Meet Rhea Jaitly, one of our Consumer Insights Interns. In this blog, she shares her experience of working with customer data, her first impressions of Musgrave, and what she enjoys most about the role.

What did you study in college?

MSc Food Business and Innovation

Why did you choose Musgrave?

I chose Musgrave because it is an Irish-owned company with a strong presence across Ireland, making it one of the top brands in the country. Its reputation for excellence in the retail industry stood out to me, and I knew that working for a company with such a strong national impact would provide a great foundation for my career. As this is my first experience with an international job, I wanted it to be as positive and rewarding as possible, and I believed that Musgrave would fulfil that for me.

What was your role when you joined Musgrave and what did it entail?

I joined as a Consumer Insights Intern seven months ago and it’s been quite an experience. As a person who likes to play around with data, this was the perfect role for me. I understood the importance of customer feedback to companies such as Musgrave. My primary responsibilities include analysing customer feedback and data to identify trends, pain points and areas for improvement.

What were your first impressions and how easy did you find it to become integrated at Musgrave?

Honestly, I was a bit nervous when I first started working because this was my first international job and I had to work with people from different cultures. The fear of not being able to ‘fit in’ was definitely on my mind. However, from day one, I found the team at Musgrave to be incredibly welcoming and supportive. The inclusive work environment made it easy for me to integrate and collaborate with colleagues. Everyone was open to sharing knowledge and offering guidance, which helped me quickly overcome my initial nerves.

What is it like to work in this industry?

I feel it can be quite challenging yet exciting to work in an industry like this as it’s very much focussed on the satisfaction of the customer. Be it a new layout, a product or a scheme, their success depends on how the customer perceives it and is satisfied by it. What makes it exciting is the direct connection between the work we do and the impact it has on people’s everyday lives. There’s a real sense of accomplishment when you see a product or initiative resonate with customers and drive positive outcomes for the business. It also involves a lot of collaboration across various departments, which keeps the work diverse and offers opportunities to learn and grow.

Can you describe a typical day in your role?

Due to the dynamic nature of this role, I can say that each day is different in terms of work. A typical day might start with checking emails and prioritizing urgent data requests from various departments. As most of my projects are sent out monthly/quarterly, day-to-day, I handle more of ad-hoc request such as making store reports or analysing data for such reports.

What you enjoy most about your role?

I really enjoy working with data sets to understand trends and make reports on them. One of the best things about this role is gaining first-hand insight into what customers experience when they interact with our stores. By analysing their feedback, I can identify the pain points they face and help develop strategies to improve their shopping journey. It’s incredibly satisfying to see how data-driven insights can directly influence customer satisfaction and store performance.

What have been the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

One of the main career decision milestones in my life was my first job in India as a market research analyst. While I found the role exciting, I quickly realized that certain elements of the job didn’t align with my passions and strengths. This experience was important, as it taught me about my preferences and what I truly enjoy/want in a career. That’s when I realised it’s time to move on and I decided to do my masters in Food Business & Innovation. This decision was driven by my keen interest in the food industry and the desire to explore areas where I could combine my analytical skills with my passion for consumer insights. My decision of doing an internship at Musgrave provided me a gateway to the Irish market and allowed me to immerse myself in such a dynamic retail/wholesale environment.

Throughout my journey here at Musgrave, I’ve made conscious efforts to seek out continuous learning opportunities, whether through workshops or networking events. These experiences have shaped my career path and helped me build a network of supportive professionals.

How would you rate the development opportunities you have had in Musgrave so far?

I’d say the role has provided me with a variety of projects to work on, each contributing to my skill development in different ways. What I particularly enjoy is the opportunity to not only work behind the scenes but also to take an active role in presenting my findings. It’s not just my manager who presents the outcomes—I’ve had the chance to showcase the projects to the wider team. This has been invaluable in boosting my confidence and honing my presentation and communication skills.

What advice would you give to someone considering working in Musgrave?

The only thing I’d like to say is to have an open mind and be willing to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. The role will give you a lot of opportunities to develop and improve your skills and you should not shy away from them. There will be a risk of failure but it’ll only make you more confident and in the long run. I’d also recommend being proactive and embracing collaboration. Musgrave has a very team-oriented environment, and you’ll find that working with others not only enhances your learning but also helps you build strong relationships.