10 Questions with... James Metzger
Each month we ask a cleaning industry professional the Tomorrow’s Cleaning 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to James Metzger, Co-Founder of Metzger Search & Selection.
1
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? I started my working life as a
commis waiter at the Dorchester on Park Lane, earning £20 per week, decked out in my red jacket and gold braid.
2
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE CLEANING INDUSTRY?
My first experiences with professional cleaning started in the hotel industry. When I became the Food and Beverage Manager at the Royal Court Hotel, I was exposed to the FM industry as well.
3 4
5
WHICH THREE WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR
PERSONALITY? Empathetic, tenacious and humble.
IF YOU COULD VISIT ONE PLACE IN THE WORLD, WHERE
WOULD YOU GO AND WHY? I work in and around London, so I’m aware of how poor the air quality is in the city and the effects of pollution on breathing. It’s also very noisy. I would love to go to the Norwegian fjords for their stunning beauty, tranquillity and fresh, clean air.
HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE THE CLEANING INDUSTRY?
In the UK, the cleaning industry is still 74 | 10 QUESTIONS
not really regarded as an attractive industry to join, in any role, especially if you want to attract new young executives. If clients would consider increasing wages, training and benefits, this might change.
6 7
IF AN INTERN WERE TO START TOMORROW, WHAT’S
THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE THEM? Listen to instructions, work hard, keep asking questions and never cease being inquisitive. Keep a log of your experience to look back on and see how far you’ve progressed; we learn from good and bad experiences.
IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY TOMORROW, HOW WOULD
YOU SPEND YOUR FORTUNE? Apart from travelling the world and following international cricket in different countries, I’d support organisations that helped to destroy the illegal drug trade, eliminate plastics from our planet and wipe out the ivory trade.
8
IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY AND INVITE ANY THREE
PEOPLE, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY? My personal cricket hero and I believe the best cricketer the world has ever
seen, Sir Garfield ‘Gary’ Sobers, Sir David Attenborough, and Sir Winston Churchill. They’ve all given hard work, dedication and passion.
9
WHAT, DO YOU THINK, IS THE FUTURE OF THE CLEANING
INDUSTRY? A significant and useful change would be investing more in people, paying a fairer rate, providing more training and the opportunities to progress within the industry. Even though technology is growing, people remain at the core of service.
Suzanne Howe, Managing Director at Suzanne Howe Communications, asks:
10
IF YOU WERE TO SET UP A TRADE ASSOCIATION IN
THE CLEANING INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE CALLED AND WHAT WOULD BE ITS OBJECTIVES? I don’t think we really need any more; I think we should get more out of the organisations and bodies that already exist for the benefit of the industry and address the issues that are so far lacking enough support.
www.metzger.co.uk
Check out next month’s issue to see what James asked our next industry professional...
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