Hi Elisa. As Customer Success Manager Payments, tell us a little about a day
in your life at Avinode.

Firstly, I always grab a coffee before doing anything – I love that first cup in the
morning. Then, as my role is to build relationships with our customers, it means
getting the newly activated Paynode members onboarded and comfortable with the
system. For the members that already are active on Paynode, I’m the main point of
contact for any questions or issues they may have.

I may find myself onboarding a new Paynode client, which entails setting them up,
taking them through how the system works and answering their questions. I tend to
make the session conversational; a two-way dialogue rather than me just demoing it.
That way they can understand how Paynode can meet their specific business
needs.

Each day I also work closely with the account managers, and we talk a lot to ensure
we have a proper alignment with our customers.
Then there’s the regular day-to-day support queries that come my way. A user may
be having a payment hiccup or need help with the system. I make sure I’m on top of
those questions straight away.

That speed of response must be very important in your role

Absolutely. It’s vital that when a customer reaches out for support, I respond quickly.
Even if I don’t have an answer right away, they need to feel they’ve been heard. Part
of this is also listening to their feedback on how we can make Paynode and our
service even better. We’ve implemented some of the suggestions from customers
into the product, which is nice.

You have a banking background I believe

That’s right, I spent about 16 years in the banking world. I studied Business
Administration with a Major in Finance at the University of Texas El Paso. I went
there on a tennis scholarship, and it was quite a culture shock to go from Sweden to
living in the US right by the Mexican border, but I loved it.

After graduating I spent one semester as a volunteer assistant coach with the tennis
team, then I went to work at Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor Trainee. From
there I moved to Chicago to work at Merrill Lynch.

And then you moved back to Sweden

Yes, I returned in 2009 to join SEB, one of the largest banks in Sweden. But there
came a time when I wanted to try something new and put my experience to use
elsewhere. When I found Avinode and this role, I knew it would be a perfect fit for
me.

That must have been a big change in culture for you

The culture at Avinode is certainly very different, but for the better.
For a start, it’s easier to make a positive impact in your work. In a smaller group,
your voice gets heard. You can sometimes get lost in a huge corporation, and there
are so many layers of hierarchy.

But here, it’s a flat structure and an open environment where everyone is
encouraged to speak and contribute. You get to know everyone, all the way up to
the CEO, and I like that.

What would you say is the best aspect of your role?

I just really love the interaction with colleagues and customers. The Avinode team is
a fun group to work with and we have great social gatherings.

As for my customers, they’re all over the world. Zoom calls work well but meeting
face-to-face makes a big difference. I’ve been to London and Geneva and met
customers in person and that’s always great. I look forward to doing more of that.

And finally, do you still play tennis?

No, I don’t play anymore. I was getting too frustrated with how I play today
compared with how I played when I was twenty. But I do play paddle tennis with
some colleagues, which is a lot of fun. And then there’s a lot of basketball these
days instead, supporting my two daughters and my husband who coaches.

I do, however, work out every morning before I start my workday. That’s my morning
routine, the gym, then coffee. Then I’m ready to go.