What’s your job title? And how long have you worked for James Tobias?
My official job title is Head of Innovation and Product Development. I’ve been working at James Tobias for 14 years, so have done a few different roles in my time, I was a project engineer, I ran projects, before I worked more on the design and development side of things.
What does that actually mean? What does your role entail?
The main purpose of my role is to seek out products to develop and create. My job is all about following the trends and adapting product to react to customer demand.
What does a normal day look like for you?
My day starts with a project meeting with other managers, where we discuss new products that we are developing. Then the rest of my days are specific to what I’m working on at the time. I spend about 70% of my time designing, engineering and drawing, and liaising with the customer. And 30% of my time I’m in the factory developing.
How does your role work with the wider James Tobias team?
Product development links to all departments. A fitter might have an issue with a product that I need to improve to make their work better and more efficient. I also work closely with the sales team on developing new products, they often have feedback from customers, or have seen new products on the market that we can develop further.
Who do you do most of your work for?
Most of my work is controlled by the Directors, however, the work I do is for all staff, it depends what I am working on but it helps all departments and makes our offering better.
How do you make sure that you live up to the James Tobias values in your own work?
One of my faults is probably that I’m a little too helpful with customers, I go above and beyond to make sure that a product is perfect. When developing a product, I always think about it from the customer’s point of view and what would work best for them.
If you had the chance to tell your clients one thing about James Tobias what would it be and why?
We are a family based company that offer forward thinking and those personal touches. We always put the customer first, which sets us apart from the rest, we react and adapt to their wants and needs.
If you were to have one James Tobias product in your own home, what would it be and why?
I would go for Quebix because it lends itself really well to home furnishings. It’s adaptable and flexible for both office and home.
Finally, when you’re not creating the UK’s leading storage solutions, what keeps you busy?
Outside of work, I’m very busy! I coach and manage a number of youth football teams as well as being on the committee of a Sea Fishing club and having a family.
