DIYWEEK.net

An artificial grass firm has recently welcomed two new members of staff to its team to enhance its business in the south. Kerry Lee and Emma Baddeley have been appointed to the roles of area sales manager and sales and marketing co-ordinator respectively with ArtificialGrass.com. 

Ms Lee joined the company in February 2019 and has brought a wide range of experience to the position. Having originally trained as a nurse, she went onto be the assistant manager of a pub, a customer service advisor and returns manager for Hallmark, where she worked for a period of seven years, and, most recently, an account manager for Rockwool Insulation.

“I wanted to get into nursing in order to care for people,” she explained, “but my experience was marred by politics and red tape that prevented me from doing this as effectively as I’d have liked to. That’s precisely why I’ve since gravitated towards customer service, as it’s entirely about caring for people and making sure that they’re happy with the quality of the products and services that they’ve received.

"Working for ArtificialGrass.com appealed to me because it’s a family-run business, which is a big difference from some of the international firms that I have worked for in the past, yet still remains a brand leader that is constantly evolving with the times. What’s more, the business is constantly growing and there’s very much a family feel to the working environment.”

Responsible for co-ordinating ArtificialGrass.com’s sales in the south of England, Ms Lee spends time supporting independent builders merchant clients, visiting branches, training staff, as well as participating in trade days to help grow the firm’s landscaping sales.

“By managing my time effectively, I’m able to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the service that they have received from us, and there’s nothing I find more rewarding than to see our customers’ businesses evolve as a direct result of our support.”

Also from Leicestershire, Ms Baddeley lives with her fiancé John, to whom she is getting married in October 2019, and his 13-year-old daughter, Hannah.

Emma joined the ArtificialGrass.com team in March 2019, having previously been a team leader in the independent garden centre sector at Gardman UK Ltd.

“My time working for Gardman gave me a great insight into the merchant industry, sales order processing and logistics,” she said. “The idea of working in a busy corporate environment is one that really appeals to me, and given the professional nature and excellent quality of ArtificialGrass.com, it just seemed like the perfect fit.”

On a day-to-day basis, Emma’s role see her processing artificial turf orders for merchants, taking calls from customers to provide advice and quotations for jobs, managing the firm’s social media accounts, co-ordinating deliveries, and offering support to Kerry and the installer network.

“The nature of the job is very fast paced,” she continued, “and getting everything done efficiently and to a high standard is very important. I’m relishing the opportunity to continue developing both our social media following and presence, as well as fully managing the orders desk for all of ArtificialGrass.com in the south.”

In her spare time, Ms Baddeley enjoys working out at the gym, spending time with her family and friends, travelling abroad, hosting barbeques, or watching her daughter play rugby for Leicestershire Girls.

Andy Driver, sales and marketing director for ArtificialGrass.com, said: “We are thrilled to have welcomed both Kerry and Emma to the team. It is a huge asset and privilege to have someone with as much drive and energy as Kerry and attention to detail as Emma working with us. I’m sure they will both have very fruitful careers with us, while also providing our customers with the best possible level of service.”