Apprentice Business Developer

Are you looking for a new challenge where you can earn while you learn? Do you want to be part of an incredible team working towards a common goal, providing excellent service to our customers?  

At Howdens we invest in our people and provide thorough on the job training and excellent career progression opportunities, reflected in our placement at Number 34 in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers table 2023.

We are proud of our substantial growth and remain committed to success through the expansion of our local depot network. Despite its scale, Howdens remains a local business with traditional values and we are seeking talented people to help us continue to grow our business.

The Role

• Provide potential and existing customers with the highest level of customer service and support the wider sales team in generating and chasing leads.
• Focus on effective customer account management, aiming to increase the company’s customer base and develop long term collaborative relationships within the building trade.
• Maintain up to date product and industry knowledge
• Use creative marketing materials to promote Howdens products, depot events and sales periods to new and existing customers
• Keep in touch with both depots lead banks regularly via the telephone and using our customer engagement messaging tool
• Develop long term collaborative relationships with customers
• Proactively gain new accounts, repeat business, and generate qualified leads for the team through outgoing sales calls
• Process sales for customers using the in store payment systems, quoting correct pricing, delivery date and stock requirements.

The Person

• Strong communication skills
• Ability to build strong relationships
• Good customer service skills
• Target driven
• Planning and organising skills
• Ability to prioritise own workload
• A desire for continuous personal and professional development

The Apprenticeship

• Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 - Intermediate Apprenticeship
• Training provided by in house Learning & Development Team
• Support from external training provider
• 15 Month programme including minimum 12 month learning period plus end point assessment
• Apprentices will be required to have or achieve level 1 English and Maths and to have taken level 2 English and Maths tests prior to completion of their Apprenticeship.

Summary

The role of a customer service practitioner is to deliver high quality products and services to the customers of their organisation. Your core responsibility will be to provide a high-quality service to customers which will be delivered from the depot.  These will be routine contacts and include dealing with orders, payments, offering advice, guidance, and support, meet-and-greet, sales, fixing problems, after care, service recovery or gaining insight through measuring customer satisfaction. Your customer interactions may cover a wide range of situations and can include; face-to-face, telephone, post, email, text and social media, and you may be the first point of contact at the depot trade counter.

Your actions will influence the customer experience and their satisfaction with your organisation. You will demonstrate excellent customer service skills and behaviours as well as product and/or service knowledge when delivering to your customers.  

In return for your hard work and commitment you will be rewarded with some great benefits, which include:

• £15,000 annual salary
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Paid holiday entitlement
• Team incentives and outings
• Staff discount on Howdens products

Why work for us?

Howdens Joinery, a trade only business with over 800 depots, has built a reputation that builders can trust through offering best local price and providing product from local stock. Our unbeatable service and product has led to us becoming a market leader, which is why we were awarded the Royal Warrant of Appointment by Her Majesty the Queen 2015 for our quality and excellence.