Bissell cleans up in the indies - This month, ERM editor Sean Hannam accompanies Bisseil's independent sales/account manager, Emma Burstall, as she visits dealers in South London and Surrey

摘要

Floorcare manufacturer Bissell has embarked on a major push to increase its business with independent electrical retailers. Since signing up with Cl (H) last year, the company has significantly improved its presence in the independent sector, aided by innovative products such as the Lift-Off, a bagless vacuum cleaner that is both an upright and a cylinder in one. Tasked with increasing Bisseil's business with independent electrical retailers and hardware distributors is sales/account manager, Emma Burstall. An ex-Dyson field sales trainer, Emma is originally from Newcastle, but spent 18 years in New Zealand, where she achieved a degree in industrial design. She entered the floorcare retail sales sector in 1999, on returning to the UK. "I like working with the independents, as you get to build up a good relationship with them," she enthuses, as we head to our first call of the day, Spectrum, a Euronics dealer in Addiscombe, Surrey. "I get to meet loads of different people and the job's really fun," Emma has a bubbly personality, which seems to endear her to her customers. Since she started at Bissell, Emma has made the job her own, bringing her previous experience to the role "I've created all of the system and the journey planning," she tells me, "It's the first time that Bissell has had a job role like this It's a good opportunity and Bissell is a very open-minded company. There's no red tape, Bissell is investing in its sales managers, unlike other manufacturers who are pulling them off the road We also do demo days to get shop sales people genned up on the products and we help independents to do advertising on a local level."