Before the first Covid wave hit Austria in March 2020, I had just returned to Vienna from my semester abroad. At the time, I was already looking forward to spending the final semester of my master’s degree in Management in an international environment and surrounded by exciting young people. What happened instead totally differed from my expectations, and so I ended up moving back to my hometown Salzburg at the northern edge of the Alps.
The time had come for me to find a suitable employer. To be honest, I was not all too optimistic to find a young and international company in Salzburg, a city rich with history but still rather provincial. When I told my cousin Magdalena about my job hunt, she suggested applying for a job at hotelkit. Since she had been working in this company for several years already, I knew it from her stories. And so, I applied for a job at hotelkit. After a virtual and an in-person interview-round, I had succeeded and was welcomed into the hotelkit-family as a Customer Success Manager. In a nutshell, this means that from now on I was going to support clients in using hotelkit and give new hotelkids advice on how to best use the tool.
In good spirits, I rode my bike to hotelkit on my first day of work and was excited to take on my new job. Whilst locking my bike, I exchanged a few words with another young cyclist, who, similar to me, seemed to be in a good mood. I love it, when people already have a positive radiance early in the morning. At the office, I was warmly welcomed and had a nice chat whilst drinking a cup of coffee. I also learned that this was not just my first workday at hotelkit. Five minutes later, the cheerful cyclist had also found her way into the office, and we were both greeted warmly.
Now, it was time to get to work. In the first days, we were introduced to hotelkit’s tool: the software with the same name that is also used internally and ensures efficient communication. I think it’s great when a company uses its own product in their work routine. The lively exchange is also part of the corporate culture at hotelkit. And as an employee, you are, so to say, involved in the further development of the tool. Even as newbies, we were encouraged to communicate our opinions and make our ideas known. In addition to the virtual tool, the open, pleasant and communicative atmosphere in the office as well as the coffee machine in the social area contribute to the fact that everyone likes to get involved.
I think it’s great when a company uses its own product in their work routine! In addition, the open, pleasant and communicative atmosphere in the office as well as the coffee machine in the social area contribute to the fact that everyone likes to get involved.
The second week continued in the same way: many friendly faces and just as many names that had to be remembered. The annual team event, which took place during that week, definitely helped with this. Regarding the positive experiences I had had so far, it seemed plausible to me that this event had been planned entirely for us newbies.
After a lot of secrecy as well as a long bus ride into the blue, we went summer tobogganing at Lake Wolfgang. After going for some rides, we continued our journey and in a less rapid pace the bus driver took us to our – up until that point – unkown final destination: the Postalm in Strobl at Lake Wolfgang. We would be spending two nights here. Just as exciting as the day had started, it went on. On the first evening, the traditional hotelkit table tennis tournament took place. This was also where I met the oldest hotelkid, the founder of hotelkit Marius Donhauser, against whom I lost – out of deliberation and to be on the safe side.
The following day, team building was on the agenda. An “inspiring” seminar or an “exciting” workshop during which the participants already listlessly doze off before the first coffee break? No, not at all. We entered the world of the Highlanders, formed clans consisting of six people and competed in archaic disciplines such as barrel rolling, axe throwing and caber toss. This gave everyone the opportunity to get to know the people from the three different locations Vienna, Dresden and Salzburg. For me as a newbie this was the perfect start!
Even now, after three months of working at hotelkit, I still sometimes have the impression that I am in a company simulation. Such a young, international and open-minded team is a rare find in the small city of Salzburg. I am only at the beginning of my journey at hotelkit, but due to the open-mindedness as well as the friendly nature of my colleagues, I am looking ahead positively.
Since mid-September, I can pass on my enthusiasm for hotelkit as a Customer Success Manager to our clients during trainings. Presenting innovation to others is simply good fun. And our team is growing and growing. Meanwhile, I could assist new team members in getting to know our tool better. I am always pleased to take on the respectable task of accompanying our newbies on their first workday! Friendly faces are still part of my working day at hotelkit, this has not changed since day one.
Such a young, international and open-minded team is a rare find in the small city of Salzburg.
About the author
Thomas Planitzer
Thomas actually prefers talking to writing, which is why his main task as a Customer Success Manager is presenting the benefits of hotelkit hands on in live trainings.
