MERCHANT FOCUS: KEYLINE
at Burden at that time. She then moved back to a Key Account Manager role at Burden, before, nine years ago, an opportunity at Keyline came up as an External Sales Manager for the West Yorkshire area looking after the regional ground workers.
Civils and Drainage being very much on the heavy end of the industry, Ward has had her share of ‘What’s a nice girl like you doing in construction?’ moments, but says she has always relished the challenge that implies. “At the time I joined, there really weren’t very many women in my sort of role and I would frequently get customers ringing up and asking to be put through to ‘one of the lads’. For me, that was all part of the challenge. I wanted to prove to them that they really didn’t need one of the lads, that I could deal with that enquiry. As you get into the industry, you do fall for its charms and I started to think, ‘Actually, I can see a career appearing here’. Again, I did that for a period of about three years and I got to the point where I knew what I was doing and I wanted more of a challenge.”
That challenge came in the form of the role of National Account Manager. “Suddenly, that opens up a whole new world of sales. It’s not just about price or delivery of that product at the right time, it’s about everything else that goes with the project. I did that role for three or four years and moved on to become Head of Nationals and Head of Housebuilders within Keyline in January 2017. Then, in October 2017, I was promoted to Business Development Director at Keyline.” Looking at new market opportunities is a major part of the Business Development Director role, Ward says. “It’s about looking at where the industry is going and asking whether we need to change our sales strategy to meet that new market environment. That might mean looking at the utility sector, at national housebuilders, at the rail market – HS2 is a big project of ours at the moment – to see where market growth may come from next year. It’s about looking at whether we have the right strategies and products in place to serve those different markets.”
“For me, what I adore about the industry is the different challenges of how you have to sell depending on to whom you are selling. I relish the challenge presented by a contractor who tells me that they don’t want to buy from Keyline because we are only about the product and the product is relatively small value part of the project as a whole. What I love is being able to say to that contractor, ‘Well actually, we are so much more than the products we sell, and we can offer you the complete
package. We can bring value and do things differently’. It’s the challenge of saying, ‘You may not want to deal with me, but I am going to persuade you that I have what you need, even if you don’t know that you need it yet’. That’s the thing I thrive on.”
One of Ward’s skillsets, she has discovered, is that she is very good at picking up on what someone isn’t saying. “I can work out what the contractor or the customer is saying without them realising they are saying it. It’s taken a long time to realise that, but that’s what drives me and I love people’s reaction when they go, ‘Wow, that’s amazing service, I didn’t think I needed to think about that’. That’s one of the messages that we try to bring out about Keyline: that we are about more than the product. We are offering value-added services to customers, services that will help them run their project better. Merchants do some really good things. Don’t rule us out because you think we are just a middle man. Bring us in and see what value we can bring to the table. At Keyline, we have our own identity and 60 branches with local people in each of them. So. while we can say that we are part of a big national chain, Keyline has individual people in those branches that understand the local area and deal with the small-medium contractors that are probably sub-contracting for the main contractor.”
Another aspect that Ward is passionate about is raising awareness of mental health. “We have just launched a health and well- being project that looks at all the different aspects. We had a survey that went out to all the people in the business to ask what things are currently impacting them in terms of their health and well-being. Finance was one area. Sleep was another, alongside stress levels. The business reaction to that is ’What can we do?’ and we now have a financial company that works with us to offer people advice on things they may need help with. We also have a health and well-being offer with gym memberships. Now we have to get that message out to the people in the business that there is that support there for them if they need it. For me, all these things go hand- in-hand. Changes in your life and your job – getting promoted or coming back to work after an illness, for example -can really impact you and how you operate. I’m fully aware that we have a lot of changes that are going on all the time within the team and the organisation. The important thing is that we understand how those things can impact our employees and we put things in place to help them manage that change if they need that help.
“In my team, we do a lot of video calling February 2019
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rather than conference calls, as I think it’s important to be able to see someone’s reaction, which you don’t get if it’s just a normal phone call. You can often pick up on things that people may not be articulating. I think video calling is going to become more important. There are cost efficiencies as you aren’t driving three or four hours for a 90-minute meeting, as well as health benefits by not doing all that travel and also time savings. If you have a video call with someone, you get most of the benefits of a face-to-face meeting but you save all the travel time, which can often just add to your stress levels. “I have had quite a quick turnaround in roles, but I believe that if you do a job, you do it as well as you can, and I’m fortunate that Keyline recognised that and supported me. I have had some great support from some amazing Managing Directors. I did have to take some time out as I was quite poorly for a long time. All throughout that, and since coming back, I have had amazing support from the company and the directors.
“I have been doing this role for just over a year and I am still learning and developing. For me, it’s ‘Where do I want to go next?’ Do I, at some time, want to be CEO of the business – 100%? Do I know when I could get there or what the pathway is? Not yet. But I know Keyline will help and support me through my journey.
“This industry is brilliant if you want something different every day. If you love working with people who have their own needs and requirements. I never grew up wanting to have a career in construction, but I love it.” BMJ
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