Tommy Trudeau interned with BraunAbility and gained skills in accessible vehicle sales and Salesforce technology.
Why did you choose this internship?
There are a multitude of reasons why I chose an internship at BraunAbility. The first being that my goal was to be able to get into sales and have a job where I am able to interact with people daily. I also grew up learning about the accessible vehicle industry because it is an industry my dad has been in for a long time. I love the idea of doing a job that can impact the lives of so many individuals in a positive way. This internship felt like the perfect fit for me because of these unique characteristics.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
Although my internship was considered a sales position, I did a lot of different work throughout my time. One of my major focuses Involved working within Microsoft Excel to get contact information updated for customers. Another big focus of mine was working within Salesforce and our company database in order to get information up to date. In fact, one of my most significant contributions is that I was able to implement successful changes to our database to enhance the experience on our end. Our employees now feel comfortable using Salesforce and our customer portal because of the changes I was able to implement. I was also able to help train our employees in order to make the transition easier. In addition to these responsibilities, I also made calls to customers all over the country to form new connections and further relationships for our company.
There were numerous obstacles that I faced during my internship, which was to be expected. One of the most frustrating things I had to deal with was when I was being asked to achieve a certain goal, but not being given the necessary means to get there. This was frustrating because I knew exactly how I wanted to solve a problem, but our current systems in place would not allow for me to make the necessary changes. I brought my ideas and concerns forward to the people above me, and they are now working to implement the changes I suggested! This experience taught me that I should not be afraid to suggest a new way of doing something, and to continue pushing for an idea that you believe in.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
This internship truly laid the groundwork for the next few years of my life. As a result of my success during this internship, BraunAbility extended my internship three months and offered me a full-time position as their West Coast Sales Representative once the internship ends. This also resulted in a job offer from another company within our industry that was impressed by what I have been able to accomplish. During this experience, I was able to gain valuable work experience in addition to setting up the beginning of my professional career.