Congratulations on winning Branch of the Year! How did you feel when you won?

I was shocked! I wasn’t expecting us to win it. We achieved our targets in a tough year for the whole industry, and there were so many other fantastic branches in the running.

I was surprised, and then pleased and excited because of the achievement. I was happy for everyone in the branch; it means so much, especially because Worcester has never won it before. So to see the branch performing so well and getting this recognition is fantastic.

And on a personal level, I was thrilled, as 2024 was my first year as a branch manager. I spent six months training in 2023, but to have such a great achievement for my first full year in the role was special.

What do you think made Worcester stand out?

We have a very strong team here – there are 14 of us all together, and they’re all a fantastic bunch to work with. We all get along very well.

Many of my colleagues have been with the business a very long time, and know the industry exceptionally well, which always helps.

Some brilliant staff who were here last year have since moved on to other branches and challenges, but we have welcomed some new, equally fantastic colleagues. We have three new sales staff; two have completed apprenticeships, and another has moved to the role from the yard – all have settled in really well, and I’m always on-hand to support their development. We also have a new operations manager, who was a driver beforehand but is excelling in his new role.

I think what has really made the difference for us is how we’ve built relationships with customers and suppliers.

How did you build those relationships with customers and suppliers?

We really started to focus on building those relationships. We have regular meetings with customers and suppliers, and make the effort to do site visits as much as possible – we’ve built a great rapport, and are better able to support them because of it.

Some customers weren’t aware we could provide, for example, street furniture – being available for a conversation opens up opportunities to find solutions, and raise awareness of our full product range.

We’re always making ourselves available, and we’re constantly on the phone to customers and suppliers – it’s our aim to never let the phone go to voicemail.

This has helped us develop closer relationships with existing customers, as well as increase the number of new customers we’re working with.

How do you motivate your team to go that extra mile?

It's all about team morale. Keeping morale high is key – building team spirit and a sense of community is so important.

We try to get people to engage outside of work and get involved in activities together, like crazy golf, ten-pin bowling, or a drink after work (which doesn’t have to be alcoholic!) The biggest one, of course, is the Christmas do. Everyone gets involved and has a good time.

These are great because everyone gets to interact outside of work; drivers wouldn't usually cross paths with the sales staff, so it helps build the team.

We also do competitions; we've got a dartboard and a pool table, and do mini-leagues for anyone who wants to get involved. It all contributes to that community feel. We’re constantly talking, we all get along, and many of us are good friends outside of work. We’re a close-knit team, which is fantastic.

Contributing to the local community is another one! We do work to support local charities, like the skate park in Birmingham. It’s great for the community, and helps create that sense of togetherness.

Has Worcester been involved with any interesting projects in the last year?

We’ve worked on HS2, and the brand new shopping centre. There have been so many great projects – we’ve done a lot for Gloucester University as well.

What is your leadership style?

I would say firm, but team-focused. Because it's not just about me, it's about the team and how they work with customers and suppliers. If the team are happy and engaged, customers and suppliers can feel that enthusiasm.

What advice would you give to other branch managers looking to grow and improve their branch?

That it's all about the people around you. By making sure everyone around you is happy and excelling, you're able to concentrate on pushing your branch forward in other areas. If your team works well together, then the branch is easy to run, and you can look at other areas of the business or other areas in-branch where you can drive better performance.

What are your goals for the next year?

For myself, I want to push myself to improve and grow further – to keep progressing. And for the branch, to achieve the branch targets set by the business and continue to develop the branch colleagues.

Everything’s really positive. We’re now looking at how we can change the branch to be even better, and how we can increase our sales and profit, bring in new customers, and offer a better service. We’re always looking at ways to improve.

Congratulations again to the whole team at Worcester for their well-deserved win. To experience a similar level of exceptional service, find your nearest branch here.