Abstract:
This past semester I was fortunate enough to intern with Orchidea Preziosi, an Italian gold manufacturing company just on the outskirts of Arezzo. My goals for this internship were to learn about the business culture in Italy, what it takes to run a jewelry company, and assist in marketing for Orchidea Preziosi through social media. I achieved some of these goals and found that I had to alter my expectations once I started getting familiar with the company. One of the main tasks I was responsible for was calling American jewelry companies and promoting Orchidea’s e-commerce: Precious Component. This task proved to be a little challenging due to several reasons. Throughout my internship I not only came up with several suggestions on how to better promote Precious Component but helped achieve my bosses’ goals and tasks. Situation: A typical day at my internship consisted of logging into Skype and calling American companies off an Excel list made by my two bosses. I did this task the majority of the time. The main problem I found with my internship was not with any task but finding more ways to help out around the office. Since I was the primary connection to American companies, I led the initial contact with companies through Skype calls. I was grateful to do it and assist their marketing department. In order to call American companies I arrived in the afternoons, when I was not in class or traveling, and stayed later in order to reach the west coast. It took some time to get used to; I had never been a telemarketer before and needed to contact as many companies as possible. At first, I got discouraged and frustrated since many American companies would either hang up on me or state they were not interested. After a while, this task got very monotonous and I continually asked for other tasks, even suggested reaching out to companies in the United Kingdom. After calling companies and receiving both positive and negative feedback, I would then list the responses and emails, if I obtained them. Most feedback was negative, and I would not receive emails. This did not seem very efficient to me, so I asked if they planned to expand their vision and promote to the United Kingdom. Many American companies I marketed to were either too small for international business or not interested in expanding. It also was due to the size of Orchidea. A few weeks into my internship, I was given a new Excel sheet with companies from the United Kingdom to call, which let me arrive at my internship in the mornings, also giving me more hours. Since I enjoy various tasks and communicating with coworkers I wanted to help out as best as I could. I always asked my bosses to give me other tasks, like sorting charms or locks. My boss thought it was so funny that I showed interest in what he called “practical” things. About a week later, my boss let me sort and help package different pieces of jewelry components, getting them ready for shipment. I did this a few times throughout my internship. About a month ago, after my boss and coworker went to Istanbul, I was able to assist in typing out the names and emails of companies based in Istanbul. Orchidea Preziosi’s e-commerce, Precious Component, has a fantastic website. Since I know what they produce, locks, clasps and chains, there is not a huge need an Instagram; all their products remain the same. They had wonderful brochures, they hand out at fairs, listing the best sellers and including the prices. Background: Orchidea Preziosi is a specialized Italian gold and jewelry manufacturing company. What started with an idea from my employer's father, Fabio, turned into Orchidea. In English, Orchidea means gold, locks, and idea. The first day, Fabio showed me what all they make, and to best explain it I think of it as the more "practical" jewelry items. Orchidea Preziosi produces locks, magnetic clasps, tennis bracelets and earrings, as well as ring holders. The company is roughly a forty-person company. The downstairs portion is a large factory filled with intricate machines while the upstairs consists of a few offices. The room I worked in was the biggest room where my two bosses, both named Fabio, Fabio’s wife, and my coworker Francesco worked. Since I had no prior knowledge to working in a factory, there was not a whole lot to do downstairs. I asked if Orchidea Preziosi was looking to expand their company and learned that the physical building was undergoing some construction. However, Orchidea is not looking to expand its employees. Orchidea Preziosi has northern counterparts that assist in manufacturing and deliveries. As far as regional expansion, Orchidea is covered, since their clients speak Italian, there is no reason for them to use their e-commerce, Precious Component. The company is very tight knit and still family run. Many of their business comes from surrounding towns but reaches as far north as Milan. From my experiences, Orchidea Preziosi is doing very well throughout Italy. As an intern, I noticed that Italians take very long breaks throughout the day. I now understand why because at Orchidea Preziosi they often stay late in the night preparing for shipments the next morning. I also noticed that, although they take more breaks than in America, there is not much time wasted. Everyone is super friendly but there was not much small talk that went on unless I initiated it. In my very first internship class, we discussed the importance of assertiveness. I remember being hesitant at first to ask for simple things like the wifi password or where the bathroom was. On a more serious note, it took some time to figure out what my bosses were looking for. I would suggest things I could help out with and I do not think they understood what I was trying to communicate. Google translate was my best friend, as well as using hands to depict things. Eventually I got my point across that I was there to help out with whatever task they needed. In another one of my internship classes, we discussed the brain drain and work culture in both America and Italy. I learned about the lack of jobs available in Italy for young people. I found it surprising how many of the employees at Orchidea Preziosi had been with the company. Many have worked at Orchidea for over six years or so, indicating that Orchidea Preziosi maintains strong relationships with its employees. There is also no desire for the employees to leave and find new jobs, contrary to work life in America. My coworker Francesco has been with Orchidea for a while; it is all he has known, and he is in his thirties. Some coworkers have traveled throughout Italy, however traveling within Europe does not seem as common. Conclusion: While interning with Orchidea Preziosi, I came across a couple minor challenges. The most notable was the difficulty I initially had in finding things to help out with. My bosses had specific visions what they needed me for and I definitely achieved them. However, I wanted to do more and found that things I would suggest required a knowledge of working down in the factory. I found that it was hard for them to accept ideas and give me tasks, although I made it known that I wanted to help. It is not that they did not want my help, they just wanted to do majority of the work, at first. Once I had built a good relationship with my boss, I was able to figure out what he needed, and how I could achieve the needs for the company. I have acquired a few skills that I know will benefit me in other jobs and back home. I now know how to telemarket efficiently; I also know how to deal with rude people. Most importantly, I know how to be flexible and remain positive when things do not always go as planned. The best part about interning at Orchidea Preziosi was interacting with my fellow employees and bosses. In the beginning we did not do that much talking, we were all on the phone marketing to other companies. However, I found that when I made the first move, they were all so friendly. It seemed like they liked their jobs and knew that even when business got busy, it was still a job. They were some of the most genuine people, I remember my bosses’ wife helped me with one of my flights and I did not even ask her for help. The observations I acquired will benefit me in dealing with people over the phone or in person. I have really come to appreciate the value of timeliness and hard work. It also is really important to treat people with kindness and keep an open mind for everything; you never know when you will make a business deal work. The most valuable thing I learned in this internship is that you get what you put into things. At the start of my internship I really had no specific expectations of my job. I was really nervous if I would be able to not only understand what my bosses wanted but help out. Reflecting on this internship, I believe I have really helped out Orchidea Preziosi, even if some of my work was considered "small". Working in Italy has shown me the importance of transferable skills, like communication, cultural sensitivity and patience.
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Kristin GilesMy thoughts and experiences while interning in Arezzo, Italy Archives
April 2018
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