PRS Europe Employee Spotlight - Debbie // Accounts
Posted Oct 25, 2024
MEET DEBBIE
Below we interview Debbie, a PRS Europe employee of 10+ years! She shares a 'day in her life,' her favorite hobbies outside of work, and fun stories from her long career at PRS.
Q&A
What is a day in your life like at PRS?
Debbie: First thing in the morning I will post all the invoices from the day before. We try to be as paper-less as possible and email everything to the customer. I check all the web sales have been downloaded to our system and chase any that may not have been fulfilled.
We deal in 3 different currencies – USD, naturally being an American company, EUR as we supply PRS Guitars to 27 different countries across Europe and beyond, as well as GBP. Once all the accounts have been checked and receipts have been posted to the correct customer, I am responsible for making sure payments are made in a timely manner.
I also act as receptionist. It still amazes and humbles me when I take a call from any of our European dealers, at the ease and fluency they speak English. I took French at A’ level – back in the day!! But I would now struggle to ask for a ham sandwich (although I am capable of ordering beer in several languages).
What are your hobbies outside of work?
Debbie: I do try and stay fit! Over the years this has taken many forms from Boxercise, Body Pump, Pilates, Yoga, Belly dancing (even joining the Strawberry Fair parade through Cambridge city centre – much to my kids humiliation) and running. I have done 2 Marathons and numerous Half’s, including Great North Run which has a fantastic atmosphere and just before mile 11 you go past a house where the guy stands and hands out drinks of beer to any runners in need! Unfortunately, I have now developed arthritis in my right hip so I am reduced to walking as it’s lower impact. I try to cycle to work in the better weather – it’s just over 5 miles door to door and doesn’t really take much more time than driving, depending on how many trains are coming through the crossing.
I’m also passionate about rugby, I do not follow football at all but I can often be hoarse on a Monday morning following an International rugby weekend. Both my daughters have followed my lead and all 3 grandsons play at grassroots level. I would be the proudest Grandma ever if they ever represented their country!
How long have you been at PRS? Can you tell us the story of how you landed here?
Debbie: I joined PRS Europe in August 2014. 2013 was a year of conflicting emotions for me. In January I found out I was going to become a Grandma for the 1st time and then in February I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was working as Management Accountant for an Audi Dealership at the time and they were hugely supportive of me whilst I went through treatment. However, in 2014 they decided to re-structure the Company, which meant that my role would change and I would become responsible for 2 dealerships rather than just one. I had been there 16 years and chose to take Voluntary Redundancy. The events of the year before had made me re-evaluate my work-life balance and I wanted to lower my stress levels. I intended to have the summer off – I do like a bit of sunshine – and half-heartedly signed on with a recruitment company (bizarrely enough called PRS!). I got a call offering me an interview for a part-time role with PRS Guitars. And as the saying goes …the rest is history!
Who is your favourite Artist/Band?
Debbie: I was dreading this question! I really don’t know, I have a real mixed catalogue of music. The 1st poster I had on my wall was Mark Bolan of T-Rex, whereas a lot of the other teenage girls in the early 70’s had David Cassidy or Donny Osmond. My parents listened to anything and everything from Elvis to Johnny Cash to jazz and I have seen acts as varied as Adam Ant, The Q Tips, Bare Naked Ladies to Simply Red, Prince and Rolling Stones. I met Eric Clapton when he was staying in the hotel I was working in in Edinburgh and he was such a genuinely, unassuming lovely guy. Many moons later I saw him playing acoustics at the Royal Albert Hall – mesmerising – as was Santana at the O2. Although, recently one of the best ‘good to be alive’ moments was at a small family-friendly festival in a field in Somerset, watching a fantastic sunset, with all my family around, singing lustily along to the ‘house band’ The Wurzels 'I am a cider drinker’!!
What are some of the challenges in your role?
Debbie: There is an age old battle between Finance and Sales – it doesn’t matter whether you are selling cars, tins of beans or guitars. Sales people have been known to refer to Accounts as ‘Bean Counters’ or ‘Sales Prevention department’. Sales want to get the orders, accounts have to sometimes be the party-poopers and say No! It can be a fine balancing act!
What do you love most about working at PRS, and what’s the most memorable experience you’ve had here?
Debbie: It is a really relaxed, friendly place to work! I initially was flummoxed by the ‘manana’ way of the music industry, but I have become more chilled out over the years. I often sit at my desk and get ’serenaded’ by guitar music and it’s lovely not to have to be ‘suited and booted’.
The annual sales events we held, pre-Covid, were always interesting. Busy but really nice to put faces to names. I think the most memorable one was the year the Finale was at Duxford Aerodrome, with the Main Man himself, and others, taking to the stage under the plane wings and having a private showing of Concord’s nose cone moving.
I’m sad to say, I still know no more about guitars than I did 10 years ago …but I will know if you haven’t paid!
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