Meet Shanti: our loyal Intervest colleague for 15 years!

31-07-2019
Nice to know
Greenhouse receptie hospitality assistent

Meet Shanti: our loyal Intervest colleague for 15 years!

You simply cannot visit Intervest without meeting Shanti first! This cheerful, always friendly Hospitality Assistant bids you a warm welcome, as if she were the real-life Queen of the Office. She is always delighted to guide you through the corridors of the greenest building in Berchem. You can certainly call Shanti the face of Intervest. We were curious to find out more about her.

Hey, Shanti! How long have you been working for Intervest?

This coming August will mark 15 years since I started working for Intervest. Yes, I’ve been here for a long time and I don’t have any plans of leaving soon. As soon as Intervest established the Greenhouse hubs, I started working for both Greenhouse and Intervest, which are both located in Berchem. Thus, a great location in addition to a varied job which gives me a great deal of pleasure.

Talk about a loyal employee!
Have there been many changes in all those years?

Yes, there certainly have. At the very beginning, Intervest was located a bit further down the street, in a different building. At that time, you still had Intervest Offices and Intervest Retail, two separate companies that shared the same management. Intervest Retail invested in retail properties. We were just a small team then, and treated one another like family. In 2016, Intervest Offices & Warehouses and Intervest Retail - now Vastned Retail - separated. As Intervest Offices & Warehouses grew, we started to require more space to give us even more possibilities and opportunities for further growth. This is why we moved to our own building on the same street. We completely renovated this building with the help of our turnkey project team.

In the beginning, my colleagues and I worked on the fifth floor. At that time, I was already making sure that our visitors, employees and customers were given the best reception and service possible. When Greenhouse was added four years ago (the co-working space, serviced offices, meeting room, boardroom and restaurant), it was no longer practical for me to be situated so high in the building. Having to walk up and down the stairs all day long may be good exercise, but is not very efficient (she says with a smile). That is why I moved downstairs and have been working at the beautiful reception desk ever since.

And you do this fantastically!

That’s so sweet of you, thank you! Yes, I truly enjoy my job. This is an absolute must in a job like mine where person-to-person contact is so important. You have to be sufficiently empathic, understanding and be able to listen well. Some people like to tell me all about themselves, others need assistance. It is important to take out enough time to give them what they need.

So, you have found out what makes you tick?

I sure have! What’s wonderful is that this is confirmed by my co-workers. The best compliment I ever received was from our company lawyer. He is the most discerning man I know and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He once told me that I was the best Hospitality Assistant he has ever known. This meant so much to me! It still makes me feel good to think about it (Shanti smiles happily). And that’s what gives me satisfaction: the wonderful response I get. They appreciate what I do, even if this is completely normal to me. A friendly reception: apparently, it is not as matter-of-course as I thought.

It certainly isn’t. What do you expect the future has in store for you?

I hope to be able to continue working here for another 15 years. That would make me one of the happiest employees in the world.

Thanks, Shanti!

Are you interested in learning more about Intervest’s warehouses and offices? Please take the time to review our offer on our website or contact us. We will be happy to help you!