For many of our retail partners reading this, today’s spotlight really needs no introduction – our wonderful Retail Account Manager Abbie Blacklock.
Abbie has been a crucial part in the journey for our retail partners, helping them out in anyway she can. Whether it’s answering enquiries, helping with training or assisting with setting up the DivideBuy technology, Abbie is always happy to help and we’ve had nothing but praise from clients who have worked with her, like Grass Warehouse.
So, for the latest of our spotlighting series, we sat down with Abbie to find out more about her career history and why she loves her role at DivideBuy.
How long have you been at DivideBuy and what do you do here?
I joined DivideBuy in November 2019, so a year ago now! I am the Retail Account Manager, so I support our retailers and show them how they can make the most of offering interest free credit and see the benefits of partnering with us.
I also offer support and advise retailers by helping them to use DivideBuy – explaining to them how it works, providing training, supporting with the web integration, and providing solutions to any queries they may have. I am usually any retailer’s first point of contact within the company.
What did you do before DivideBuy and how did it help you get to where you are now?
I worked in engineering for over 10 years as a Sales Engineer in Business Development and Sales Support roles. I worked with metallurgy and rotating equipment… very different from consumer finance.
I loved the Account Managing aspects of working with clients on helping them build, develop, and grow with the business. I found offering support and advice came really naturally to me rather than “chasing the sale” and so I decided to work in a role that allowed me to work to my strengths in a warm and supportive way. I have a Business Management Foundation degree and love speaking to people, building relationships, and meeting new people. That’s why the role of Account Manager fits me perfectly.
What aspect of your job most sparks your enthusiasm?
Working with a great team where we are all rooting for success really sparks my enthusiasm and makes me feel inspired to do well. I genuinely think we are more of a personable lender and we offer the personal support to retailers on a one-to-one basis. We really consider our retailers to be partners and it’s nice to be a part of that.
Having positive feedback from retailers and seeing their success makes me want to do the same for every partner. It’s incredibly motivating.
What is your aim for the future of supporting retailers, what can we achieve and how do you hope it will evolve?
It’s our aim at DivideBuy to help retailers make the most of our solution by offering consultancy-like advice that not only gets them up and running but also seeing lasting benefits.
This involves developing a contact strategy for sharing sales analytics to help retailers target and market their POS finance option. Alongside this, we’re keen at DivideBuy to share sector and industry insights with our retailers to help them navigate ways to stand out within their competitive landscape. To that end, we have recently launched a retail resource centre online that aims to provide our retailers with key information around the clock.
Ultimately, DivideBuy is committed to working alongside our partners to provide an excellent retailer experience and it’s a pleasure to play a part in that.
