PEOPLE 10 MINUTES WITH:


What is your current role and how long have you been doing it? Key Account Manager for 2.5 years.


What does your role entail? Boardroom to the building site, every day is different. The role is all about being a master facilitator! Listening to customers’ needs and providing solutions. Becoming a part of their team and continually striving to come up with ways to support their business and watch it flourish.


How did you get started in this industry? I fell into this industry by total accident. I didn’t have a clue about infrastructure, but I knew I was really good at customer service because I just love people. I started as admin at the Fusion Utilities Hatfield hire branch when I moved to Hertfordshire. It sounds cheesy but I took the job because I had a really good gut feeling about it. 7 years later and I guess I was right.


What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? I have had various jobs in sales in unrelated industries but I always say my best (and worst) experience was working in pubs. You wouldn’t think it, but I was very shy and timid as a young person and working behind a bar not


only gives you a thick skin but also teaches you to be able to speak to absolutely anyone. It’s a tough job, but it taught me how to give the best customer service in challenging scenarios.


What would you like to achieve in your role?


I honestly just want to see my customers succeed. That makes me happy knowing I’ve added something to their business or made life a little bit easier. I genuinely care about my customers like friends and feel an immense responsibility to do my very best for them. If they win, I win.


What has been the highlight of your career so far?


I was really happy when I was offered the job as Key Account Manager and I definitely did a happy dance!


What do you see as the main issues for builders merchants and for the construction industry at the moment? It is a challenging market at the moment, and this is where the service we give really matters. A lot of experience and knowledge are starting to retire, and we need to make sure the expertise remains. We never stop learning and must be ahead of the curve.


GEMMA DAVIES Key Account Manager at Fusion Utilities


If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself?


I think just to have a bit more confidence in myself. I never thought I would be in a role like this but I’m so glad that I have found myself here, as it’s pushed me to become a better version of myself in both my work and personal life.


What keeps you busy at the weekends? I’m mainly extremely boring, but if I’m not on a bottomless brunch somewhere living my best life, I’ll be back at home in Leicester probably doing something outdoorsy.


If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking?


I’ll have a rhubarb gin with a ginger ale please, don’t forget the straw.


What’s your favourite book? Favourite film?


I love anything by Marian Keyes and Quentin Tarantino.


If you could be a superhero, what super-power would you choose? Teleportation or a flying car please so I never have to sit in M25 traffic ever again. BMJ


ON THE MOVE


Tudor Griffiths Group, the family- run merchant based in Ellsemere, has welcomed the sixth generation of the Griffiths family to


the team. Managing Director Tudor Griffiths’ sons Harry and Oliver have joined the company.


The Builders Merchants Federation has appointed Pierre Krause, group commercial operations and pricing director of the Independent Builders


Merchant Group, to chair the BMF Digital and Technology Forum.


16


Pland Stainless is investing in four new employees to support its growing business. Craig Mitchell has joined as development engineer, Ellie Frank has joined the team as Safety, Health, Environment and Quality manager, Mia Stothart has joined the company as an additional sales administrator and Chrissie Sunderland reports into Russell Haigh,


financial controller and is a new financial technician for the business.


Talasey has unveiled its team of merchant support managers. Sarah Wright,


Matthew Armstrong, Dane Treadwell, Nihad Roshdi, Stephen Molloy and James Newby are taking up newly created roles to cover the UK with the aim of calling on more merchants, more often.


MKM has appointed Rik Pepper as its new head of plumbing, heating and bathrooms, he has previously held senior positions at Plumbase and Jackson


Building Centres.


Intergas Heating Solutions has appointed Gary Rudd as managing director, having been UK Sales and Marketing Director since he joined in January.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2023


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