Polypipe Building Products is proud to have a dedicated merchandising team that are constantly on the road helping to merchandise branches for our customers.
The team is made up of Merchandising Manager Roger Goodwin and Brand Merchandisers Charlie Foster-Miles and Paula Partridge.
At the 2020 Polypipe Building Products Annual Sales Conference this year we managed to grab the team for a quick photo and a chat.
How long have you been working at Polypipe?
RG: 7 years on 1st March.
CFM: I have been working at Polypipe for a year and a half now.
PP: 5 months.
What does a typical day or week look like for you?
RG: Not sure there is a typical week but I always follow the same process; Plan, Do, Review.
Covering the whole UK can be a challenge so you have to love sunrises and coffee and as a merchandiser have a creative streak.
CFM: No week is ever the same. The beauty about this job is every merchant is different and they all have different ideas and visions. It’s our job as visual merchandisers to make that vision happen.
A typical week normally consists of Branch visits, placing orders for POS, general merchandising and responding to emails.
PP: I can be in many different areas in the country in 1 week ranging from Cornwall to Norwich. Helping people gain space to put product out or making an existing area look more inviting and shoppable by installing POS and correct layouts.
What are 3 words you associate with Polypipe?
RG: Teamwork, Professionalism, Ownership.
CFM: Happiness, Satisfaction, Grateful.
PP: Friendly, Supportive, Experienced.
What is something you like about working for Polypipe?
RG: Responsibility and variety, I embrace them both and appreciate them both in equal measure.
CFM: For me Polypipe is like one big family. Everyone is friendly and there’s always someone to help if you need a hand.
PP: I enjoy working for a company that looks after their employees. As well as being able to meet and help different people on a daily basis.
What keeps you busy at the weekends?
RG: I try not to be busy at weekends, but family and friends make them special.
CFM: Weekends for me is family time. Me and my wife like to go on long walks with our dog.
PP: My 3-year-old son.
Where is your favourite Holiday destination?
RG: Ideally Majorca but anywhere sunny.
CFM: My Favourite Holiday Destination would have to be Jamaica. I am a huge fan of reggae music and Caribbean food. It was also our most recent holiday, we went there in October for our honeymoon and it was an amazing experience.
PP: Cornwall.
Tell us something about yourself that may surprise us?
RG: I love to design gardens and make Cigar Box Guitars. I also renewed my wedding vows in Las Vegas with an Elvis wedding!
CFM: Before I started at Polypipe, I was a soldier in the British Army. I was in the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment. Which is a Light role infantry regiment.
While I was in the Army, I became a fully qualified British Army skydiving instructor. I would take soldiers returning from places like Afghanistan for their first ever Skydives. This was a part of something we called decompression. Which prepares them to return to normal life from war.
Charlie on a sky-dive.
PP: I only own 5 pairs of shoes. A pair of boots, trainers, going out boots, work boots and a pair of sandals.