Part of the C&C Group, C&C Gleeson is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of some of Ireland’s favourite, market-leading drinks brands including Bulmers Original Irish Cider, Tennent’s, Clonmel 1650, Corona, Beck’s Vier, Stella Artois, Finches and Tipperary Mineral Water.
C&C Gleeson employs over 800 people in nine locations across the island of Ireland.
Simon works as a Brand Development Manager for the Brand Development Team. He told us about his working day and why C&C Gleeson is the place for you if you can build great relationships with customers and want to represent some of the best-known brands in the country.
What do you do?
The team I am part of is responsible for selling our primary branded products, such as Bulmers, to our on-trade customers.
Describe your typical working day?
Generally our days are 9 to 5 but there’s flexibile working practices so if you need to start a little earlier to finish a little earlier you can do that. Conversely, you also may have to make a couple of calls in the evening sometimes when things are quieter.
I call to between 10-15 customers per day according to my journey plan.
Apart from the calls, I have my pre-call planning to do and then I make my notes after calls so I know where I am at when I call the next time.
What are your qualifications?
I have a Diploma from Dublin Business School
Tell us about your previous work experience?
I started in Sales back with Cadbury in 2007 as a retail sales executive in the Dublin region before moving to Kraft as a Business Development Manager in 2010.
In 2013 I moved again, this time to Mondelez, again as a BDE before starting as a Sales Rep for C&C Gleeson.
Early this year I was appointed to my current role as Brand Development Manager on the Brand Development Team.
What is the best thing about your job?
My favourite part of the job is the social aspect, working in the pubs, building relationships with the customers and the staff.
I enjoy building rapport with our customers, the relationship evolving from being relative strangers to sitting down and having a cup of tea with them while we talk business. You meet some really great people, some serious characters!
Apart from that, I enjoy working with great brands – Bulmers is a great product, one of many great products that we have, and a really strong brand.
That makes my job a lot easier and I enjoy being associated with Bulmers and all of our brands.
And the biggest challenge?
The competition of course! Fighting against bigger companies than ours in an extremely competitive industry. New brands entering the market and having to fight for market share, it can be dog eat dog at times. But I enjoy a challenge, it keeps things interesting!
What advice would you give someone considering applying for a job with you?
Go for it! It can be challenging but this is an exciting place to work. The rewards are there for those that are willing to work hard.
It can be fast moving at times but there are great opportunities too, I moved into a Brand Development Manager role after a year in the job!
If you’re willing to come in, put the head down and learn you will go far.
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