Thursday, May 23, 2013

GRAND BAZAAR, GREENACRE STORAGE KING


My name is Rita Cran; I’m a Sales Consultant at Storage King Greenacre. Something you wouldn't know is that my maiden name is Szekeres. I was born in Hungary but came to Australia as an eight year old child.  My family fled the communist uprising and arrived in the lucky country in 1960 as refugees, brought out on a ship by the Red Cross and the Australian Government.
My tale isn't uncommon in Greenacre – a melting pot of ethnicity, rich in culture, tradition and epic stories of adventure, love and loss in making Australia home.   The suburb is located 17 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD. The facility hides amongst the hustle and bustle of the colourful industrial area and stands as the Grand Bazaar of the storage world. Covering 3,930 square metres with 312 units on offer, Storage King Greenacre captures the exotic local trade and migrant residential sprawl.
Storage spaces are bursting with everything you can imagine, from the holdings of plumbers and electricians, muddled with people’s personal belongings from divorces and office relocations, to the more ornate silk clothing, traditional carpets, and exotic oriental imports. The Greenacre storage facility is the ultimate cultural experience.
As of the 2011 Census, almost half of Greenacre residents were born outside of Australia, with top countries of birth being Lebanon and Vietnam. With this said, three quarters of people speak a language other than English at home. Knowing this and my own story, it helps put things into perspective when serving customers. Not being quick to judge and lending an ear that is kind to accents reveals more than the need for simply storage space. Whilst I hand-pick a cubicle to house and protect my customers goods and guide them through the merchandising display; in exchange they navigate their wallets, pulling out photos of loved ones still parted by seas, often taking me on an imaginary journey as they tell me with pride personal stories and the rich history of their countries. Often, my customers spoil me and tantalise my senses by brining traditional sweets and fresh baked breakfasts, making their stories come to life.
Good customer relationships are not only something that has helped me in my role, but has also made it interesting, enlightening and enjoyable.