When people hear the word “internship,” they often picture a temporary learning experience: an introduction to the working world where observation outweighs action. At the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK, internships are far more than that. Interns take on cross-functional, hands-on roles, being encouraged to take ownership, propose ideas and implement solutions. These opportunities not only allow interns to grow but also trust them to shape initiatives that will continue beyond their time with the Chamber. The experience blurs the lines between student and professional and offers a front-row seat to the reality of international business, with all its challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities. Hear from our Foreign Trade and Communications intern, Lucía, as she shares her insights and experiences from this transformative role in this new blog post.
Working across borders and departments
As a Foreign Trade and Communications Assistant, my days were shaped by a mix of analytical and interpersonal tasks: conducting sector-specific market research, identifying UK companies that could become partners for Spanish clients, drafting commercial proposals, and coordinating agendas that brought both sides to the table. I also attended meetings with clients, helped prepare for trade fairs, and took part in shaping our newsletter and brainstorming new ways to connect with potential leads — experiences that taught me how to manage projects and collaborate more effectively as a team.
What made this role so valuable was the constant interaction with other departments. From communications to finance to events, every project required shared input and coordination. This gave me a deep understanding of how interdependent the Chamber’s work is and how important it is to have a central tool that can support and connect all areas effectively. That insight became the starting point for one of the main focuses of my internship: improving our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
Connecting the dots: a CRM designed for our needs
The Chamber uses Zoho CRM, a system that, when configured well, can become a shared platform for everything from managing client relationships to sending event invitations, tracking project stages, issuing invoices, and monitoring engagement. I worked on reshaping the CRM structure to match our internal workflows, tailoring modules like Deals and Leads to reflect the reality of Foreign Trade and Membership. We added pipelines, automated tasks, segmented contacts, and linked the CRM to external tools such as Zoho Billing, Zoho Campaigns, and Zoho Analytics.
These changes helped bring clarity, reduce repetitive work, and improve the quality of our client data. More importantly, they allowed us to spot trends, prepare better reports, and communicate more personally with our network. When things are clear and connected internally, it shows externally. The CRM helped us work better as a team, which made our service more consistent and personal.
Owning a project, driving change
Being responsible for a project like this as an intern was both a challenge and a privilege. I wasn’t just learning how things worked; I was asked to make them work better. That trust motivated me to create not only the tools but also a set of training guides and tutorials to ensure future interns and staff can build on this work. I learned how crucial continuity is when developing internal systems, and how impactful a well-designed process can be for everyone.
But what really made this experience special wasn’t just the tools or systems I worked on; it was the cultural exchange behind everything. As a Spanish intern in the UK, I was part of an organisation that lives between two business cultures. Every day meant translating not only words but also expectations, habits, and ways of thinking. And through it all, I never lost sight of why I was there: to help build a bridge between Spain and the UK. That feeling of being helpful and making things easier for both sides is what made the whole experience so enjoyable. It reminded me that this wasn’t just about doing a job, it was about building something meaningful.
Blog post written by Lucía Esteve
