Staff Profile: Karen Smith

With a strong background in sales and customer service, Karen Smith is responsible for business development at GBN. Working alongside commercial manager Samatha Wilson, she looks after clients and is also in charge of marketing.

“My role is very varied and changes a lot day-to-day”, she explains. “I deal with customers and will visit new sites and existing clients. I also manage the website and marketing and will go to exhibitions and shows on behalf of GBN.”

After working in telesales and then skip lorry and generator hire, Ms Smith wanted to progress in the industry and approached GBN in February 2014. She was hired immediately.

Since then, she has been a driving force in developing new business for the company and raising its public profile.

“We have a good relationship with our customers – be it through me, Samantha, one of our customer service representatives or even the company directors, who are really hands on”, she explains.

“Working my way up has meant I’m not afraid to go out and meet new people. And if you believe in a service you are trying to sell, it makes it quite easy.”

On the marketing side, Ms Smith has been instrumental in promoting GBN through its website, social media channels and quarterly newsletter.

“I feel it is important to get our name out there”, she says. “GBN started as a small company and we have acquired lots of other businesses. We need to be proud of what we have achieved and the number of depots we have covering London and Essex, which is a great selling point”.

At present, she is busy setting up Google Reviews to raise the profile of GBN on the internet, and is looking ahead to plans by the company to install a new IT system.

“I love everything about my job”, she comments. “I enjoy working with people and learning new things. I am really passionate about the role – perhaps too passionate sometimes!”