“As most of the young people who dreamed of a work in one of the best companies in Macedonia, I also wished for such a chance. One call from the HR department in Pivara Skopje stopped my search for a job and suddenly my life got a completely new course “- says Olivera Danevska Mitanoski, Customer care manager. Her story in Pivara Skopje started 14 years ago. She started working in the Call Center, but she continuously studied and acquired new skills over the years and today she is managing a team that understands and satisfies the needs of the customers. From the experience so far, she learned that good organization, timely planning and dedication are the key tools for successfully completed work. She is happy to be part of a company that considers its employees as key to it success. The smile of her son, the support of her husband and the time spent with them is what helps her to balance the hard-working day, but also the time for herself, few hours for physical activities and fitness. Her motto is – “Be happy with what you have, while fighting for what you want.”

1. Tell us something about your career… Where did you start your career and how you get employed in Pivara Skopje?

 Everything started in the distant 2004. As a graduate student, I was a part of a youth organization that collaborated with companies that needed young and promising staff. One call from the HR department of Pivara Skopje stopped my job search and suddenly my life got a completely new course. As most of the young people who dreamed of a work in one of the best companies in Macedonia, I also wished for such a chance. After several tests and interviews, I was employed as an Agent at the Call Center, which was then formed in Pivara Skopje. It was my first employment, “first love”, which lasts even today. Communicating with customers and understanding their needs, as well as selling products of Pivara Skopje, were part of my everyday life. For getting fit into the new work easily and get acquainted with the processes of the company, I have constantly attended trainings something that is happening today as well because learning in Pivara Skopje is a never-ending process.

2. How much Pivara Skopje has helped you to progress and achieve your professional goals?

Pivara Skopje is a company that offers enormous opportunities. Anyone who is devoted and responsibly performs his tasks, has open doors to grow, learn and progress in his career. I’m lucky to be part of a company that considers its employees as key to it success. As proof to this are the constant investment in the employees through various types of trainings, project work, mentoring by managers, sharing experiences with colleagues from Coca-Cola HBC and HEINEKEN Group and the unconditional support from the colleagues and all sectors in the company.

3. What does your job position include?

As a Customer Care Manager, I am responsible for three departments, such as Call Center, Back Office and Data Exchange with Distribution Centers, or indirect sales. We are a part of a large chain, from creating orders, up to their delivery to the final customers. This involves managing and controlling all the processes and activities in the three departments, building a good team in which all members are mutually respected and supported and team that understands the needs of customers. Our team constantly communicates with the other sectors in Pivara Skopje. This ensures continuous flow of processes in the company and offers good customer service and increase of their satisfaction. Part of my work is preparation of weekly and monthly reports on completed activities, as well as customer satisfaction analysis. Among other things, as a key user of the SAP system I am responsible for testing all new functionalities in the system and preparing training for the end-users before they are active in the system, improving the system through new proposals and resolving the current system obstacles if they happen over the work.

4.What are the key values ​​and skills that you use daily for being successful in your work?

Good organization, timely planning and commitment are key tools for successful completion of work. A leader cannot be successful without his team. Team commitment and work, support and healthy relationships between the team members are the basis of the success. Part of the path to the success is to constantly evaluate the work of the team members and to reward them, respect of the colleagues and their time, open communication and building good relations with all sectors and leadership levels in the company.

5. What are your greatest achievements in a career, something that makes you especially proud?

Over the years, from my recruitment until today, my career was moving up, step by step. From this perspective, that path is best for success in what you do and building yourself in a professional that everyone of us is expected to be. I started as a Call Agent, later being promoted to the position of Call Center supervisor, which has undergone through many structural changes over the years. In 2014, I joined the SAP System Implementation Team as a main user, a year that was full of big challenges and many work activities. The last in the sequence is the Customer Care Manager position, on which I currently work on. In all these years, a lot of effort, energy and dedication have been invested in all the areas I have worked in. But if I must separate something, I am particularly proud of the implementation of the SAP system and all the changes that have taken place with its introduction.

6. Your opinion, what is the role of the women in improving gender equality in the business environment?

Women can improve gender equality in the business world with their work as successful professionals in what they do, not through declarative efforts. By successfully performing the given tasks, overcoming the obstacles and challenges, achieving the goals set, women show that they are equal in the professions they share with their colleagues from the “stronger” gender. The time of stereotypes and separations of male and female professions slowly but surely goes away. Many successful women clearly and unequivocally showed it and proved it. It depends to us, the women, how much we are willing to accept and overcome the challenges. For our happiness, Pivara Skopje is a company that has open opportunities for all employees, whether they are men or women, but it depends on each employee whether and how will use its chance. As a proof to this are the successful women on management positions in various sectors of the company.
7. What is your greatest support in life?

Being a good wife, mother and worker at work requires a lot of love, energy, dedication, but also many sacrifices. It is simply impossible to achieve everything without having the understanding and the support of the family. My husband is always beside me to support me and share happiest moments on all my successes with me, but also to comfort me when I have failures. He’s my crying shoulder, my best friend. Today I would not be the one I am both privately and professionally without his unreserved support and understanding, as well as the great love and dedication of my whole family.
8. As a woman with a professional career, how do you manage to balance work and family?

Making a balance between family and work in this dynamic time in which we live is not easy. There is no formula that will help us make that balance. If it exists, it would be one of the most frequently used. It is very important for every woman to know her priorities and to aim for them with great dedication and to fully succeed in this, support from the loved ones is mostly needed. My weekends are always reserved for the family and my friend. The fact is that, the less free time we have, the more we appreciate it and we find ways to use it better and to dedicate it to the loved ones.
9. Do you have a hobby, something that makes you relax after a working day?

After a hardworking day, the smile from the son, the support from my husband and the time spent with them is what makes me relax. Although due to my work responsibilities I have a very little time to devote to myself, I try to spend several hours on physical activities and fitness during the week. I move my body after many hours spent in front of a computer, which helps me get rid of the stress and turns the negative energy into a positive one. Additionally, I relax in nature and meetings and talks with my friends. Visiting new countries and cultures is something that makes me happy and I traveled whenever I have an opportunity for it.

10. What is your life motto?

Always work consistently, be open to learning and new challenges, because the time is running fast and the things are changing even faster. Most important of all, be a human wherever you are, whatever you do and no matter on which position you are. Be happy with what you have while fighting for what you want.