Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Shamik Patel
Shamik Patel
Role: Branch Manager
The main reason why I joined Enterprise Rent-A-Car was because I wanted to embark on a genuine career, and not just take up a job. I quickly realised that Enterprise could offer me a fast and carefully structured management training programme where I would gain promotions based on performance rather than tenure in the company. In short, I didn’t want to have to wait 10 years or more to get promoted, and wanted to be sure I was in full control of my career path.
During my time here, I’ve been lucky enough to work at four different Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches. I started at our Park Royal office and then moved across to our Palmers Green location. Due to a promotion to Assistant Manager, I got a chance to go to Walthamstow – still during my first year with the company. Eight months later, I was promoted to Branch Manager at Walthamstow. Currently, I’m Branch Manager at our Enfield location, managing a team of seven people and getting the best out of them.
The training and development I’ve received has given me a lot of tools to help with this. It’s taught me everything from different coaching styles and motivational techniques to delegation and time management. It’s also helped me to improve my customer service and sales skills – both of which I rely on every day.
In terms of a typical day; there isn’t one. Each day is different from the last, and the variety that brings helps me stay really motivated. Due to the line of business we’re in, the constant customer interaction and the different accounts I get to work on, virtually anything can happen during the course of an average day.
To sum things up, I’d say that Enterprise offers an opportunity quite unlike any other. You’ll be thrown straight in at the deep end in terms of business management, in a fast paced environment where the ability to think quickly on your feet is essential. Yes, the learning curve is steep and you’ll be expected to work hard – but the scope for rapid career progression is virtually unrivalled.
