Lowveld - Aug 2020

WOMEN IN POWER BUCO Nelspruit is a bastion in the <strong>Lowveld</strong>, and there are few people who haven’t wandered the aisles looking for a specific product, and come across their friendly and helpful staff members. In honour of Women’s Day, we catch up with a few of these intrepid individuals, and find out just what goes on behind the scenes in this well-known hardware store, that was once thought of as “a man’s world”. Mariet Erasmus Mariet might be of slight build, but looks can be very deceiving. There is simply no challenge that she will shy from. She is the person who must make sure that the pay-point side of the company runs like clockwork, every task is always done with her own personal touch. “I cash up with the cashiers, ensuring everything balances, reporting to the bookkeeper and financial manager.” She is also the person who ensures that the floats are packed correctly and that there is always enough change for the cashiers. “It keeps me busy, and I love being busy. ” She started at BUCO approximately two and a half years ago, and has gone from strength to strength since, making herself valuable not only to the company, but to her beloved customers. Her energy is palpable, and it is easy to believe Mariet when she says she loves the challenge of her job. “I love to solve problems and will not give up until there is a solution. For example, one of our biggest headaches can be when the cash up does not balance, I will sit there until I can honestly tell myself that I have exhausted all possible avenues regarding where a mistake could have slipped in.” Mariet believes that at BUCO there is a great sense of belonging. All of her co-workers agree that her sentiments could be directed right back at her. She is always friendly and one of the first to arrive and last to leave in the afternoon. It is a passion for Mariet that as a BUCO family member, she enjoys giving back to the <strong>Lowveld</strong> community and would love to be even more involved with the various community projects that the company supports, especially those focusing on the younger generation. Khanyisile Mkhabela At first glance the glamorous Khanyisile reminds you of a beauty queen. For her, it is all about interacting with customers and knowing they go home with big smiles and with the correct product to suit their individual needs. “It is very important to me that our customers leave here happy with an understanding of what they have bought.” One of her favourite memories at BUCO is when a customer overpaid his invoice, and she immediately gave back the excess money. “He was very surprised and could not stop smiling, and it is incidents like that which make it worthwhile, knowing because of how he was treated here at BUCO, that he will return.” Just like the rest of the team, Khanyisile is very driven. “I started as a student and soon after got promoted to a cashier.” She was recently advanced to a supervision and administrative position on a part-time basis. “I would love to be promoted to the debtors’ department, and am working hard to achieve that.” When asked if she would ever change jobs with someone else at BUCO, she laughs and without hesitation says she would love to exchange jobs with someone in finances. It is obvious that Khanyisile enjoys interacting not only with customers, but also with her coworkers. “For me BUCO is simply the best, amazing. It is such a professional company and I cannot wait for what my future holds.” 14 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> <strong>Aug</strong>ust 20

Hanka Beukes The moment you meet Hanka you are overwhelmed by her bubbly and outgoing personality. With an infectious laugh the first thing she tells you is that she simply loves her job at BUCO Nelspruit. “How can I not? It is everything in one; personal interaction with both customers and my co-workers, the thrill of sales, and also the telephonic aspect of it. It is a different environment every day, and I love our loyal customers who keep coming back. We all know each other by name here.” Hanka’s day kicks off early by turning on the switchboard, and from the moment it is on, the phone does not stop ringing. While this might have irritated any other sane person, this simply puts her in that great mood for the rest of the day. She is a people-pleaser and everyone usually turns to her to calm down the odd irate customer who occasionally pops up. “I try to handle each situation individually and my first aim is to calm everyone down. Coffee and a friendly smile get you much further than antagonising someone.” To Hanka it is the appreciation that everyone at BUCO Nelspruit receives from the branch manager, Pottie Potgieter, who really makes them such a close-knit family. “I remember the one day he called me into his office simply to thank me for everything I do for the company, and that really made me feel very appreciated and proved to be an inspiration to give even more to BUCO.” She loves the family vibe at her workplace and the caring nature of her colleagues. “I would never (in capital letters) switch my job.” Besides her real job, Hanka is also the unofficial caterer at the company and has a reputation of not only being a great cook, but also being an ace at organising events and making things look pretty. Antoinette McDonald Antoinette grew up in the BUCO culture. When asked to explain what that culture means, she answers without hesitation: “family, loyalty and professionalism”. She elaborates and explains that even though BUCO Nelspruit is a business, it focuses on the family culture and that they aim to make all new customers part of that close-knit family. First-hand understanding of this motto is what makes Antoinette excel at her job in customer services and working with the internal sales representatives. The challenge of keeping customers happy by providing quality products is what really excites her. “I honestly love keeping customer projects going, and really aim to help even more to improve our customer service.” It is obvious that she lives for her job, and laughs that she often knows more about her customers than she does about her friends. “Our customers are more than just business to me, and I take pride in the fact that I give my all to make them happy.” Antoinette’s job description might not officially state enthusiasm and energy, but that is what she brings to the table. She simply jumps in and does something herself; from fielding endless phone calls to running around BUCO with a trolley and handpicking products to please customers, to sourcing materials that an individual customer might need. She has many long-term goals for herself, one of the biggest being to get the stock sorted in such a way that she immediately knows where what is kept. When asked if she would like to switch jobs for one day with someone else at the company, she vehemently shakes her head and firmly says no. “I love my job and I know and understand my own challenges.” Antoinette’s charm and passion obviously rub off on her performance and one of her favourite memories at BUCO Nelspruit is the day she made her first two million sales for one month. <strong>Aug</strong>ust 20 Get It <strong>Lowveld</strong> 15