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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 Jen actively building relationships out in the field, and an Internal Account Manager like David 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 Scotland, Jen and David exemplify just how potent this system can be.

Q: "Could both of you briefly share your journey with William Smith Group?"

Jen: "So my journey actually started on the other side of the table. Before joining the company seven years ago, I was a customer of William Smith and Gill Harrison was my account manager! My professional roots trace back to the signage world where I started as a graphic designer. Later, I transitioned to retail, worked my way up to marketing manager for a large Scottish retailer, and eventually ran my own interior design shops. My passion for architectural designs drew me back to this industry, and here I am."

David: "I started in internal sales support, and those first five months were a real crash course—getting to grips with our products and understanding what our customers wanted. However, moving up to Internal Account Manager for Scotland was a whole different challenge that came with added responsibility. Thankfully, having Jen around made the transition easier. She's been with the company for a while and has a wealth of knowledge about our Scottish customers. I’ve learned loads and, honestly, I've enjoyed every step."

Q: "First impressions can often set the tone for working relationships. Jen, what were your initial thoughts when you met David?"

Jen: "Right from the start, David struck me as someone with a very positive attitude, very professional. But it's hard not to chuckle thinking back. He did have a little trouble catching up with my Scottish accent initially, and there were a lot of apologies on his end. Thankfully, he got the hang of my 'fast-paced lingo' pretty quickly."

David: "Yeah, I had my fair share of, 'sorry, what did you say?' moments. But, past the accent barrier, I noticed how incredibly hardworking Jen was. She always took the time to teach me about our Scottish accounts, and that’s been invaluable."

Q: "Both of you come with unique experiences. What qualities do you think make each other especially well-suited to the role in the Scottish market?"

Jen: "I think we work well together because we have the same goal, we want to grow our area and offer a good service and products that work well for specific projects. Neither of us are pushy salespeople which I think our customers appreciate.

David: "Jen's experience as a customer gives her an edge. She's been on the other side, so she understands customer expectations and frustrations first-hand. Plus, she's phenomenal with customers and always finds a way to resolve their issues."

Q: "How do you navigate the Scottish market?"

Jen: "I think Scotland is a bit unique in that the projects tend to be a bit different to the rest of the UK; perhaps less large scale. It’s also incredibly competitive which is why we focus so heavily on understanding our customers’ individual needs and offering the best solutions we can."

David: "We have a diverse range of clients in Scotland - from big corporations to solo tradesmen. But the one thing they all have in common? They’re incredibly hardworking and dedicated to their craft. Proper grafters!”

Q: "Last but not least, if you could describe each other in just one word, what would it be?"

David: "Driven."

Jen: "Awesome."