Opportunities and recognition: James, Area Sales Manager, tells us all about his 20 years at Topps Tiles.

Over the last 20 years, Topps Tiles has given me a lot of opportunities to not only develop my career, but also the confidence to develop personally and socially. While there have been challenges over the years, they’ve never forgotten the importance of continually developing their people – that’s why I’ve been here for so long. Topps Tiles is always developing its people for the next stage in their career, whatever that might be. For example, I was given the opportunity to put into practice some ‘soft skills’ for the Area Sales Manager role long before there was ever an opportunity available, which gave me the confidence to apply when the vacancy did arise. 

"From the top to the bottom, the family feel is absolutely inherent"

Topps Tiles really looks after people in the business, which is evidenced by the long service history that many, many employees have here. And a lot of it also has to do with the sense of togetherness that exists across the company. From the top to the bottom, the family feel is absolutely inherent. As part of that, every year the CEO and his leadership team take part in an initiative called ‘Back to the floor’ which involves them working in our stores, serving customers. I think that creates such a family feel for everybody because it’s personal – you’re not just a number – and everyone is willing to get involved to make sure our customers are supported and given the right advice.

We’re a formidable company with huge ambitions. Everyone is driven to achieve our targets and it feels great when we hit them. That’s what makes Topps Tiles different to other retailers; the recognition you receive at all levels for doing a great job. 

If James has inspired you to find out more about Topps Tiles, click here.