Jack joined MGF in 2019 with 10 years previous experience of working in sales within different industries and based in the South West covers Bristol, Wiltshire and Somerset. He explains how his time at MGF has enabled him to develop technical knowledge of the industry whilst being able to have a hands-on approach.
Tell us a bit about your role
As Technical Sales Representative for Bristol and the surrounding areas my role involves building and maintaining relationships with existing customers whist sourcing new customers and information about upcoming schemes.
I offer technical support and guidance to customers through the delivery of presentations and toolbox talks, attending demonstration days and carrying out regular site visits as well as communicating regularly with our internal design, hire desk and operations teams to ensure we successfully deliver to our customers.
What is it that you enjoy about it the most?
I like how no two days are the same, I really enjoy being out on the road, visiting sites and speaking to different people across a range of schemes including Water and Utilities, Housing and Highways. Whether it’s talking to the guys installing equipment in the ground or meeting with directors, you get to speak to so many great people. I’m a very hands-on person and visiting construction sites is a great opportunity to see our equipment in use, Bristol is such a big city that there are so many different projects to be part of, each one with its own challenges to get stuck into.
You become so involved in a project, seeing it develop from the start as it progresses through different stages and then reflecting on how you’ve played a part in its success when works are complete, particularly when it’s something local that you can see regularly on your commute to work.
What was it that made you want to follow a career in technical sales?
I always knew that I wanted to have a career in sales, growing up I always enjoyed meeting and talking to new people and developing relationships with them. I like having the responsibility of managing my own areas and customers as well have having to work towards targets and budgets and the sense of achievement that you can get from this.
Describe your background and how you got into the industry
The construction industry has always interested me and when I left school I completed a Plumbing apprenticeship as initially I was looking for a career that was hands on, however my real passion was to work in sales so I decided to take up a career in car sales which I did for 7 years. Looking to combine both interests I then moved on to a role within the tools sector where I was a technical sales representative for 3 years. It was this combination of a hands on approach and technical expertise which I wanted to develop more.
What do you find to be the most interesting projects to work on?
Based in the South West 60% of the projects I’m involved in are within the Water and Utilities sector including AMP works. Working with large companies like Wessex Water and Lewis Civil Engineering involve a lot of reactive works such as clean and foul water works on housing sites, pavement disruptions and road lane closures on. These kinds of projects are particularly interesting to be involved in due to their complex requirements and the amount of communication involved between myself, our design and depot teams, and the contractor to ensure we deliver a fast response.
What do you appreciate about having a strong working relationship with customers and how that benefits your job?
With trust people buy from people, it’s so important to make sure that you’re the one who’s recognised and you’re the one that your customers want to call when they need something. Trust is built over time and you need to have a clear approach and be straight to the point. Your experience and knowledge are key as customers need the reassurance that you know what you’re talking about and that you can deliver the right solution.
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