22 November 2023
Meet our award-winning team
As part of the Emeria UK group, FirstPort colleagues were recognised in the very first Emeria UK Awards, which took place in October 2023. In this series of blogs, we’re chatting to the FirstPort winners about their career highlights and how they’ve made their mark in the world of property management.
Aaron, Property Manager, Property Services – Winner of: Best Service Provider
Tell us a little bit about your role at FirstPort and your FirstPort career?
I began working at FirstPort in 2019 where I started as a customer service advisor and then progressed into a senior customer service role. In December 2021, I was ready for a new challenge, and I started working as a Property Manager. It’s coming up to two years now and even though the role itself can be challenging and we have our hurdles every single day, overcoming those challenges and finding solutions is definitely the best part about it.
What do you think you’ve done to make such a mark?
To be completely honest, I think what made that mark was communication and transparency. One thing about me as a Property Manager, my phone is always on. If you ring my phone, you’ll get an answer. If you email me, you’ll get answer. That’s both for our customers and our contractors. I know how important communication is in a role like this and I think that plays a big part in providing a service. It also works in everyone’s favour – I am able to get to the bottom of everything before they become big issues, and it means I’m regularly up to date with everything going on across the developments in my portfolio.
How does it feel to be recognised by your peers?
It’s amazing, honestly. It’s a bit of a pick-me-up and a bit of motivation to know my hard work does pay off and it is recognised. It’s not always a 9-5 job and the extra hours and the extra effort we put in is not always easy and it’s nice to be recognised for that.
What’s the most enjoyable thing about your role/working for FirstPort?
I’d say not every day is the same, there is always a challenge, and every day is a learning day in this job, which I enjoy because it broadens my knowledge, which in turn will make me better at my role. Overall, I think having the responsibility – because at the end of the day we are looking after people’s homes – is really rewarding. And, obviously, when we get positive feedback and we have happy customers, that is really satisfying.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a career in property management?
I would tell them to take the first step by looking into the sector. Of course, you should always walk before you can run. For example, I started in customer services and was able to learn about a broad range of issues across the property management sector. Get up to date and understand the latest health and safety and fire safety legislation because that is a big thing in our roles and it’s our responsibility to make sure that these buildings are compliant. And it’s also worth getting up to date on the latest news around leasehold and property management because that will be helpful in learning more about the industry.
Ready to join FirstPort?
To search our latest jobs in your location and across the UK, click here to search jobs.
