We caught up with Eric at PS.Cafe Petit, Tiong Bahru to ask him about life at PS.Cafe and to share with us the wisdom he’s gained over his long career in service.
“The PS. Family is about support, about guidance and growing into the best you can be. ”
To Eric, the guests he’s met and the colleagues he’s worked alongside throughout the 18 years he’s been with PS.Cafe have shaped him into who he is today and taught him skills that he has used in both his professional and personal life.
Originally joining the team as a Service Crew member in the first PS.Cafe at Paragon in 2004 and then being promoted on to managing several other PS.Cafe locations across the island, Eric is now the Team Leader at PS.Cafe Petit, Tiong Bahru.
He shared with us that sustaining such a long career with PS.Cafe has been about passion meeting with pride. He has been free to shape his career and move within the areas of the business where he felt he could thrive the most.
“I am a true people person. I love to find out about people and their stories and build a rapport with them. I have been lucky enough to work in guest facing roles throughout my time with PS.Cafe and this has enabled me to meet and work with people from all walks of life. When they visit the outlet it’s like welcoming them into my home in some ways".
For Eric, having the ability to connect with others and work in an environment where he can let his personality shine has always been important and so has the freedom to carve out his niche within the company.
“I like the sense of ownership I have over my outlet and my freedom to run it my way. I really feel like this is my café, I take pride in adding my own touches to the displays and layout, as well as customising the workflow of my team to ensure everything is running most efficiently.”
When asked what advice he would give someone on how to be successful when working in hospitality, Eric believes that people are what it boils down to.
“I really feel that the heart of working and building a career in hospitality is about providing guests with the best experience we can. Each time I interact with a guest I think to myself, how can I make this person’s day? Maybe it is just by being friendly, maybe it’s by helping to organise a surprise birthday cake during dinner, or maybe even just remembering a regular’s name. It all comes down to these details which can be added up to ensure that this guest leaves with a smile on their face. To me, when I see that it means a job well done.”
His team is something that is also really important to him. After all, without a solid team, the business cannot function.
“My team really is like a little family. I like to make sure they’re OK. We make sure we bond regularly with fun outings and makan sessions as much as possible. I also like to make sure that the everyone feels they are supported and can come to me if they’re having problems, regardless of whether they’re work related or not. This is what makes a family feel close. My staff know I will be there for them, offer support or guidance in their professional lives and in turn I know that they will do the best for me and the company”.
We are proud to say you're a part of the PS. Family Eric and we look forward to many more years together. #PSMeetTheTeam
To learn more about careers at PS.Cafe and the current full and part-time vacancies we have available click here.
