In this article we meet Miriam Kirkwood and get a brief insight into her role as Pre-Sales Team Leader within the Industrial Projects Team at Hörmann UK.
How long have you been with Hörmann?
I joined Hörmann just over 7 years ago, originally in the position of Estimating Support Administrator. Before then I had been working as a recruitment consultant which taught me to be super organised and prior to that I was a Cricket Development Officer with Capital Kids Cricket in London, where I ran a scheme promoting girl’s cricket in Tower Hamlets. This was a result of my playing junior County Cricket for Kent, a sport I love.
What is your job at Hörmann?
I am the Team Leader of the Pre-sales team within the Industrial Projects department. Together with my team of five, I am responsible for processing and progressing all incoming enquiries. The team consists of two trade coordinators who look after all the ‘supply only’ enquiries, two estimators who handle all of the ‘supply and fit’ work and one project administrator who books all the orders onto the system, processes projects invoicing and produces O&M requests. We ensure that every enquiry is answered and processed in a timely manner, that quotations are raised for forthcoming projects and that our Area Sales Managers and trade partners are aware of potential projects and are contacting all those involved – from architects, specifiers, main contractors, and clients.
I see my role and that of my team as pivotal in making sure Hörmann are providing their industrial customers and partners with a prompt and effective service, and that everyone involved in the Industrial side of the business are fully aware of new projects and opportunities.
What training was required?
The majority of my training has been product based as the Industrial range at Hörmann is so extensive and new products are always being developed and introduced. We are really lucky as we have access to the Hörmann training academy and also a dedicated showroom area where a number of industrial doors and loading bay products are displayed, and there are always experts on hand to answer any questions you may have.
However, the most important skill you can have in this role is being organised as there are some many things going on at the same time which all need to be logged, processed, and actioned.
What does a normal day look like?
Really busy! The Industrial projects team have more orders on their books than ever before, with the market being very buoyant and this is reflected in our day-to-day activities. Along with processing incoming enquiries, I also log all tenders and monitor their progress which involves regular meetings with our team of Project Managers and liaise with the Area Sales Managers.
I also run a feedback programme for every project we work on. This involves feedback being requested at each part of the project from initial quotation right through to completion. This enables us to make sure we are providing the right information at the right time, and if we ever fall short, we know about it and can take action to rectify the situation.
What are the best and most challenging parts of the job?
The best part of my job is without doubt winning work. I am extremely competitive, I think as a result of my sporting background, and I love to see a job well done with positive feedback. I also really value working as part of a team, not just working with my direct team, but everyone involved in Industrial projects – we all work hard but also have some fun. The job really suits me as I am known for being bit nosey, I am always getting my husband to stop at random sites to see who is running a project and what products are being installed – I think he finds it a bit annoying!
The most challenging aspect is keeping up with so much information and reacting to the current trends in the market. At Hörmann we are seeing a definite move toward projects coming to fruition much quicker, with things having speeded up since the pandemic. The mix of business is also changing with more mega-sheds and faster build schedules – we definitely need to be ready to react quickly and be flexible. The recent acquisition of the Fen-Bay Group has also added to the demands on the whole team, with additional opportunities being generated by this new addition to the Hörmann Group.
What have been your proudest moments at Hörmann?
I have to say it was when I was promoted to my present role, almost matched when I recently won the Hörmann award for Outstanding Performance, for chasing the Sales Team which I know they love!
How do you unwind after a busy day at Hörmann?
My husband and I own two horses so spending time with them certainly helps me to relax. Not so relaxing is watching my husband race his motorbike! My dog Stitch is also a great leveler as he is always happy to see me and ready for a walk.
For further information on Hörmann UK call 01530 516868 or visit www.hormann.co.uk
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