Talent

Family Meal: Employee Spotlight with Amy Zhang

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Justin Stevens

6 min read

Mar 26, 2024

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Welcome to Family Meal, our blog series where we shine a spotlight on one of our amazing Roomies. This month, we sat down with Amy Zhang, an Implementation Manager based in Australia.

Tell us a little about yourself and your role

Amy: Hi, my name is Amy and I’m an implementation manager here at SevenRooms. I’ve started working here in October 2022. As an Implementation Manager, I am responsible for getting clients set up during the first stage of their SevenRooms journey. We are usually one of the first faces they see once they have signed on with us, so our team guides them through everything they need to know to get started. This could include anything related to training, integrations, data, marketing, or change management.

What do you love most about working at SevenRooms?

Amy: I love being able to work with hospitality industry leaders across all of APAC. There is something very special about that moment. You see a sparkle in a client’s eyes after you’ve shown them a feature that they’ve been looking for for years, and it is a truly rewarding experience to help them work through how to launch SevenRooms, how to implement structures, and how to utilize different features of the platform.

I also have to mention the team I work with. I know that it sounds strange coming from someone who spends 99% of their working hours alone in their bedroom, but there is something special about the people at SevenRooms. The way we all communicate still gives a strong sense of camaraderie, even though we only see everyone once or twice a year.

It’s not every day that you come across a team where you can ask a question and get 5-6 offers to help within minutes. It’s also not every day that you come across people who make you stop and think, “Wow, you really are an awesome person,” and that is what my team is like at SevenRooms.

Can you share a story of when you put one (or more) of our Core Values into action within your role?

Amy: In client-facing roles, I feel like we get thrown into a lot of weird and wacky situations, and sometimes we just need to tackle it as it comes and Own The Experience.

One time when I onboarded a client in Hong Kong, we ran into a few hiccups with email delivery to guests. To ensure that the client was not left in the dark, I had to act fast and make sure that I was communicating all the necessary information to our team by providing the relevant context, sending thorough examples, and running tests.

The most important part was making sure we updated the client and reassured them that we were actively working on the email delivery. I was their point of contact and wanted nothing more than to help them. We quickly reached a resolution and everyone was happy!

What three career lessons have you learned thus far?

Amy:

Be professional, but also be yourself – We are here to work together and get a job done, but there is no harm in making friends and enjoying the journey with those around you.
Learn from everyone – There is so much to be learned by just observing others do their job.
Pause and listen – It’s surprising how much you hear.

Outside of work, do you have any side hustles that you’re passionate about?

Amy: I run 4 hospitality venues of my own! When my family moved to Australia in the early 90s, my parents had very little and worked several odd jobs before finally starting their own fish & chips takeaway shop in a food court. That food court was where I grew up, and I still remember sitting on a box of Coke cans in the corner of the shop helping fold napkins. I later discovered that this was just busy work to get me out of their hair, I was so betrayed!

Hospitality is in my blood and I have always wanted to create something that was mine. I came across an opportunity while pursuing my undergraduate degree, and I decided to start a cafe with some of my friends. From there, we expanded and now have three cafes and one restaurant. And yes, we are using SevenRooms!

What is one exciting project or initiative that you’re working on right now?

Amy: This has to be the onboarding of Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH Group).

We recently completed one of the biggest rollouts in SevenRooms history with ALH Group, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. We ended up with a total of 317 venues onboarded within just 6 weeks. This project was an all-hands-on-deck rollout, and we had so many incredible people from APAC and NAM pitch in to get this over the line.

ALH Group specializes in iconic hotels and neighborhood pubs and most Aussies probably have one around the corner. So, it was a very exciting moment when I saw my good old local Doncaster Hotel start using SevenRooms!

Describe for us your favorite dining experience.

Amy: So my favorite dining experience would have to be Melba, which is the part of Langham Melbourne. We just finished onboarding the restaurant and I took my mum there to celebrate her birthday. The venue manager really looked after us. He gave us one of the best seats in the house, which was overlooking the Yarra. He sent over a birthday cake and drinks and I could tell that my mum was really enjoying herself that night. It was a memory we shared and it is a memory that we will remember.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Interested in working with Amy and our other Roomies? Check out our open roles here.

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