Nathan Fenwick

How long have you been with Fen-Bay?

I have been at Fen-Bay Services now for just coming up to 4 years.

Why did you choose to work at Fen-Bay and what is your favourite part about working here?

I began my journey at Fen-Bay Services at the age of 19 after finishing my A-levels at Sixth Form. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or what career path I wanted to follow. I became aware of Fen-Bay through some mutual friends, and after organising an interview I was lucky enough to be offered a job. Over the years of working here, something I have come to enjoy the most about the job is the fact that there is always an inflow of business. All the departments here are very close and we all work together as one big team. It allows for great communication and helps us complete our jobs effectively and efficiently. Another benefit to this is that it makes for a great setting for new friendships amongst your colleagues that can be transferred outside of work as well.

What position did you join the company as and what position/job title do you hold now?

When I first joined Fen-bay I started as a sales administrator, where now I have worked my way up to be Sales Estimator Team leader.

Has your role changed since you’ve been here and have you had any promotions during your time working with Fen-Bay? If so, please give details.

I originally started as a sales administrator, and after gaining experience in the business and trade, I then became a sales estimator, working closely with a variety of customers and providing quotations for both repair and installation works. I have recently been lucky enough to be given a promotion to Sales Estimator Team leader, where I now oversee operations within my own team of estimators.

What does a normal day look like?

A normal day is turning up for work at 8am, and the very first thing is making that all important coffee! I try to make sure that all my emails have been actioned from the day before if any have overrun, while making sure my team are ready to start on working through our list of jobs that we need to quote for the day. Throughout the day, I will work on numerous quotations from project installation works, to small repair works, whilst constantly liaising with clients to ensure customer satisfaction and make sure all communications are being actioned. Other roles throughout the day also consist of processing any new orders that come in, setting daily tasks to chase old or previous quotes, and communicating with my team constantly to ensure we are on top of our workload and there are no issues to be dealt with. At the end of the day, we aim to have all jobs and quotes from the day cleared up and sent out, so it gives us a chance to unwind and start fresh the following day.

What skills or attributes do you need to be good at your job?

In order to do this job you need to have good communications skills for coordinating with clients and various teams within the office, good knowledge of the industry, and awareness of the constantly growing market to allow you to maintain profit margins. Good mathematics skills are helpful as you are working with lots of figures. It helps to have good attention to detail, and also be IT literate as we work with lots of different formats and templates when putting together quotations and using our own CRM System.

What have been your proudest moments at FBS?

One of my proudest moments is when I was promoted to Sales Estimator Team Leader. It was nice to know that the company had trust and confidence in me to step up and be able to do my job whilst being responsible for others around me in my own team.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to work in a similar role to yours?

My advice would be to be committed and eager to learn the products and the industry. Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Talk to the people around you, we’re a friendly team and we want our team members to be successful. Finally, I would say don’t rush things and always work in a way that is comfortable for you. The workload can get intense and you may feel overwhelmed at times, but there are always people around you that are happy to help.

How much training have you had access to and what type of training?

I have had some basic training within my role, which consists of product training to have an understanding of the equipment I am quoting for and industry I am working in. Until now, a lot of my knowledge has come with experience and time, and listening to those around me. However, now being part of the Hörmann Group, we have access to further training facilities for a lot more products, which is an exciting prospect and something I have had discussions about attending in the very near future.

What are your main responsibilities?

My main responsibilities are making sure that my team and I are always on top of our workload to get quotes out within a 24hr to 48hr timeframe. I ensure that there is always an open flow of communication with my team to help them learn and share my knowledge of our products and industry.

Do you feel there is opportunity for growth and development within the business?

I feel like there is a massive opportunity for growth and development within the business. I have already experienced a vast amount of growth as a person in my 4 years here, and developed numerous skills that are helping enhance my working knowledge and abilities.

Have you worked on any interesting projects?

I have worked on many interesting projects, whether it be due to the  location of the works, type of works we are doing, or the scale of the project. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing an order come in for a big project that you know you played a big part in putting together.

How do you unwind after a busy day?

After an extremely busy day, as much as I would like to say that I then go to the gym and work out a sweat, there is nothing better than just going home, sitting on the sofa and sticking the football on the TV. Being able to reflect on a busy but positive day, and re-setting yourself ready to wake up the next day and do it all again.