Meet the Team: Lizzie Farrimond
As part of the service, F. Ball retail representatives are on the roads throughout the country, supporting retailers’ needs. Here, we chat with Lizzie Farrimond, retail sales representative for the North, to find out more about her role and what’s available to retailers, including complimentary training in subfloor preparation.
Editor: Hello Lizzie. Welcome to the new F-Talk Retail newsletter. Can you start by telling us a bit more about what you do?
Lizzie Farrimond: F. Ball has always supported the retail market, and a few years ago, the company felt it was the right time to have dedicated retail representatives to complement the technical representatives.
Our role is to help retailers with everything and anything to do with flooring installations and specifically, how F. Ball products can help – that might be providing them with technical information about what is needed to install floorcoverings, which of our products to use, talking to them about new products, and anything else they might need assistance with.
My patch is northern England and north Wales. We also have Rachel Sorroll covering the Midlands and south Wales, and Gabriela Harper looks after southern England.
Ed: And what does a ‘typical’ day look like?
LF: Most days I’m on the road. For example, today I’ve got seven appointments in north Wales, mostly with retailers who use a lot of F. Ball products. We’ll have a catch up about what they’re using, and if there’s anything I can help with or advise on.
I’ll also be taking them through the latest offers for the Ball Rewards (these change quarterly), as well as discussing the new Stopgap 1600 smoothing compound, which has been developed specially for use over underfloor heating systems.
I’m always at the end of the phone, but meeting in person is important for a more personal service. As all sales are via distributors and wholesalers, I’m not there to make a hard sell; it really is about supporting the retailers so they can better serve their customers.
Ed: Are there any common questions or topics that retailers query with you?
LF: Some retailers might not be familiar with F. Ball, so I take them through everything about us and the products, the technical service available, and the importance of using the right products – using F. Ball means you only need to do the job once.
Ed: What’s the one thing all retailers should be aware of?
LF: The importance of subfloor preparation. Particularly with the phenomenal growth in LVT – the subfloor is as important as the plank or tile being installed!
We have System LVT which is a range of all the suitable products – waterproof surface membrane, primer, smoothing compound, adhesive – for LVT installations. As everything is guaranteed under one system, it’s a lot easier to work out what’s happened in the unlikely situation something does go wrong.
As many premium LVT manufacturers have guarantees for the lifetime of their floorcoverings, a guarantee for the subfloor preparation work is also required, and that’s what F. Ball offers. The fact we have an extensive technical support team team throughout the UK + Ireland also means if you do need to pick up the phone to a manufacturer, we can arrange for a site visit swiftly if needed.
Ed: Is there anything else available to retailers?
LF: We offer dedicated training courses for retailers at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence. The retail subfloor preparation course is run monthly and is very popular. We get a diverse mix of people attending: owners of showrooms, fitters, people who run the showrooms, apprentices – it’s a good mix, and, as people are coming to it from a different angle, ideas get bounced around.
They are run by our training officers, Tim and Steve, and then one of the retail reps is on hand to answer queries about prices and where to get the products. The course is free and the feedback we receive is that people really appreciate having the knowledge of subfloor preparation, and then this can be relayed to their customers. That is, helping them to understand that when they’re spending money on a floor, it’s just as important to invest in the subfloor.
Ed: What do you like most about your job?
LF: Speaking to customers and meeting different people and helping them find solutions. I like people and finding out what they’re getting up to and seeing how I can help.
I also really enjoy being on the road and seeing new parts of the country. Often, I’ll visit customers and think ‘wow, this is a nice area’ and then I’ll go back there with the family for a day out.
Ed: What’s your favourite F. Ball product?
LF: Stopgap 1200. I think everyone says that, but it really is the king!
Ed: Tell us a bit more about Lizzie. What do you get up to outside of work?
LF: I enjoy the simple life – spending time with the family, going to the gym, walks. I’m based in Warrington, so it’s a good location for getting out into the countryside.
Ed: And finally, as a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
LF: I wanted to be a dancer. My job now is far removed from that! I’ve always worked for my dad, and he was a manufacturer, and now I’ve moved over to another family.
