THE BOTTOM LINE MARCH 2021

Firstly, I’d like to say a huge congratulations and a thank you for 20 years of service to CSL. How has your role changed over the past two decades?

Thank you, Simon. I cannot believe it has been 20 years! We have come a long way since January 2001 when I joined the business as a Warehouse Operative. After getting to know the company, throwing myself into the role, and asking lots of questions, I was given the opportunity to become Logistics Manager. Then, in 2017 I achieved my dream job of Operations Manager. I can remember when we celebrated our first month of dispatching 1,000 orders. Now we do more than this every week! We have come a remarkably long way from our humble beginnings, but I still recognise the company for the same ‘customer first’ focus and teamwork I witnessed on day one.

How have you managed your department to meet the demands of the growing business?

We have expanded the team over the years, with 12 team members now based at our Logistics Centre in South Wales. The team boasts 5 staff who have been with CSL for over 10 years and this experience is complimented by newer team members who have helped us to keep moving forward. As well as this, our focus has been on constantly evaluating and improving our processes. We have a commitment to our customers that my team and I are determined to fulfil every single day. This keeps us focused on working hard but also working efficiently to maximise output and minimise errors.
On a personal level, the business has supported me to complete my NVQ Level 4 in Management. This has enabled me to ensure I have the right tools I need to make sure my team are happy and working to the best of their abilities. As with all areas of CSL, we also see our customers as partners and we work closely with ARCs and Installers to ensure we collectively deliver for the end-users. I’d like to thank all my industry colleagues for their support as well.

Looking back, what have been the biggest challenges?

2020 proved to be one of the most testing years for us and obviously we are not out of the woods yet. Our industry has not slowed down – which is fantastic for us all. However, this has posed new challenges to ensure our team members have a safe working environment to enable them to do their jobs and still meet those high standards. As with every challenge thrown our way – including weather in the Welsh winters – the team has risen to the occasion and continue to do so. I couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved together.

What’s kept you interested for all these years?

At CSL and in the sectors we serve, no two days are the same. The challenges come thick and fast and I love helping the business to overcome these. I’ve also been so lucky to work for a business I truly believe in and with people whom I respect. We are always looking forward and I am excited to see where the next few years take us.

Vickie has been voted our Employee of the Year for several of her twenty years with CSL. Everyone would like to congratulate Vickie on her amazing achievement!

YOU SAID IT!

"The kit is amazing, the support is great and everyone we've dealth with at CSL, from the top to the bottom, has been spot on, and we never expect anything in return. You're all stars."

Rob Rathbone (KHG Security) - Instagram – 13th Jan