You’ve been part of Collard Group for a few months now, how has your experience been so far?
I have enjoyed being part of the Collard team and have been made to feel very welcome by everybody I have met or worked with. There is a great working environment within the Ready Mix Concrete team as we all want to succeed and to take the department to the next level, and to help build the Collard Group brand.
Can you describe an average day for you?
My average day consists of speaking with and meeting our customers to discuss potential upcoming work. I also spend time on the road looking for protentional work for the group. I spend time on the phone talking to existing and new customers, chasing quotations, and working hard with customers to understand and achieve their expectations.
Our customers are always looking for the best rates and service that we can offer. The team here is now working with our customers looking at other ready-mix products, and working with small housebuilders with branded products for ease of ordering. We are working alongside our aggregate team, using their knowledge of requested tenders and enquiries and keeping them informed of any dialogue we have with our customers. I’m still busy introducing Collard to my customer contacts that I have developed over the last 20-plus years, and I am introducing myself to Collard customers I have not worked with before.
What was your first project with Collard?
My first main project came about following a discussion within the office: I was informed that there was some hoarding around some derelict bungalows in Fleet. I did some research on our portal to see what information I could go to the site armed with. I went onto site and spoke to the client to ascertain who their groundworks contractor would be – from there it was a matter of being proactive and following up to secure the contract, which we have now won. Since then, I have been to the site to see how they are performing, and we have received some excellent feedback. There is now the opportunity to work with the floor contractor at the same job to supply another of our concrete products to the project.
What’s on your agenda for the next few months?
I am keen to fully immerse myself in the Collard Group, getting to know the regions around our depots and familiarising myself with the area. It’s all about getting to know our customers, understanding what potential customers in the area might want from a supplier like us and how we can best support them, as well as getting to know current customers who I may not have met before.
I have really enjoyed my first few months at Collard Group. I have a lot of experience to give to the company and look forward to continuing my journey with them, and working alongside all the teams within the group.
