SOPHIE MCJIMPSEY, AIRCON

So tell us about what you do on a day to day basis?

I manage our team of service engineers and four office staff. I started in 2013 as a service co-ordinator and was promoted to assistant branch manager and then this role, so I’ve worked my way up the ranks.

Describe your typical day at work…

My main job is to plan and organise the engineers’ jobs each day, which can change from literally the minute that we walk into work. So I oversee all that as well as manage the rest of the office-based team and help put together all the quotes for the work that comes in.

And what's your typical customer like?

It’s quite varied but currently we work with a number of supermarkets, prisons and schools. But we also work with smaller businesses and the domestic market as well, so we are very flexible.

The team management is obviously a core part of your role. What do you do to keep team morale going?

We actually have a pretty close-knit group herethis branch is a smaller team - so it's a bit easier in that respect. We catch up every Monday morning and have a team meeting to address any issues and discuss anything the engineers particularly need help with. It’s the one day of the week when we all really get together. But we are a really close group and the engineers and the office staff all get along well. It's like a little family, really. I also try to organise social activities together every few months in order to foster that team spirit.

Have there been any great changes in your industry since you've been involved that have had a major impact on the business?

The gas legislation changes all the time so certain refrigerants get banned due to their carbon emissions and we’ll have to make sure they are phased out. Ensuring the products are sustainable is something that has noticeably changed in the last few years, for sure.

Any exciting plans in the pipeline?

We have some big contracts about to come on board soon, so we’re expecting to need to expand the engineers by two or three to meet demand, which is something we’re looking forward to.

If you are interested in investing in refrigeration, ventilation or air conditioning systems for your business, head to www.aircongroup.com or call 01709 367001.