February/March 2025
housewareslive.net
PEOPLE Brief Encounter
Tom Roberts, Operations Director at Dexam, tells Housewares Magazine about his Housewares journey.
What is your current role and how long have you been doing it? This month I’ve been with Dexam for 10 years and I was promoted to Operations Director in January 2025.
What does your role entail? I currently oversee the customer service department and the warehouse function. In a nutshell, from when the customer places their order it is my responsibility that they receive a professional service and they receive their goods in a timely manner. Last year, I took over the purchasing role so I need to ensure that we have the right amount of stock at the right time. No two days are the same and in general I help the business to run as smoothly as possible. I also look after the majority of the HR tasks.
How did you get started in the industry? Customer Service Manager. I was looking for a career change at the time and as soon as I attended my interview I knew Dexam was the place I wanted to be.
What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? branches in the Crown Network. The industry was very different to Housewares but the fundamentals of managing people never change. Since working for Dexam, I have completed a business management diploma, which increased my knowledge considerably.
What would you like to achieve in this role? I’d like to enable the sales team to grow the business by giving them all the support they need behind the scenes. At the same time, I’d love Dexam to continue to win service awards as it’s great for the whole team to be recognised for their hard work.
What has been the highlight of your career so far? It’s a bit cliché but it really is being appointed as a Board member at Dexam. It’s been my goal for some time now, so when I was given the good news I was delighted.
What do you see as the main issues for retailers and the industry at the moment? I think retail crime is a huge issue at the moment, especially for independents. I feel the government should be doing more to help, which would allow retailers to focus on selling to their customers opposed to preventing theft.
What one piece of advice would you give yourself at the start of your career? If you always work hard and add value, you will be recognised and rewarded. Also, if you have the ability to do the job then you are not too young or too old.
What keeps you busy at the weekends? I have two children aged six and eight who keep me very busy, and I usually have some sort of DIY project on the go. I play quite a bit of football and also coach my son’s team.
If f
If you’re at the bar, what are you drinking? I have to say a pint of Stella, which coincidentally is the name of my new Labrador puppy!
’ t th bh t d i ki ?
I have to admit I prefer watching a good series as opposed to reading a book. If I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Game of Thrones.
and why?
Muhammad Ali. I’m a keen sportsman and he is often regarded as the greatest sportsman of all time. I’d love to get an insight into his journey!
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