Intern Update: Madeline Steinlage

Madeline Steinlage

Marketing - College of Business, Influence, and Information Analysis

Enterprise Fleet Management - National Service Department Business Intern

My internship has taught me excellent customer service skills; I've learned that if I put our customers first and the profits will follow and how to work hard and build a team. 

Upon my first day as an intern, I sat at an orientation with thirty other students, some in my department, most in other departments. We were handed a folder that had instructions on dress, etiquette, payroll, and facts about Enterprise. At the back of the folder is a paper that had dates of training sessions, service sites to visit, and a day to visit our corporate headquarters and get professional headshots taken. My day to day activates include approving and disapproving oil changes, tire rotations, air filter, and cabin filters on cars. At first, I thought this would be a simple task, but each day brings something new. Not only do I have to know the works of a car, when it needs work done, what oil it takes, but I need to understand excellent customer service when calling these shops. Enterprise has a core value of putting the customer first and then the profits will follow. I learned this through orientation and the first couple weeks I worked there.

Recently, I attended our first customer service training workshop. We had a three-hour workshop learning how to treat customers, how to handle difficult situations and apply them to our jobs. Not only did we learn this customer service aspect, but we got to understand more insight on each of the different departments that work within fleet management and how it all works as a whole.

I have created a bond with the interns I work with as well as my supervisor and manager. These bonds are strong, and I am thankful for that because I am constantly asking questions seeking out more advice to make sure that I am executing my position in the national service department in the best way. I have learned how to handle customers that are unsatisfied with our services and how to properly manage the situation. I have listened in on phone calls and helped work out a problem with a team and then using those skills to solve problems on my own.

What I have gained the most from working at Enterprise is that the customers are first, your team you work with is your family, always ask questions, and working hands-on and jumping into tasks will give you a better experience for the future. I enjoyed my visit corporate and learning all of the different divisions that make Enterprise what it is, taking a professional headshot, going on a service day with my department, and sitting in on valuable workshops.