INTERVIEW
From a tender age, Amy Quek Swee Li has been keenly aware of how it feels to be pretty and help others look their best. With a twinkle in her eye, Li recalls that at seven she found the passion for beauty which has taken her to the top as chief executive officer of Marie France Bodyline.
"One particular moment during my childhood that I vividly remember to this day was combing and styling my mother's hair, and applying hand cream to her, while we watched the telly," she recalls during a recent visit to Bangkok. "It came very naturally to me to keep things tidy and clean. It made me happy to see people look healthy and beautiful. I was so into it that I once paid my brother to let me clean his toenails."
To live her dream, Li decided not to go to university after high school, instead opting to take a course in skincare service. This, along with her relentless passion, helped her pave a career path, leading to the establishment of a salon in 1983. Her thirst for knowledge opened windows of opportunity for Li. She caught the eye of a leading skincare and beauty service company that picked her to become their beauty adviser. Since then she hasn't looked back. In 1989, Li got her big break, joining Marie France Bodyline as beauty consultant, and has since steadily worked her way up the corporate ladder.
Li impressed her bosses so much during her first year that she was quickly promoted to centre manager. Another feat was becoming general manager in charge of the centre's operations in Singapore and Malaysia in 1991. Li was appointed regional operations director in 2001 and then chief operating officer for Southeast Asia in 2005.
The 47-year-old Singaporean reached the height of her career last year _ becoming chief executive officer of Global Beauty International, the parent company of Marie France Bodyline, managing 1,200 people across the globe. The appointment meant she became the group's first female CEO.
One of Li's biggest attributes as an executive is that she is a good listener, which has helped her create strong and trustworthy bonds with subordinates and clients alike.
"We work in an industry where the demands of clients continue to grow, as do their need to be given appropriate detail," she said. "So, we have to ensure that each of their requirements are met and that they enjoy a positive experience when they come to use our facilities."
To keep abreast of clients' needs, Li shared that they often conduct customer surveys to gauge which areas need to be improved. Addressing the issues that arise from a client's dissatisfaction expeditiously often does the trick, she said. Also high on her list of priorities is listening to the feedback and problems of her subordinates; they are the driving force in the development of brand and business as well as the execution of new ideas.
"I don't plan things on my own," she said. "Getting the opinion of the staff is a prerequisite for any decision making. It's not easy to encourage them to buy my ideas and then to see them make it a reality."
Li, a mother of three, believes family values are important, and she brings them to the office to create a friendly, happy and efficient work environment.
"I adhere strongly to family values at both work and with my family," she said. "I don't believe in taking things for granted. My children and I have our own time. If they don't come for dinner, they tell us. They have their own space, and I have mine. We respect each other. This has sort of been a blueprint in the way I manage my staff as well.
"I love being able to work with a professional team of people who also love what they do."
Li said being an executive in a business that makes people look good and beautiful is not a piece of cake. Apart from building the brand, she said one of her major challenges at the moment is to inform the world that Marie France Bodyline is not just a weight-loss centre, but also a place where clients can get expert advice to overcome emotional issues, so you come out looking good and feeling good about yourself.
"We also help children who suffer from anorexia and bulimia. These youngsters often tag along with their parents to learn about nutrition. There are also clients who need professional advice on nutrition and a well-balanced diet who come to us," she said.
One key factor is managing clients' expectations by offering them realistic goals.
"If a woman who is 1.65cm tall and weighs 45kg comes to us and says she wants to lose a couple of kilogrammes, we would say no to her," Li said. "This is because she's already underweight. We don't believe in giving false promises because for us it's a long-term relationship that we are looking for."
Share this article
About the author
Writer: Sukhumaporn LaiyokPosition: Reporter
Bangkok Post online classifieds
Try buying selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.
Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/02/26/passion-incorporated/
0 comments:
Post a Comment