Janet brings a feminine touch to GBW’s Customer Service

Janet’s appointment at GBW, one of the leading manufacturers of PVC-U door panels and composite doors, followed a major restructuring of the company’s customer service department which provided a dedicated team for each regional sales area. ‘This approach was definitely the right way to go, it was then just a case of further developing the team and embedding the procedures, which is where I came in,’ explains Janet. ‘For me, the first task was to reorganise the physical layout of the department to underpin the team spirit and improve workflow,’ she adds. The six-strong team supports GBW’s UK domestic and commercial customers and European markets, as well as the external sales force.

Industry experience

Janet has spent most of her working life in the door and window industry and brings some 20 years experience in customer service to her role at GBW. In the late eighties she joined systems company, Duraflex, as Internal Sales Manager. Then, following the merger of several companies including GBW into one group, Caradon Doors & Windows, she was appointed Customer Service Manager overseeing all brands sold under the CDW banner. With the restructuring of the Group under new management in 1999, Janet continued with Duraflex as Customer Service Manager until being offered the opportunity to move into Marketing as Product Manager. Alongside her considerable work experience, she has undertaken a number of courses related to the development of the customer service advantage, including a Total Quality Management (TQM) programme.

Caradon History

Having worked previously with GBW when it was part of CDW, Janet is fully aware of the pitfalls that can beset a bespoke manufacturer offering a virtually limitless range of options with very competitive lead times. ‘The door panel is a commodity and by no means an exclusive product. For GBW to gain that all-important edge it’s essential to build good relationships with our customers and instil a sense of trust in our service offering,’ says Janet. And to achieve a consistently high level of service she firmly believes that staff must have a thorough knowledge of both the company’s products and processes, and that continual training will deliver continual improvements.

On joining GBW Janet set about reinstating or rewriting certain functions, and also devising a means of measuring individual performance and setting progression targets. ‘And as a result we’ve already seen further improvements in our processing skills,’ she claims. Whilst conceding that a ‘new broom’ is inevitably going to receive a mixed reception from existing staff, she says the team has recognised the benefits of the changes she’s instigated, and seen how these can raise their own status both within the company and with customers. One of her major initiatives has been to improve internal and external communication, and customers are immediately advised of any issues affecting their order, ‘Because people must be kept informed and, after all, our customers are the lifeblood of our company,’ she says.

Personal beliefs

Janet also holds strong personal beliefs, which she applies to her working life: ‘It’s important to challenge attitudes within the business and take nothing at face value. Understanding the needs of your customers shouldn’t be confined to the customer service department, it’s something everyone in the company should be aware of and contribute to.’

Looking to the future, Janet is keen to consolidate on the improvements achieved at GBW and maintain the discipline to ensure service levels remain high. ‘It’s all about functioning with focus, and the focus is, and always will be, to give customers complete confidence in GBW’s products and support,’ she concludes.