Moving into the cleaning sector made good sense to Ian, who wanted a sales position with a flexible working environment and room to grow his career.
Ian Griffiths joined the company as a Business Development Manager approximately four years ago. He was responsible for finding and winning new business from prospective customers. His career progressed and at the beginning of 2019 when he became Sales Manager for the whole of the southern half of the UK. It’s now his responsibility to manage and grow a broad portfolio of customers across the facilities management sector.
Working with customers to make a difference
“I really value the opportunity to work with a range of different customers, helping meet their specific needs,” said Ian Grith, Sales Manager at Berry bpi. “I’m also incredibly proud of the environmental credentials of our business and the way we help our customers adopt ethical, environmentally friendly approaches in regards to their refuse sack choices and waste management as a whole.”
Ian took an unexpected path to the cleaning and hygiene sector. “After a degree in Sport Science and IT I worked as a Health Club Sales Manager and Sport Development Manager. In this latter role I worked in close partnership with local government and Sport Wales, supporting the development of community based sports provision and extra-curricular sporting activities for children and young people. Key agendas were to provide activities to combat crime and anti-social behaviour targeting young people from challenging backgrounds. There was also an emphasis on developing pathways and guiding talented individuals into local sports clubs and more elite level sports via national governing sport associations. I went on to work in a health promotion role, alongside Public Health Wales, addressing health inequalities and promoting health in local communities and schools.”
Moving into the cleaning and hygiene sector might not seem like a natural next step from the outside, but it made good sense to Ian. “I loved working with the people, but the roles were restricted and limited by the funding available. I didn’t have the freedom to develop them as I wanted for the long term, and I always wanted to return to a Sales position with a more flexible working environment. Business Development and now Sales Manager at Berry bpi was the perfect fit.
“What makes Berry bpi unique is not only our products and technology. It’s not only our proven commitment to both customers and the wider environment. And it’s not only the entrepreneurial air, candour and smart thinking of our employees.
“It’s our attitude – a commitment to all the things that lead to commercial success. This means putting customer and group results rst, taking full ownership of our ideas and solutions, and working as a close-knit unit with our customers to exceed expectations.
Together we are stronger. “Our team is drawn from a range of disciplines, from engineering to design. This integrated approach enables us to work with customers that require a range of capabilities.
“And all our people are chosen for their integrity, their ability to combine practical skills with creativity and their willingness to listen rst, act fast and deliver perfect, market-driven, value-added solutions. That is the Berry bpi culture.”
Ian was attracted to the role and the industry by the opportunity to build relationships with and work with different people and organisations regionally and nationally. Working in a rapidly growing sector was also appealing. “Waste management is a hot topic,” explained Ian, “and Berry bpi is at the forefront. We help our distributor and facilities management customers and good ethical and environmentally positive solutions.
Additionally, we provide bespoke marketing support and resources that contribute towards attaining a real competitive advantage in the market place.” Ian also loves the variety in his job. “No two days are the same,” he says. “I’ve got a broad customer base, each with a different set of challenges and opportunities. I really love building relationships and helping partners achieve their commercial goals. It’s not been possible during the pandemic, but I also enjoy travelling around to the various customer sites, to maintain a comprehensive understanding of their current issues and areas to develop.”
Speaking to anyone contemplating a career in the cleaning and hygiene sector, Ian said: “It’s a great industry packed with huge opportunities amongst the manufacturers and distributors operating within it. It’s very varied with a full range of job functions and crucially, the sector’s growing. My advice would be, when the opportunity comes your way, grab it!”
Berry bpi is a member of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA). The CHSA Code of Practice and Accreditation Schemes give buyers of cleaning and hygiene products the certainty their supplier is ethical and what’s on the box is what’s in the box. Our Standards. Your Guarantee.
