A busy young mum who juggles a hectic family life with her career has been named Employee of the Year by Swansea\u2019s top retailer.<\/p>\n
Customer Service Advisor, Rhian Gilbert, 21, came out top of the Debenhams pile when managers at the busy Quadrant Shopping Centre store were looking for their number one employee<\/p>\n
Excellent customer service skills and an ever-ready smile helped Rhian land the title of Employee of the Year which came with a white-knuckle day out at Alton Towers and \u00a3200 of Debenhams vouchers.<\/p>\n
Rhian said: \u201cI was absolutely thrilled and really pleased. I have worked at the Debenhams store for five years, ever since I left Neath\u2019s Ysgol Cwrt Sart at age 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially I worked downstairs in the coffee shop but two years ago moved upstairs to the Home Department.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ambition is to move up the ladder and in a few years I\u2019d like to think I can become Departmental Manager and after that, well, who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n
Not that working full-time is easy for Rhian who has to juggle her career with the commitments of having a young family to look after too.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cMy partner, Chris, and I live in Neath with our gorgeous three-year-old daughter, Lexie. It is tough working full time as well as being a mum and looking after a house.<\/p>\n
\u201cChris works as a carer so we have to have a child minder to take care of Lexie when I\u2019m at work. It\u2019s difficult but something you have to do now-a-days I\u2019m afraid. Especially if you want to get on and have a career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means I get very little time to myself especially when you have to start the housework when you get home after a full day at work. But Lexie always has me smiling and means all the hard graft is worth it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also really enjoy working at Debenhams. I love being part of the Home Department team, although there are more than 300 staff employed at the store in total.\u201d<\/p>\n
Debenhams Manager James Loxdale said: \u201cWe are very proud of our staff here at the store. They do a wonderful job and Rhian is a very worthy winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is a fantastic member of staff and nothing is ever too much trouble for her \u2013 she delivers consistent excellence in customer service and that\u2019s at the heart of what we\u2019re about.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Employees of the Month are nominated by their departmental managers and Rhian\u2019s name comes up often so she is a very deserving winner of what is a lovely prize.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rhian added: \u201cI also really enjoy working in The Quadrant in Swansea too. People are really nice and everyone has a smile for you which I think is really important.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always look forward to coming into work and meeting lots of new customers and chatting to some of our regular ones too.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Rhian was delighted with her Employee of the Year prize, a day out to Alton Towers and a \u00a3200 gift voucher.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI had a cracking day at Alton Towers. It was a company day out with Employee of the Year winners from a number of Debenhams stores. All the senior management went along for the day including our Chief Executive, Michael Sharp, which was nice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for the gift voucher I soon spent that on things for Lexie and I didn\u2019t forget Chris either!\u201d<\/p>\n