Meet Our Sales Director – Andy Roberts

Hi Andy, so first of all explain a little about what you do at TVS.

I am part of the senior leadership team at TVS and I lead the sport and fitness surfacing division. I drive sales revenue and gross profit for that part of the business, but I also oversee advertising campaigns and making sure they are tailored for the right audience within the sport, leisure and physical activity sector. 

What do you like most about what you do?

There is always something new to do and I still get a buzz when we secure a sales order or are awarded a new contract. It’s really satisfying when we win a project after months and sometimes years of hard work, it makes it all worthwhile. I love seeing a scheme evolve from an initial concept to reality. I also really enjoy talking to and exchanging knowledge with other professionals like architects, contractors and clients across the various stages of the sales cycle. 

Have you always been in the vibration control industry?

No, far from it! I came onboard with TVS back in April 2015. I didn’t have a lot of knowledge around sound and vibration control, but I learned quickly. My background before TVS was working in commercial sales in the health and fitness industry, but I also studied Sport Science, Exercise Physiology and Mechanical and Computer Aided Engineering. So I guess the fact that we fit out gyms and fitness spaces with our flooring fits well with my pre TVS life. The role at TVS allowed me to bring everything together and apply it to sports and leisure specifically. When I was asked to join the team and  help grow the business with Paul and Patrick it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and the sport and leisure division now brings in a supplementary stream of revenue that complements the core business. 

How would you describe your average day as a Sales Director?

It is very varied. We’re a relatively small enterprise but every single day is different. I spend most of my time at our head office in Lancashire getting involved in the decision making and coaching my sales team. I monitor the financial aspects of the division, reply to inbound sales enquiries and proactively target new business opportunities. Some days I might be in the warehouse co-ordinating logistics or negotiating costs with suppliers. There are a lot of responsibilities so I make sure to always prioritise my workload so I get everything done to the best of my ability.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

I think my proudest achievement is actually a collective one. About six years ago, the owners of the business made a decision to rebrand, trading under our new name ‘TVS Group’. During that time, myself and the others on the senior leadership team took on additional responsibilities to really increase brand awareness in our targeted markets. We put a lot of energy into creating new marketing campaigns and materials. I’m really proud of how we have taken the business from start up to a trusted and recognisable company in the industry. The business has consistently grown and generated new sales opportunities as a direct result of those efforts.

What about a personal achievement?

I took part in some organised events raising money for Prostate Cancer UK and Leeds Rhinos legend, Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with motor-neurone disease in 2019. I cycled over the Pennines from Leeds to Manchester and back again and I also walked The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge in less than 10 hours. I feel quite proud of that, plus I’ll never forget seeing such amazing scenery on my travels.

What is a business faux pas that you can’t stand?

When someone over-promises and then under-delivers. I find that really irritating. I appreciate flexibility and busy schedules, but in business and especially in customer-facing roles, you should always be capable of fulfilling the pledges you set. Over-promising just damages the credibility and reputation of a business in the long-run. Honesty is always the best policy in my book.

What are you currently enjoying working on?

That is a hard question to answer, we have lots of ongoing projects at the moment that are really interesting! For example, we are working on a new project to supply and install an acoustic floating floor, acoustic underlays and floor finishes in a gym which will be located on the 44th and 45^th level of a high-rise residential scheme in Manchester which is exciting. I am also working with a number of gym owners and operators who are either fitting out or building new facilities which I am really enjoying.

What do you like doing outside of work?

I love spending quality time with my wife and two young children. You can usually find us visiting a museum, a park or any other family friendly attraction. Unfortunately, the pandemic has limited that, but we are still going for lots of healthy walks in the local woodlands. Once the kids are in bed, I enjoy reading a decent autobiography or watching a good crime drama on TV. I am quite active as well so I like to swim and once the pools are re-opened, I will be first in line!