Happy New Year everyone!
As we embrace a new year filled with fresh challenges and goals, we are excited to introduce our new sales representative, Annette Saines. Annette is not your typical sales representative and can definitely keep up with the men! With an extensive background in facility management and a passion for Catalina flying boats and vintage aircraft, she brings a unique perspective to our team.
As our team grows, so does our commitment to providing exceptional service.
To keep up with new clients and web enquiries, we’re proud to have Annette on board, as her diverse experiences and expertise will further enhance the best possible outcome from our range of services.
To get to know your first point of contact better and understand how her experience can benefit you, we chatted with Annette.
Meet Annette, our new sales representative!
Annette, welcome to the team! Can you please tell us about your experience and background in facility management?
I’ve spent ten to fifteen years in sales. I started in electronic componentry and the safety industry, which included selling drug and alcohol testing equipment to the whole North Island. I’ve had hands-on experience in coal mines, gold mines, paper mills, councils, fire and police departments. I loved it! I’ve been four km underground in the Huntley coal mine when it was still open. That was an interesting experience.
My first sales role was in electronic components. I was the first female sales rep in New Zealand selling componentry and the first woman without a degree in electrical engineering. Because of that, many other managers laughed at my manager and asked, “Why are you putting her on the road?” but in the end, I was in high demand, so I did really well, especially in a male-dominated industry, which I have always been in.
What motivated you to join Rapid Facilities?
Before working here, I had actually used Rapid’s services in my last role. I know a lot about how they work, what they do and how they treat their staff. I’ve always respected them and what I’ve heard over the years, so I thought I’d really like to work with Robyn, Paul and Andrew. They do what they do well, and they look after their staff.
How do you utilise your expertise to assist clients?
I have had nine years of residential property experience and six years of facilities maintenance experience for a large medical centre, including managing a couple of big build projects and coordinating between management staff and onsite building contractors; therefore, I understand many of the processes. Because I understand the facilities side, coming into the sales role at Rapid, I may see things that Rapid can do that clients may not be aware of. I can oversee what’s best for the client.
What specific services or solutions do you believe Rapid Facilities can offer regarding food safety, industrial cleaning and maintenance?
They offer a good all-around service covering many different areas for the client to make their business function much easier. It’s not just the cleaning or the painting; it’s grounds care, commercial office cleaning, and building maintenance. All our services are designed to interact with each other.
How do you approach a client’s unique need and tailor a solution for them?
Communication is key. I’m a good talker! The first thing I did in my role was get to know the clients. I would visit some of them to understand their business and learn about what they do, which helps me see where we can add value to them.
It all comes down to understanding our clients, whether they are first-time or repeat customers.
What sets Rapid Facilities apart from other service providers in the industry?
Commitment to providing a good service and doing everything possible to meet the client’s requirements.
During my first two weeks on the job, we had a client who rang us on a Friday and needed a job done for an audit the following Monday, so I went out there and looked at the job, and we made it happen even though our staff was fully committed. We’ll do jobs overnight and on the weekends when operations are closed.
How do you stay updated on industry trends to provide the most relevant solutions?
I do that through collaborating with our operations team, going out on jobs, looking at what the operations team are doing, and translating that across to other clients where it may work. Whether that’s going down to the warehouse to learn what a particular machine does, how it works, and where you would use it, you won’t just find me by the phone; I’ll be interacting with team members and clients!
What’s your favourite part about your role?
Meeting the customers. I find it exciting to go into the factory and learn and see how something is done. Every day is different – every client is different. From car parks to drink canning places, no day is the same. Plus, working here with the team is a lot of fun.
One of the things I love is the training provided. Recently, I did an advanced working at heights course and learned about scissors and boom lifts. I was the only grey-headed woman on the course! But it showed my instructor that if I could do it, so could the men with cold feet.
If someone wants to enquire about Rapid’s services, what’s the best way to contact you?
You can pick up the phone and give me a call or contact me via email, and I’ll be happy to help!
Whatever the industry and whatever the job, we offer teams of highly trained, efficient and safety-conscious professionals who will get the job done right the first time. Meet the rest of the team or check out our range of services.
