Chris is Hi-Level’s Sales Director. He joined the company in 1997 as a structural engineer then combined this role with running projects. He remembers how at that time so much of his work was done by hand, from structural calculations to faxing drawings to clients! After a brief move to another business as a project manager Chris returned to join the Hi-Level sales team and has been with us for more than 20 years since.
Every project is a joy
“I’m qualified with a degree in civil and structural engineering from Nottingham but I’d never heard of the mezzanine floor industry when I graduated,” Chris says. “Joining Hi-Level proved a revelation and I’ve been so inspired by the many different markets I’ve been involved in, from installing a small mezzanine floor in a school to building a large platform in a prestigious car manufacturer’s factory.”
Chris loves going out and meeting customers from a wide gamut of industries. He revels in being involved right from the very beginning of a project, working with supply chain consultants to help their clients meet tough throughput targets. Devising a mezzanine solution to suit the new equipment to be installed to achieve those goals is a rewarding challenge every time. “No project is the same. That’s the joy of this job,” he says.
Creating engineered solutions
It’s unusual for a sales director in this sector to have such a strong structural engineering background as Chris. These professional capabilities make Hi-Level unique in our ability to create engineered solutions to every problem. “I never regard myself as a salesman,” Chris says. “I know customers get confidence from my engineering background and are reassured that the solution is exactly what they need.”
It was Chris who identified the need for a new flooring solution for robots, sourced Hi-Tile and secured exclusive selling rights.. As a result, these robot-ready tiles are the most cost effective and robust product on the market.
Enthusiasm and experience
Ask Chris to describe a typical day and it soon becomes clear that he is an absolute lynchpin of Hi-Level’s success. In any week you might find him:
- Developing and executing a sales strategy to deliver on sales targets.
- Leading the sales team with enthusiasm and experience, creating a competitive and collaborative environment where all can thrive.
- Managing Technical Sales team members so they not only hit targets but also achieve personal growth and uphold the values of the company.
- Developing sales tools and processes to bring in structured, repeatable and reliable sales.
- Growing sales into new markets and new sectors, increasing our sales volume and margin.
- Take on 100% responsibility for revenue targets within the business.
- Provide technical and commercial support on high-value quotations to ensure structural compliance while maintaining a valued engineered solution.
- And, of course, getting out to meet customers on site!
See you at IWLEX?
Attending trade shows is another way Chris can enjoy talking to customers so he can better understand their problems and suggest how mezzanines can help.
At the International Material Handling Exhibition (IMHX) at the NEC in Birmingham in 2022 he was a member of the panel for a discussion on robots for small business. “Automation for SMEs: affordability, costs and availability” was a debate and Q&A to help small firms take their first steps into automating their warehouse operations. Chris also took part in a three-minute Power Pitch competition, talking about our Hi-Tiles to an audience of 40.
His next event is IWLEX in May, the new exhibition for the internal logistics and warehousing sector. “Come along to the Hi-Level Mezzanines stand and say hello,” Chris says. “It should be an exciting show.”
Hi-Level Mezzanines
For more than 30 years Hi-Level Mezzanines has been creating space for amazing things to happen.
The company is an independent supplier of mezzanine flooring solutions with a value-engineered design model that optimises steel utilisation and drives costs down.
It provides mezzanine floors of the highest quality in the industry, thanks to the expertise of a team of qualified structural engineers, an innovative digital design process, an established and trusted supply chain, and advanced solutions.
