Working from home 12,000 miles away (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Working from home 12,000 miles away

11:52am Friday 19th February 2010 in

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IT’S the ultimate example of remote working, but will it succeed?

For nearly two years, Kerry Wort has been website and customer service manager for a successful Hampshire online business. But this week, she’s off to New Zealand with two friends for an adventure of a lifetime.

That doesn’t mean she’ll be giving up her job, though: far from it, you might say.

Thanks to the communication technology that makes the world an ever-smaller place, she’ll be carrying on as usual, making sure everything continues to run smoothly, from 12,000 miles away.

Winchester-born Kerry, 28, has worked with Caroline Blatchford, owner of Kings Worthy-based www.SpottyGiftBoxes. co.uk, since the website started in May, 2008. Together, they have established the business as a leading supplier of children’s gardening tools, cookery equipment and insect life-cycle sets for homes, schools and nurseries.

Caroline says Kerry has been instrumental in developing the look and ease of use of the website, going on web design courses both locally and with the Open University. She also deals with accounts, suppliers and marketing.

“But her main impact on the business has been her work in supporting customers,” said Caroline.

“Many of our best testimonials have come from customers whose queries she has answered.”

With all the low-cost technology that’s available these days to make long-distance working as effective as possible, Caroline sees no reason why things should change just because Kerry will be on the other side of the world.

“It’s a challenge,” she admitted. “We’re using MSN Messenger, Skype, iPhone, e-mail, BT voicemail, online administration for Amazon, eBay and the website.

“Only time will tell, but we are reasonably confident that Kerry can do almost every part of her job from New Zealand.”

Kerry shares that confidence: “It’s technology I use every day. I’m sure it will work,” she said.