Spotlight On: Nicola Case, Regional Sales Manager

Nicola Case, Regional Sales Manager at Dennis Eagle

1. Hi Nicola, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us about your role and your time with the company. Could you tell us how long you’ve been with Dennis Eagle and what your role is?

Of course, happy to be a part of it. I’ve been with Dennis Eagle now for coming up to eight years in January, and I’m one of the business’ Regional Sales Managers, covering the Southeast and Dorset.

2. How would you describe your role in three words?

Only three words? I would say it’s challenging, rewarding, and fulfilling. It’s very satisfying to be working for a market leader within the UK, particularly as part of such a fantastic team, and to be able to offer such a widely respected, industry-leading product to our customers. Dennis Eagle is a brilliant establishment and such a professional way of showcasing what we contribute to the industry – it’s a business I’m very proud to work for.

3. What are some of your key responsibilities?

Really, my role consists of maintaining and building upon our relationships with customers and supporting them to ensure their new vehicles consistently meet their requirements. I work with a lot of local authorities within my region, with roughly 90% already purchasing RCVs from Dennis Eagle. I’d love to be able to extend this to the remaining 10%, but that’s a personal challenge for me to try and conquer in the long-term. Our customers’ expectations are constantly changing and their needs are always evolving, so it’s essential for us as a business to keep at the forefront of refuse innovation, ensuring we remain competitive in such a continually shifting landscape.

 4. As the only woman currently part of the Regional Sales team, has this been a challenge?

I think aspects of it can be challenging, for example, feeling the need to prove your status to the rest of the team, but in all honesty I’ve always felt like I’m a highly respected member and work very well with the rest of our Regional Sales Managers.

5. What did you do before becoming a Regional Sales Manager?

Across my career, there’s always been a thread of working in manufacturing and engineering environments, but also typically in male-dominated industries. Initially, I started out in internal Sales for a welding company in the West Midlands. After a few years of doing this, my manager said to me: “Why don’t you try more of a customer-facing role?” It turns out that I absolutely loved working in this way and really enjoyed the interaction it offered, so I began to sell externally instead.

From here, I went on to work for a fixings and fasteners specialist that hired out power tools, where I continued to build on my Sales experience. After this, I moved into selling newspaper advertising space for the Express and Star, which at the time was the largest regional newspaper outside of London. Later, I decided to move from the West Midlands to Bedfordshire and swapped out newspaper adverts for bus panel advertising and fully painted vehicles instead.

During a pitch to a customer for some adverts, they ended up offering me a job to work in Directory Advertising Sales which I happily took and eventually became very good friends with the owners. After a few years, I decided to take some time out of work to raise my daughter, and eventually found my way back to the Directory company in a part-time role. Similarly to my previous job offer, I was pitching to the Managing Director of a business within the building trade called A1 Tools and Fixings who then also proceeded to offer me a job!  

After working part-time for as long as I did, I really wanted to get back into a full-time position, so sought a new Sales opportunity at forklift truck specialist, Barlow World Handling, where I worked for roughly two years. In 2011, I made my first foray into the world of cleansing and waste with Johnston Sweepers, now part of Bucher Municipal, selling road sweepers for almost a decade. Seeking a change of scene and a new challenge, in 2019 I made the decision to join the Sales team at Dennis Eagle.

6. Why did you decide to join Dennis Eagle and what makes you want to stay?

At the time, it was a really good move to join Dennis Eagle – there’d been a changeover in ownership at Johnston Sweepers, and the team at DE had approached me about the role, so the timing just felt right. Plus, working for the market leader in the UK for RCV manufacturing was definitely an appealing proposition. The thing that keeps me here is twofold really – it’s the people and the industry. My boss back at Johnston’s once told me that I would either grow to love or hate the industry, and I totally fell in love with it. There’s a real community here, and there’s always the opportunity to get out and about to socialise and network with people at different events; I like to think I’m a likeable, approachable person so any chance I get to communicate with our customers to strengthen these relationships face-to-face is invaluable.

7. What is your favourite thing about working at Dennis Eagle?

I love spending time in the office with our internal, or rather, extended Sales team. It’s great to be able to catch up with our Managing Director, Keith, or really any of the Senior Leadership Team, as well as our brilliant teammates in person as much as I can.

8. What is your proudest achievement so far?

My proudest achievement thus far has been supporting our customers and gaining new business with Ipswich Borough Council, who are purchasing our vehicles for the very first time. After my predecessor of 19 years left the business, I started to form a great relationship with the new Transport Manager at the council and managed to help them build a new Dennis Eagle fleet from the ground up. Similarly, I also achieved this with Dacorum Borough Council and Castle Point Borough Council who now also purchase from us.

9. Do you have any specific goals or ambitions for the future?

Truthfully, I’m happy doing what I do. I’ve recently moved closer to our Warwick headquarters, so have been spending more valuable time in the office with the extended sales team, which has helped me to learn more about our products and build on my existing knowledge. It also means I’ve been able to get back onto our factory floor more often, enabling me to lead tours of the facility so customers can see their vehicles begin to take shape.

10. Final question: who are you outside of work?

I have recently become a grandmother for the first time, so I enjoy spending time with my family and new baby granddaughter. I also love to travel and go on holidays. I actually just got back from an incredible excursion to a ranch in Canada where I rode horses, had yoga mornings, enjoyed some archery, fly fished for rainbow trout, did rifle shooting, and e-biked through mountains and forests where I met a group of fantastic people. I also love playing golf and have started getting back into horse-riding on a more regular basis. I started riding when I was nine but have been out of the saddle for over 30 years, so thought it was a good time to start again. I’m seriously considering whether I’d now like to own my own horse or become a voluntary stable hand at some local stables in the near future. I’m now in a transitional part of my life looking to relocate and buy a new home, so it’s all very exciting.