Lisa has been a part of our Bristol depots Technical Sales team for 4 years. Supporting customers across South Wales and Gloucestershire, she has also dedicated a lot of time over the last 3 years to being a member of the Working Well Together South Wales group.
Tell us a bit about your role
Everyday for me is always so different, whether it’s visiting sites, speaking to customers or collating site information about soil conditions and surrounding areas of excavation. I work closely with our in-house engineering team to develop temporary works designs and also our operations teams to ensure deliveries go out on time. I’ve got to keep a lot of different plates spinning and I’m always busy!
What do you enjoy about it the most?
I like how my role challenges me each day and there is always something new that I need to face. I enjoy having the confidence and technical knowledge of such a niche market to be able to know straight away what my customers need from me, to be able to do their job successfully. I get a feeling of satisfaction knowing that I’m not only helping them to solve a problem but that I play a part in keeping them safe each day they are working below ground.
Being a member of the Working Well Together group has enabled me to be a part of something that I’m very passionate about. Along with other industry specialists I’m able to offer support to smaller construction businesses which don’t have the same structure that bigger companies do, offering them advice, training and best practice methods across a range of topics including mental health, working at height and excavation safety.
What was it that made you want to follow a career in technical sales?
As soon as I began working in sales I instantly got the buzz however the job I do also requires an extensive amount of technical knowledge and experience which is something I’ve enjoyed developing over the last few years.
At times it can be very challenging to be a woman working in the construction industry so making a name for yourself, building trust, and being recognised as an expert is something I’m extremely proud of. When I first started at MGF, I knew that it would take a lot of time and work to prove to the industry what I was capable of as it is still a predominately male orientated industry. This hasn’t stopped me from doing what I love, I have two daughters, so I want to be a role model for them and other women to show them what opportunities are out there and that there are no limitations for women in this industry.
Describe your background and how you got into the industry
I worked in recruitment for 17 years but after having my second child I decided that I wanted a change and something that had more flexible working hours which is when I began managing a customer service team. I knew that I really enjoyed being out and about and visiting people and an old contact got in touch and offered me my first job in the construction industry working for a company who sold scaffolding and pedestrian products. During my time here I was contacted by MGF who had a vacancy for a Technical Sales Representative, and I just knew this would be a great opportunity for me.
What do you find to be the most interesting projects to work on?
Based in the South West a lot of the projects that I’m involved in are for AMP and Welsh Water and even though these are Water and Utilities focused each project is still very different. The most interesting thing for me isn’t a project it’s the solution that I provide whether its our largest equipment the T700 brace or our smallest equipment our GRP Babyshore knowing that the customer is satisfied with a solution that works form them is the most rewarding part.
What do you appreciate about having a strong working relationship with customers and how that benefits your job?
I don’t take for granted that customers will always come back to us, checking in with them regularly and maintaining close relationships with them to build their trust is really important. I have built some great relationships over the years and have some very loyal customers who know that when they come to us they will always receive the best service.
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