I joined Whitbread four years ago as a Reservations Agent. Before that, I was a chef – self-taught, working long hours in a pub kitchen, with very little work/life balance. COVID forced a reset in me. I knew I wanted something different, but I also knew my CV might not look great to every employer out there.
I didn’t come in with a polished background or a clear career plan. I came in ready to work and learn.
Within six months, I was named Agent of the Year. Within ten months, I was promoted to Senior Advisor. That didn’t come from talking about potential – it came from doing the job well, consistently, and being trusted with more responsibility.
As a Senior Advisor, I sat between agents and managers, supporting the floor, handling escalations and helping keep things running in real time. Over time, that trust turned into opportunity.
During my time in Reservations, I was involved in major projects that went well beyond my core role. I supported system rollouts, helped test and implement Amazon Connect, and worked closely with third-party partners.
I also had the chance to travel – first to Manila to help stand up a new reservations team, and later to Cairo to support training and setup there. Those opportunities weren’t automatic. You apply, you interview, and you’re chosen because people believe you can deliver.
That pattern – learning by doing and improving each time – became a constant.
Change is part of any big organisation, that never changes! I guess, like many people, I found myself navigating a period of uncertainty as the business evolved.
Rather than standing still, I looked for where I could add the most value next. That led me to apply for a newly created role: Knowledge & Virtual Assistant Development Executive.
It was a role shaped around emerging needs rather than a fixed job description. We weren’t stepping into something established – we were helping define it.
“I started from the bottom. I didn’t really have anything on my CV that said ‘Office role’ – but I knew that’s what I wanted to go into and Whitbread gave me that chance.”
Today, my work focuses on two areas: creating and maintaining the knowledge base used by agents across Guest Support and developing and training AI virtual assistants across phone and digital channels.
I hadn’t built a knowledge base before. I hadn’t worked with AI before. So I learned – using the tools available, attending events, working with partners, and figuring things out as we went. The role is constantly evolving, and that’s what keeps it interesting.
If there’s one thing I’d say to anyone considering a role here, it’s this: let your work do the talking. If you put the effort in, your work will be seen, recognised and rewarded.
Whitbread promotes from within, encourages sideways moves and gives you the chance to keep improving. That’s been my experience, anyway. From day one, I was welcomed, supported and encouraged to get stuck in, even when I didn’t have all the answers. There’s a strong sense of trust, but also approachability – my managers made time for me, our team looked out for each other and I was never made to feel I was on my own when learning something new.
I’d say that’s why I’m still here, still learning and still looking forward.