THOMAS CARTER

03/2022 – Present
Kingspan Insulation Limited | Pembridge, Hereford
Specification Manager – NW

Following my role at CLD, I transitioned to Kingspan to further develop my experience within the construction industry. In this position, I consistently collaborated with and led a regional team of Area Sales Managers and Technical Advisors to drive both the growth and depth of our project portfolio and professional relationships across end clients, architects, and main contractors, both new and existing.

I adopted a cradle-to-grave approach, delivering consistent and comprehensive support from early concept stages through detailed design, compliance, and on-site application. Key responsibilities included:

• Translating client pain points and requirements into solution-led concepts and designs, collaboratively refined and presented as cohesive strategies using visuals or video.
• Delivering regular seminars and CPD presentations to architects and contractors, covering topics ranging from the Kingspan brand and product DNA to fire safety and testing, net zero targets, and governing policies.
• Producing daily U-value calculations and NBS specifications, alongside conducting full site surveys across developments, including foundations, cavities, and roofing systems.
• Hosting weekly and quarterly regional meetings to ensure business plans were executed and exceeded, with progress tracked through individual and team-based KPIs. This performance led to nomination for the Kingspan Talent Programme in the past year.

Due to my success and consistency over the previous months I was offered the opportunity to progress to a BDM by the end of 2021. This saw me move to a more field-based position over a national and European geographic, working on live projects but also being involved at the grass roots of some huge developments. Allowing me to work alongside well-established blue-chip clients, National and Premier League Football clubs as well as Government departments such as the MOD and MOJ. Again, I was targeted on a set of monthly and quarterly KPI's with the addition of deals closed and also new end clients onboarded within specific industries. Other key parts of my role included:

• Navigating and connecting a client's pain points and requirements to support our concept of solution and design. Refining this collaboratively and presenting a complete strategy with visuals or video
• Continually developing my pipeline both client and project based, achieved through multiple avenues of regular site visits, face to face meetings, workshops, CPD's and exhibitions
• Creating detailed documents illustrating a specific end clients requirements to support there assets worldwide. Allowing a consistent level of quality, security and aesthetic tailor made to their needs irrelevant of the location
• Travelled extensively both nationally and worldwide in order to generate or retain relationships and opportunities

This was the beginning of my new career both at CLD and the construction industry. Whereas previously I had spent multiple years progressing in a sales focused position, this was a transition to a more client centric role both cultivating new and retaining existing relationships with end clients, architects and contractors nationwide. Throughout these six months I was targeted on KPI's including opportunities opened, new meetings sat and specification value confirmed. These targets were hit consistently throughout my time within the role, over a plethora of different projects and industries up and down the country. Other parts of my role included:

• Analysing and producing a key understanding of the critical timings of a wide range industries to gain the most valued and profitable work throughout the year
• Consecutively booking and sitting meetings along with CPD's both via teams and face to face to dig into a clients or practices portfolio and align that with where and when we could be of value.
• Developing a healthy and progressive pipeline both for me and my team
• Developed and implemented value-adding strategies to increase product and service profitability.
• Strategised with sales teams to prospect and qualify potential customers within assigned geographic territories.
• Prepared Salesforce reports to evaluate performance and prioritise outreach.

Within the year I was fast tracked to SME sales executive due to the results in my previous role. For the last 3 years I have been developing and increasing my knowledge and ability within sales. In this role I was targeted on company and personal goals ranging from gross profit to closing ratios, which I persistently hit monthly and quarterly. My role also included:

• Strengthened profit opportunities by developing key customer relationships, This was achieved by regular research and conversation with suppliers and clients on a daily basis
• Understanding and keeping up to date with the specific needs and requirements for each separate clients industry I was dealing with
• Additionally having the same approach with each supplier we used, allowing me to understand fully the pros ands cons of each and which would be best to suited and beneficial to a clients needs
• Having the ability to uncover a clients issues and motivation whilst at the same time providing a solution that resolves and improves from their current situation
• Creating professional sales presentations to creatively communicate product quality and market comparisons
• Highlighting not only the benefits of the solution but also the value of using our organisation
• Time management, having the organisation to prioritise and efficiently execute sales opportunities in order to exceed and continually hit company and personal targets.

Once I had passed my qualifications, I was offered a full time placement. Within this year I developed the skills needed to understand the different types of customers and their needs and requirements, finding the ideal solutions for there issues and creating a frequent flow of leads and opportunities allowing me to exceed my targets. My role also included:

• Identified and pursued valuable business opportunities to generate new company revenue and improve bottom line profit by hitting monthly and quarterly targets set by myself and the business
• Collaborated with company departments to develop new strategies to capitalise on emerging customers needs and market trends
• Staying up to date with new products and product knowledge on a monthly basis in order to pin point customers needs and requirments
• Scheduled sales appointments for sales executives to discuss products and services in order to close qualified leads
• The ability to Identify issues and craft unique and immediate solutions to resolve problems generating a need and urgency to use our organisation
• Developed and maintained lasting customer relationships as a result of quick turnaround and strong communication skills
• Called potential customers from marketing lists and referral programs to engage and discuss personal needs.

This was the start of of my career in sales. Once I knew I wanted to be based in sales I enrolled in a year long apprenticeship. This helped to understand the full process of B2B sales and everything that included. From generating a prospect to closing the deal, support aftercare and finally the retention. Throughout this year I picked numerate skills including:

• Understanding the sales cycle
• How to generate a need or urgency from a prospect and being able to understand a buyers behaviour in every sales Situation
• Time Planning within Sales
• And manage personal development and targets
• Complying with Legal, regulatory and ethical requirements in a sales or marketing role
• Selling by telephone inbound and outbound, processing and completing sales orders
• Whilst meeting customers after-sales needs
• Inputting and accessing sales or marketing data
• Supporting Customers in obtaining finance for purchases
• Generating and qualifying sales leads and obtaining and analysing sales related Information
• Obtaining and analysing competitor Information.