From customer service to accounting: Asithan’s Galaxus journey

Catherine Barth

23.6.2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

Having joined Digitec Galaxus as a sales assistant in one of our stores, Asithan now works in the finance department. In this interview, he talks about his career path, what he learned from his time in retail and why he’s now going to the gym more often.

Asithan, how did you wind up working for Digitec Galaxus?

I did an apprenticeship as a retail specialist at Interdiscount. Once that was finished, someone I used to work with recommended Digitec. There happened to be a vacancy in the Dietikon store in at the time, so I applied and, luckily, was successful. I worked as a Retail Sales & Service Professional for five years all in all. For the last year, however, I’ve been working in the finance department at our head office in Zurich. Basically, I take care of our business customers’ invoices.

Did you always know you wanted to advance your career from within Digitec Galaxus?

Yeah, definitely. I knew relatively early on that I wanted to stay and develop within the company. I like the relaxed, non-hierarchical way we work.

So, what kind of professional development have you done?

While working in retail, I did a two-year vocational baccalaureate. It fit in well with my 60-per-cent contract. When the store was quiet, I was able to flip through my textbooks every now and again at the front desk. That was especially handy while I was learning French vocabulary (laughs). I also had the chance to use my EDU points to pay for study materials such as books and language apps.

When did you decide to go into finance and accounting?

I was initially a little unsure about what exactly I should do and where that would take me, so the vocational baccalaureate was the right call. It gave me a good foundation and lots of opportunities once I’d completed it. In class, I realised I was good at accounting. At the same time, I was still really open-minded when it came to what I might do at Galaxus in the future. When I saw my current job advertised, I knew right from the word go that it’d be a perfect fit for me.

So you just applied?

Right. The job was advertised externally, and it took me two attempts to get it. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out the first time, but then there was a change within the team and another vacancy came up at short notice. They came to me and asked if I was still interested, and I’m still here today.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your new role?

There’s a lot of «lonely» mental work. In retail, you get to communicate directly with customers. In finance, you usually solve problems in your head first, if you see what I mean. That was quite challenging at first.

I can imagine. It’s a totally different working environment too, right?

Yeah, exactly. I suddenly had a new job, a new team and was sitting in an office all day. Those aspects don’t even occur to you at first. When I was working in the store, I was on my feet a lot, constantly moving around and had more energy throughout the day. That’s why I’ve now started going to the gym regularly. On the flip side, my new role means I get the chance to work from home on occasion. I initially thought I’d be coming into the office much more often, but after almost a year, I have to admit that’s not the case (laughs). Both jobs have their pros and cons.

Is there anything else you miss about working in retail?

When I was helping customers in our store, I always got direct feedback by default. Did the person leave the store satisfied or dissatisfied? Did I do a good or a bad job? I have less of that now, so I sometimes really miss that sense of reward and ability to learn as I go.

What did you take away from your time in retail that’s helped you in your job now?

The ability to keep calm in chaotic, stressful situations without losing my head. These moments crop up a lot in retail, but you learn to deal with them in time. Going through them is a good life lesson too. I also learned a lot when it comes to communication, including how to talk to different people and, most importantly, how to listen properly. That’s been really valuable in my personal life too.

What advice would you give to other employees who want to take the next step in their career at Galaxus, whether that’s in retail or elsewhere?

Just be open-minded. Try to be self-motivated and get out of your comfort zone. I often find that difficult. But if you get the opportunity to do something different at work, you should definitely take advantage of it. For example, I once got to lead a workshop, something normally done by deputy store managers. The person who was supposed to be doing it had to cancel at short notice. They needed somebody else to fill in, so I volunteered. I ended up leading three or four workshops. It was a cool experience that gave me a lot of self-confidence.

Are there any milestones or achievements in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

I’m particularly proud of my vocational baccalaureate. It’s something I really wanted to do. And because I made that decision, I’m now studying Business Informatics and have gone back to a 60-per-cent work week. I’m actually proud of every single step I’ve taken in my career. Each one built on the last, bringing me to where I am today.

Thanks for those interesting insights, Asithan!

Fancying joining our retail team? You might want to check out our job openings.

Catherine Barth

Communications Manager

Catherine.Barth@digitecgalaxus.ch

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