A culture of trust and mutual respect
For this month’s Spotlight, Glass Times talks to Vesa Nenye, sales director of hardware specialist, Titon.
Glass Times (GT): What attracted you to Titon and this particular role as sales director?
Vesa Nenye (VN): It was the dynamic nature of the company – a company that wants to improve and grow in everything it does – and the fantastic opportunity to work with market leading products and a very strong R&D team to develop next generation solutions.
GT: You have over 20 years of international sales leadership – how has your experience shaped your approach to business growth and customer relationships?
VN: I believe that sustainable growth is always slow to start with, but by doing everything you can in the right way, the results will start to positively snowball. The customer relationship and service is key. We are developing Titon’s sales team to be the most professional and trusted in the market. This allows our customers to place their reliance on us as a stable partner for decades to come.
GT: Titon’s hardware portfolio already has a strong market presence – where do you see the biggest opportunities for expansion, both in established and emerging markets?
VN: We will continue to develop our complete range of window and door products, and work with selected market leaders to compliment our offering. The key areas will be to increase our superb product offerings in trickle ventilation, friction stays, aluminium hardware and next generation door cylinders.
GT: You’ve mentioned that quality, innovation, and sustainability are important to you. How do you plan to integrate these values into your strategy for Titon?
VN: Sustainability and long term partnerships are at the core of what we do at Titon, not only from sustainable and ethical manufacturing point of view but also from being at the forefront of the evolving regulatory landscape. This means that our customers across the different markets can rely on us for accurate information and always compliant solutions for their markets. This will require continuous innovation and dedication to our high quality.
GT: What immediate priorities will you focus on in your first six months in this role?
VN: The key focus has been on recruitment for our sales and technical teams. We are pleased to already have attracted three top industry hardware professionals to join our UK sales team. Next, we will concentrate on training and improving our professional standards to even higher levels.
GT: You’ve built and led high-performing sales teams in the past – what do you believe is the key to creating a successful, motivated team?
VN: Creating a culture of trust and mutual respect is essential. We work genuinely as a team, everybody helps out with each other’s customers, bringing all the individual special skills to bear.
Information sharing and continuous learning and development are part of the daily role – everyone holds each other accountable for continuously raising the customer service standards to the next level. If a staff member needs help, I am always there for them, while coaching them to become even more self-reliant and capable going forward.
GT: What’s the best piece of leadership advice you’ve ever received, and how has it influenced your career?
VN: As a leader your most important task is to look after your people. If you make them happy and motivated they will move heaven and earth for you at work.
GT: Looking ahead, what does success look like for you and the hardware division over the next three to five years?
VN: We will first double, then triple the sales and profitability of the hardware division. The product range has continued to grow and we have solidified Titon’s position as the market leader in even more sectors.
We have a happy and thriving team who is widely recognised as the most reliable and professional sales force within our industry.