Growth & Development Stories: Meet Sofia Iosifidou, Director, PMO, Processes, Claims & Payouts.

Today we are featuring our very own Sofia, located in our Athens office and responsible for Project Management, Processes, Claims & Payouts within the sphere of the Customer Services department of Etraveli Group. Recently she took over her new extended role and looking back she shares great insights with all of us, regarding her journey to today.

Hi Sofia and congratulations on your extended role! First of all, could you give us a small overview regarding your journey to Director, PMO, Processes, Claims & Payouts?

Thank you! My very exciting journey in the company started 10 years ago, April 2014 as a trainee in the Marketing department. Since then, I transitioned through different roles within B2B Sales while in 2020 I was offered the opportunity to direct the newly established Process Team within Customer Services organization. Today, my role is divided in two parts as I hold two operational areas connected to customer refund inquiry fulfillment (Claims & Payouts), and two teams that work across all Customer Services organization as supportive functions (Process and Project Management).?

Can you tell us how this new role liaises with Etraveli Group’s mission and core competencies? What exactly is your area of responsibility now?

Etraveli Group is to become the best AND the biggest in our field through solving the complexity by connecting millions of flights and travelers across the globe. My area ensures that as we grow we have the necessary processes and projects in place to support the rapid growth and at the same time offer a smooth post-booking support experience with the least amount of complexity possible both for the customer and our support agents. After all, as a team, we are always aiming for the highest customer satisfaction. On the side of my operational duties, I have the chance to set along with the team the strategy that Claims and Payouts follow to ensure their contribution to the company's goals by driving automation and agent performance-related initiatives.

The way we all put our brains in to deliver on our mission is astonishing.?

During your tenure here, which challenges have you come across? How does this "complexity" you are referring to influence your ways of working and objectives in the area you operate??

In Etraveli Group you never get bored. There are always challenges coming either from external factors or even internal decisions. This is what has taught us to stay on our toes and be ready to adapt fast by changing the course of action, act on the challenges and overall learn to embrace change. Of course, change is not always easy but in our highly dynamic industry, we all understand that what works today might not work anymore tomorrow hence the imperative need for constant change. Understanding that no process can ever be perfect (there is always room for improvement) we always try to have the best balance between urgency and excellence in order to deliver on our objectives and not create roadblocks towards success.

After so many years in the company, what do you think is today the most exciting thing about being part of the Etraveli Group’s successful team?

The most exciting thing for me is to be a contributing part to the success story of the world-leading flight tech platform and to get the chance to collaborate with people from all over the world coming from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. The way we all put our brains in to deliver on our mission is astonishing.?

What has helped me personally is building a strong professional team that I can rely on. When we set our objectives all together I know that I do not have to micromanage and be everywhere at the same time.

You are also a mother of two young children and this I am sure takes a lot of your energy during the day. What strategies or habits have helped you in managing your professional and personal life effectively?

Being a parent sometimes feels on its own a full-time "job" and there are definitely days where one would hope to have some kind of superpower to get things right. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, haha! What has helped me personally is building a strong professional team that I can rely on. When we set our objectives all together I know that I do not have to micromanage and be everywhere at the same time. We communicate transparently, set our plan together and then my team is accountable to execute while I get the chance to dedicate time to organize myself effectively and focus on what matters most at the time. Outside of working hours, my strategy is to create as much quality time with my kids as possible, ensure we are having fun together and create memories. Their smiles make my batteries recharge and contribute to a healthy work-life balance.?

What advice would you give to other aspiring leaders who are looking to break through barriers and succeed in their careers?

Don't be afraid to be yourself, communicate openly, ask questions to find answers, challenge things, put your ego aside, do not settle for mediocrity, do not take anything for granted and do a lot of self-assessment.?

Is there any special learning or resource that helped you throughout your career that you would like to recommend??

My learning is that it's ok not to do everything by yourself. Being a leader means you have to identify people's strengths and utilize them in the best possible way to achieve the common goal. This helps you and the team evolve and grow professionally.?