We’re really proud of the people that work for Bullens and the dedication that they show to our customers, so from now on we are going to be blogging every month about one of our team so that you can find out more about who we are here at Bullens, and get to know us a bit better. The first interview is with Cathy, one of our Personal Customer Advisors, who won the Customer Service Week award, as voted for by our customers.
How long have you worked for Bullens, and what did you do before?
I started at Bullens in January 2010, before that I worked for the Ministry of Defence. I worked in the housing solutions department, sorting out housing repairs for the married quarters. I was also the complaints co-ordinator for the South East, honestly some of the things people used to phone up with! They’d be ringing up complaining about having condensation but then have ringing wet washing drying on the radiators… well that’s what’s causing the condensation!
But don’t get me wrong I did enjoy working there, it was actually one of the old managers at Bullens that moved from the MOD to Bullens, and then he asked if I wanted to work with him here as well.
What do you do on a day to day basis?
The majority of my day consists of ringing up customers, placing the monthly orders, checking that they are okay and aren’t having any problems, as well as the stock checks with them to make sure they don’t run out of anything. Some customers may also want to try samples, so I’ll order the samples in for them and send them out to them. A lot of my patients are at work all day so I’ll email them to get their order. I worked on all areas of the business now, I covered EB for the first 4 years I was here, then I went to Urology and now I’m primarily Stoma.
What’s the best thing about working at Bullens?
Definitely the customers! You build such a relationship with them over time and I just refer to them all as my friends, and they treat me exactly the same. So calls can last up to 40 minutes sometimes, but I never try and hurry anyone along because if someone is having a bad time or needs to vent about something I’m always there for them.
What’s the funniest question you’ve ever been asked at work?
Erm I’m not sure where to begin here. I had a chap that rang up, and it’s not a question as such but what he said. He said to me ‘you’re a case you are!’ and I said ‘oh you cheeky little monkey I’m going to slap those little legs of yours when I see you!’ just having a laugh and a joke. Then, next thing, he says to me ‘Well you’d have a hard time trying because the doctors cut them off in January!.’ I don’t know if he was serious of not but I was mortified… and told him I’d have to slap his wrists instead then!
What do you like doing outside of work?
Well I like spending time with my family, in fact I really enjoy that. I also chat to a few customers outside of work, they’re always sending me messages on Facebook. I also love to go shopping, as us ladies do! I love walking along Otterspool Promenade when it’s not too windy, I love it along there.
Final question, tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
One thing, I don’t like heights. They make me very nauseous. When I went on holiday a few years ago to Tunisia with my ex, I was trying to make him go on a Camel… So he said well I’ll do that if you go parasailing. So eventually I agreed to go first, and I said to the man doing it, ‘Just take me to the end of the harbour and bring me right back again.’ So he did, but then he also took me the length of the beach as well! Honestly my heart was in my mouth, I was on my own and the harness was cutting me to ribbons! But anyways I did it, and you know he never even went on the Camel in the end!