What do you enjoy about your role?

I love helping customers. For example, if a customer has had a bad experience with other service providers, I love showing them what we can do. I know I can say to the customer that we are “Simply The Best” and know the whole team will come up trumps.

I can also say that after 35 years in the industry, I still enjoy what I do and still get a buzz from pulling in new accounts. There are not many people who can say that! The other great thing that makes my job enjoyable is:

• The people I work with, who always seem to care for each other.
• And being left and given the freedom to do my job with nobody watching over my shoulder, which shows a trust you don’t normally get in sales.

What are you most proud of?

This is a hard one, in my work environment I would say just pulling in the biggest order of my career. In my personal life, I would say looking after my Dad when he was ill, I know I couldn’t have done any more than I did, it was extremely hard to watch and go through but I know in my heart I was the strong one for the whole family, and I know when I used to creep into his room at 2 o’clock in the morning and sit with him when he was bed ridden he would look at me with so much love, I can say with pride I did my best.

What did you do before JTM Service?

I worked for The Stanland Group for 20 years, I started off travelling the whole of the country, purely bringing in new business for the chemical department. Then after 8 years they asked me to shoot over to the machine side as they were struggling, which was a bit of a culture shock as I came from a department that worked as a team to a department that didn’t work together at all. I was not technically minded at all, luckily the engineers could see that I wanted to do everything right, so the Head Engineer took me under his wing and taught me well (at least I like to think he did). It’s nice to be able to say that he has become a friend I still stay in contact with, as well as some of the other engineers.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love lunching with my friends, spending time with my nieces, cooking and of course playing with my cat Missie, who thinks everything is a game. I have turned into the Mad Cat Lady my granny said I would when I got my first one!

Any funny story about you?

I was doing a walk around an RAF base with the squadron leader checking machines that were on site for a route op. We walked into a kitchen to hear a door slam and see a soldier buck naked, standing to attention in more ways than one, with a very red face and his girlfriend shut into the drying room. The Squadron Leader said “as you were, son”, and all three of us turned the corner and burst out laughing.

And another funny story…?

I was once doing a site survey in a hospital, on a wing that was completely empty as it was being refurbished, and they forgot I was in there. They not only locked the unit but switched off the electrics, I was in the pitch black as it was winter and there were no windows. I had to feel my way through the dark to try and find the exit out, I didn’t have my phone so no torch, and then finally found the door to find that it was locked. I was banging on the door for a good twenty minutes before someone found me. As someone who watches a lot of scary movies, my mind was working overtime!

Any interesting facts about you?

I was born in Cyprus on British soil, I was a forces brat, but it was a great way to grow up, school in the morning and swimming in the afternoon. But I am proud to say I am 100% Scottish! I have a twin brother, 3 nieces and 4 great nieces and 1 great nephew. And one cat. I love cooking and eating I now own my own home and am mortgage free. Yahaaa.  I am getting closer to my retirement, so I am going to have to find some new hobbies to keep me busy – any ideas welcome!