Straightpoint (SP) has named Lauren Johnson sales and customer support executive, as the load cell manufacturer continues to expand its team based at Havant, UK headquarters in line with an ongoing gazelle growth strategy.
The appointment represents a move into the industrial sector for Johnson, who was previously assistant manager / events coordinator for a venue on the nearby Hampshire coastline. Moreover, it completes a transition into a sales / customer service position more closely aligned with her core strengths and abilities.
She said: “I was determined to find the right role; this job appeared on a recruitment site where I was registered and I had no hesitation in making an application given the breadth of skills I could transfer to meet the key criteria. My previous job involved creating and following up leads on events, closing sales, up-selling packages, and overseeing the smooth operation of everyday procedures at the facility.”
At SP, Johnson, who started on 12 November, will principally look after quotations, orders, and general customer service enquiries. She will also be responsible for managing relationships with global partners in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, as the force measurement equipment specialist works with these strategic local distributors to provide product for lifting and many other applications in their respective marketplaces.
Johnson said: “They’re both completely different ends of the spectrum in respect of products, but the concept of the sale is similar. Also, great customer service was important in my previous role, as that is how we secured repeat business and recommendations. It’s already clear to me that SP is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for partners and end users alike, so there is a great deal of common ground between my previous and new employers.”
Ever-growing SP is familiar with the on-boarding process—Kizzie Cordwell stepped into the previous position to be filled in inside sales only this summer—and Johnson has already started to learn about the extensive product range, from the best-selling Radiolink plus load cell to equipment for more niche, specialised applications.
She said: “There are so many products and I’ve only been here a week so I’m still touching on some of them. But I have a great teacher, so I’m picking them up quick—I think! My first impressions are excellent; everyone is friendly and has welcomed me into the SP family with great warmth. The whole building runs with efficiency and staff carries out their jobs with enthusiasm and dedication. The customers I’ve encountered so far have been equally engaging.”
David Ayling, director at SP, said: “It’s fitting that Lauren completed her first week as other members of the team were busy networking and generating leads at the UK’s LiftEx trade show. It’s become a very multifaceted, dynamic operation and that becomes evident to new employees in their early days. I hear inductions have gone well and that Lauren has embraced this exciting challenge. As always, it’s a privilege to welcome another young professional to the SP family.”
In her spare time, Johnson enjoys sports and cooking.
