Page 13 - BOSS Today Issue 43

60 SECOND INTERVIEW BOSS Today #43

LOOKING TO

THE MANE EVENT

Specialist OP market researcher Martin Wilde talks to Frances Stephen,
Director, Springfield Business Supplies Ltd.

MW: Please can you give me a history and really appreciating what the email charity@bossfederation.
of your career to date? Charity could do for someone that co.uk and we will send these to you!
FS: I joined the stationery industry was life-changing for them, but
nearly 25 years ago. I was actually cost only £300 to achieve. MW: You have recently joined the Board of
previously working within BT and It was a formerly very successful BOSS. Why did you decide to get involved?
I came in to help out whilst I was lady who was diagnosed with a FS: I hope that I can represent the
on maternity leave. I loved it so brain tumour: she lost her house smaller dealer community and
much I bought the company!! and, because she wasn’t able to use my experience to help ensure
work full time, also her job. She that what BOSS is offering is
MW: What will be the opportunities for was then severely ill again and relevant to the wider dealer
independent dealers in 2019? was hospitalised for over a year. community going forward.
FS: Dealers need to be brave and She was referred to the Charity
embrace the changes in a changing because she was looking for MW: What can BOSS bring to the industry in 2019?
economic landscape. Dealers have funding to help replace her teenage FS: BOSS will continue to offer its
ever more access to alternative daughter’s broken bed. We paid services, training and networking,
products/services that they can to replace this and bought her a but with Philip Lawson retiring,
offer to their customers, with a new sofa as hers was threadbare: we have the opportunity to bring
myriad of ways of communicating she was so grateful, it brought in new ideas to build on the
these to them. Companies that me to tears. She is now back changes and growth that he has
diversify and become a more in full time work and working overseen in the last few years.
important supplier to their her way back up the ladder, and
customers will find new ways really appreciates everything we MW: Please tell me something about
to grow their relationships. have been able to do for her. yourself that few others know.
Customers want top notch service, FS: I am a bit of an adrenaline seeker,
coupled with a more personal MW: What does the BOSS Charity and not a little competitive, so I took
ordering facility, be that online need from the industry? up eventing horses a couple of years
or otherwise. Proving that you FS: Our biggest challenge is reaching ago. After many years of driving
can save your customers time beneficiaries. Most of our industry my daughter round the countryside
and money and take real cost heads have heard of the Charity whilst she was competing, I took
out of their business is a win/ but are unlikely to ever need our the opportunity to put all that
win for both and is guaranteed to services. It is the people working knowledge to good use and have
ensure loyalty and partnership. within our companies that are been competing on behalf of my
more likely to need financial help local riding club, and also became
MW: You are a Trustee of the BOSS Charity: at some point, even if it is just affiliated to British Eventing. My
why did you get involved in that? for a one-off expense that they horse is pretty experienced and
FS: This industry has put a roof over can’t manage. So, we need the really looks after me, so I was
my family’s head for the past industry’s help to get the message fortunate enough (and completely
25 years, and it’s good to give out to them that the Charity exists. shocked) to win my first ever event,
something back. I became a Trustee We can supply posters for staff which qualified me for the National
over five years ago and have now notice boards and leaflets for Championships, in which I finished
visited a few of our beneficiaries: staff induction/exit packs so that fifth! I am hoping to build on this
my first visit left me humbled, everyone can be aware of us. Just in 2019, so watch this space!

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