I've just finished my first month at Cadbury Schweppes so thought it was the perfect time to write my first blog. What a month it's been! I'm working in Grocery Field Sales in the South-West of London. It's quite a diverse ground stretching from the leafy suburbs of Twickenham and Epsom to the not so leafy suburbs of Staines and Slough!
Having been travelling for seven months beforehand I was worried it might take me a while to adapt to the working routine, however the three day graduate induction was the perfect introduction to the company and the thirty or so other graduates. At the end of the three days I couldn't wait to start my new role, and what has followed is a real baptism of fire!
Working in Grocery Field Sales is an extremely challenging role, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. I visit all the major supermarkets in my area at least once every four weeks and contrary to popular belief my role isn't generally trying to persuading them to order more chocolate! It's more concerned with winning additional space for Cadbury Trebor Bassett products, ensuring all products are available on the shop floor and checking compliance with promotional activity. It's a really hands-on role, I've been scaling ladders this week putting up displays on overhead shelving in Tesco, and even been involved in a Roses tin avalanche! Cadbury Trebor Bassett is the only company that places such an importance on merchandising out in the field and I think it makes a real difference.
Highlights so far have been arriving back from Heathrow the Friday before I started work to find my company car...a bright purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk transit van waiting for me in my drive! Once I got over the shock and managed to stop my family laughing, I have become really attached to the van and am getting used to kids waving and chasing me down the road! Low points have been trying to manoeuvre the van around multi-storey car-parks and getting a parking ticket.
I'm feeling really motivated by the healthy element of competition that exists between the different sales regions and the fantastic support I have from my manager and team. Our immediate goal is to be the number one sales team for Christmas and having volunteered to be Christmas monitor this year I am hoping to play a big part in our success. Watch this space...
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