succeed within any area I choose to put my mind to and this is undoubtedly down to the experiences I have had whilst being a swan.
I am so thankful for the opportunities Indigo Swan have given me over the years and I am very sad to be leaving. Indigo Swan gave me a chance and believed in me when I struggled to do that myself and looking back, I hardly recognise the girl who joined Indigo Swan in 2013. I have been lucky enough to make many wonderful friends here which makes it all that harder to say good-bye. As I move on to a new chapter in my life, in a new county and with a new job, I know that I will always be grateful for my time here and deep down I know will always be a swan! <3
