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At William Smith, our unique 'Buddy System' brings together two distinct roles to create a seamless customer experience. With an External Account Manager like Liam actively building relationships out in the field, and an Internal Account Manager like Harry ensuring every client's needs are addressed promptly from the office, this partnership offers a compelling combination of hands-on and back-end support. In the North East, Liam and Harry exemplify just how potent this system can be.

Q: "Can you both briefly introduce yourselves and share a bit about your journey at William Smith?"

Liam: "I've been with William Smith for over a decade now. I started in the warehouse right after I finished university and then moved into the sales office within a year. I've now been the External Account Manager in the North East for the past 3 years."

Harry: "I’ve been here for 3 years. My mate sent me a link to a job ad for William Smith and it seemed ideal for what I wanted to achieve in my working life. I’m someone who has always struggled to settle into a job role, and this is now the longest I’ve stayed in one place, and I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon! I’ve tried my hand at all sorts, from working as a mobile phone salesman to a delivery driver for an electric company!”

Q: "What was your first impression of each other?"

Harry: "Liam seemed very upbeat and knew his stuff. He’s also a bit weird. We’re all a bit weird here!”

Liam: “My first impression of Harry was that he was lively, bright, and a little bit mental. In a good way, of course! We shared a lot of characteristics, so I had a feeling we'd make a great team."

Q: "What individual qualities does your buddy bring to their role?"

Liam: "Harry's commitment to customer satisfaction stands out to me. He's very personable, easy-going, and builds lasting relationships with our customers. He’s always willing to go the extra mile for them, or anyone really, and the feedback I hear about him is always very positive."

Harry: “Liam’s very driven and his industry knowledge is as good as it gets. He can digest complex information about products and explain it clearly and concisely so that it’s easy to understand. It helps our customers, and to be honest, it sometimes helps me too!”

Q: "How do you communicate and stay aligned on goals?

Liam: "We have a weekly check-in, discussing the highs and lows of the past week.”

Harry: "Yeah, the weekly meeting is important. It helps to keep us on the same page and ensures we're both working towards the same goals."

Q: "And what are your thoughts on the North East as a region?”

Liam: "Well thankfully it was already in a great state when I took over the area, but I still relished the challenge of meeting all of our customers and helping to look after and support them with their growth. The North East is our home and there’s certainly added pride because of that.”

Harry: "The people here are great. We have such a mix of characters and they really do make our job a lot more enjoyable!”

Q: "Before we wrap up, in one word, how would you describe each other?"

Harry: "Animated."

Liam: "Bonkers!"