Meet the team: ERP UK Business Development Manager Richard

This quarter we introduce our Business Development Manager, Richard

How long have you been with ERP UK?

Richard: Since January 2017, when I came across following the acquisition of DHL’s compliance and data services business. I had previously been with DHL for nearly 13 years.

Tell me about your experience before joining the ERP team.

Richard: I became involved with Producer Responsibility legislation right at the outset in 1998 while looking after Waste and Recycling for the Co-operative Group. At the time, we had food and non-food divisions and had to quickly work out how to comply with this complex new Packaging Waste legislation, whilst having over 100,000 product lines. 

It was a very steep learning curve as you can imagine, and we decided to outsource the data collection and calculation side to Foresite Systems and their Packtrak solution, which is now part of ERP!

From there, I spent 4 years as an auditor/compliance officer for a leading Packaging scheme, where I became an expert on the regulations and data in particular, before joining DHL as a Business Development Manager.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Richard: Under the current circumstances, I am no longer travelling up and down the motorways to meet with customers and colleagues, which is a nice break. I find that a lot of time is taken up with online meetings and calls now, as we keep the business moving forward.

That being said, my workload varies quite a bit  - from answering customer queries, writing proposals and responding to tenders to running webinars and supporting the marketing team.

What motivates you in your role?

Richard: Obviously, I have a sales position, so my role has a focus on growing the business and that does motivate me. However, I’m very much motivated by our customers’ satisfaction -  making their lives easier and improving their understanding of the environmental legislation so that they see the value in having ERP UK as their compliance partner. 

I am also motivated by the reactions we get from all stakeholders we work with, both internally and externally.

In your opinion how does ERP UK stand out in comparison to other Producer Compliance Schemes? Richard: We alone have the international capabilities to deliver services worldwide, which no other business has, along with chemical compliance and consultancy. Additionally, because we have with people delivering compliance services on the ground in so many countries, means that we can offer a higher level of service to our customers in each country. 

I see us as the quality end of the market, meeting the needs of global brands as well as small businesses who operate in a single country. As businesses grow, I think we are uniquely placed to make compliance simpler for them.