The “Un-manager” Manager
Porta Kleen Inside Sales Coordinator Celina Schorr has never had the word “manager” in her official title despite having always been one. “I’ve been called ‘lead’ in several different fields throughout my career from loading semi-trucks at Sears Distribution Center, running the Title Department at LandSel Title Agency, selling real estate and working at Walmart Pharmacy as a technician,” she said.
That experience helped Schorr to earn her position with Porta Kleen in July 2023. She said an Inside Sales Coordinator—sometimes referred to as a sales manager, ironically—for sanitation takes care of most online order and quote requests and is the point of contact for several festival and event accounts. Schorr also maintains several house accounts and answers any overflow calls that come into Porta Kleen’s customer service and shower lines.
“We start the day off reviewing my task lists, and then move on to see what is needed for my upcoming scheduled events, which typically involves negotiating contracts and checking product availability,” Schorr said. After quoting Sales Force leads, she ends her day following up with customers to maintain and improve services. “Each day is different. Some are crazier than others, and you never know what’s coming on the other end of that call,” Schorr said.
As with any “management” position, nothing ever happens in a vacuum. “It literally takes a team to pull off what we do in a day,” Schorr said. “My co-workers are hands down the best part of working at Porta Kleen. Not only did they welcome me with open arms, but they treated me like family from day one.”
Schorr relied on her co-workers’ support as a new hire to learn the system and a whole new line of products and their functions. They also helped her understand that customer service is everything at Porta Kleen. “Customer service is the first opportunity to ‘wow’ our customers and make them feel special, cared for and that their needs are being met,” Schorr said. “My rule of thumb at work and in life is to treat others as you want to be treated.”
Schorr said she couldn’t ensure customer satisfaction without the help of every department at Porta Kleen. “Communication is key with customer service, and we pride ourselves on making sure we are all on the same page,” she said. “It keeps you going knowing our customers see the hard work we put in every day.”
When the day is done, Schorr enjoys spending time with her husband, Joe, who is Director of Operations at Blue Label Packaging Company and with her daughter, Zoe, who will be a senior next year.
“Although I’m not ready for Zoe to leave the nest, I would love to see her show the real world what she has to offer,” Schorr said “ So, we will be spending a lot of extra time with her this summer. Other than that, you can find me out on the golf course, which is my home away from home.”