Maria Louw manages an integral role at Paratus

Heading up the billing department
Wetumwene Shikage
Michelline Nawatises

After being at Paratus for 14 years, Maria Louw considers herself to be “part of the furniture”, but Paratus considers her part of the family and a very important person too, because she manages all the billing.

By showing potential when she first joined Paratus, she was encouraged and given the opportunity to learn and grow in the accounts department. She assimilated all she had learned and took it to a new level when she helped migrate two accounting systems. In terms of financial management for a telecommunications company, this is a major milestone.

A proud Namibian, Maria was born and raised in Walvis Bay. She loves her family, her work, her colleagues and she loves working with Paratus customers too. Maria finds improving her skills and capabilities quite thrilling and embraces whole-heartedly any challenge or problem-solving tasks that get thrown her way.

Maria says: “What I most enjoy, is to be able to reconcile and sort out customer queries. I know that I can do this and then knowing that we have a happy customer, just makes my day.

“And of course, you learn as you solve problems – you learn how to cope for the next time when it may happen again, and you learn how to make sure others know how to problem-solve too.”

Her verve and commitment are well respected at Paratus. Maria adds: “I just love being part of the Paratus family, and I’m so grateful that they have given me an opportunity over the years to grow into the position I am in today. I will continue to enjoy not only the problem-solving part of my job, but also coaching others in my department. That will be my proud legacy.”

Characteristics

· Loves working with customers

· Focused

· Loves coaching her colleagues

· Enjoys problem-solving

· Hard working - believes hard work pays off

· Never leaves a job undone

· Loves skydiving

· Loves her family and her two dogs

· Proud to be a Namibian