This article was written by Estefanía, Project Manager at 24Slides Peru, as part of 24Slides’ #StorytellerProgram.
I have been working at 24Slides for nearly six years, gaining valuable experience and growing significantly as a Project Manager. This role has given me the opportunity to sharpen key skills, from streamlining communication with stakeholders to tackling complex challenges.
Beyond professional development, it has also contributed to my personal growth by boosting my adaptability, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Working at 24Slides has been an incredibly enriching experience, and today, I want to share some of the key lessons I have learned during this journey.
Why is Project Management important in 24Slides?
At 24Slides, our operations are split into two vital areas: Design and Customer Support. Project Managers are part of the Customer Support team and are critical in reducing the gap between clients and our Design teams. By coordinating tasks, prioritizing issues, and allocating resources efficiently, we ensure swift response times and consistently deliver high-quality service.
For our subscription clients, Project Managers act as dedicated points of contact. In this role, I prioritize understanding each client’s brand guidelines, key users, templates, and turnaround expectations. This tailored approach allows me to provide accurate quotes and streamline workflows, something that is critical in the world of design outsourcing.
Our collaboration with the Design team is equally important. As a Project Manager, I work closely with the Design Manager to ensure that projects start with clear, detailed briefs. Their role is to oversee task distribution and quality assurance, but it’s my job to identify the appropriate design treatment and prepare structured instructions. This partnership minimizes back-and-forth communication with customers and allows us to deliver exceptional results faster.
The time zone is also really important for effective customer support. Based in South America, I often work with clients in the U.S. and Canada, where being in the same time zone enables real-time communication. I regularly resolve client inquiries via chat in just minutes, eliminating unnecessary delays.
I believe that effective Project Management also enables the identification of trends and recurring issues, allowing design teams to implement more efficient processes. Overall, Project Managers are the architects of 24Slides’ service experience.
How and why to keep improving the capabilities of Project Managers?
Project Managers at 24Slides have a lot of responsibility, so training is essential.
After some training and experience, our Customer Support staff can be promoted. Once they gather enough experience and improve their soft skills, they become Project Managers. The company focuses on the steady pace of training 24Sliders in all aspects, from learning about the different support platforms to receiving basic design training.
In today’s competitive environment, prioritizing Project Management within Customer Support will allow companies to respond more swiftly to customer needs, adapt to changing market demands, and ultimately build stronger relationships with their clients. I think this holistic approach not only enhances the customer experience but also drives loyalty and retention, which are vital for long-term business success.
Learnings from these past 6 years
As I bid farewell to this incredible journey, I’d like to reflect on the past six years.
It has been an honor to serve as a Project Manager in a company that has provided me with so many opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. I fully enjoyed learning a new world, which is graphic design, and the wide variety of design projects I have seen throughout the years.
Collaborating with such talented designers and a huge client portfolio has been immensely rewarding. I am deeply grateful for the trust and support I’ve received along the way, the challenges we’ve faced together, such as working during the pandemic, and other successes we’ve celebrated, like the opening of a bigger office in Peru. 24Slides has taught me invaluable lessons that I will carry forward into the next chapter of my career.
While this goodbye is bittersweet, I am excited about the opportunities ahead and will always cherish the memories and relationships I formed here. Thank you, 24Slides, for making this experience unforgettable.
