inside sales representative

warehouse associate

web project manager

specialist

receptionist/administrative assistant

Rexel

A typical day!? I work for an Electrical wholesaler in Colchester in England. WF ELECTRICAL which is part of the REXEL group.
I arrive at the branch at about 6.30 am. To try and catch up on previous days enquires.
I open the branch at 7.30am,the other internal sales team arrive at 8 am. I work on the trade counter serving customers who come into our branch, I  supply them with the products that they require.
When I don't have any customers on the trade counter, I then go into the main sales office and assist with incoming telephone enquiries, quotations, locate and place orders when items need to be ordered for customers.
If a customer comes in with problem, I try and solve it, if I have to make contact with a manufacturer I do so.
I have worked in Electrical wholesaling for over 20 years, BUT I AM NOT an electrician, I have worked for WF for 8 years.
I am mainly based on the trade counter alone, I do enjoy the banter with the customers, as at times I may have 3 or 4 people waiting at a time, and I may not  get any help from the office, which can get a bit annoying for me as well as the customer, as I don't want to keep anybody longer than needed as they are loosing money!. 
We have just got a new Manager (since Oct 2013),which is difficult for him as we are on a new computer system, and there are only 4 internal sales members including myself, and 2 warehousemen in our branch, so when it is required I also cover the warehouse and do deliveries, as well as the trade counter when I get back!.
So I don't really have a " Standard day " as one day I may not get off the trade counter at all, and another day, if not many customers I could be doing quotations, delivering, working in the warehouse.
We have now lost our assistant manager for an operation, so that means I will now be working through my "dinner" break and locking up the branch at about 6 pm, and he could be off for 3 months!.
The hardest part of the job can be not enough time to spend with the customer and his needs, and staffing levels. (But that the climate!).

I do love the job, meeting new customers, solving problems, having a laugh, bit of banter, basically all the aspects of working in a environment with the public.

Have been there 7 years as of Feb 16/25. Started as a temp in 2018, and got hired on full time in July 2018. 
Add soon as I was hired on the okay was a HUGE jump from temp wages. I opted for the highest benefits, 100% coverage. 
I started as a cable cutter, operating the spooling machines and cutting all gauges of cable.  
Then the worst happened, I was diagnosed with stage 3c colon cancer. 
My employer (Kingston, Ontario) placed me on medical leave. The first 3 months was 100% salary and benefits, the final 11 months were 80% salary and full(100%) benefits. 
Upon returning after beating my cancer, not only was my job held for me, but it was like I was never gone. I was able to return to my specific machine, and day shift schedule. Not only that. When I returned, they gave me 2 raises to catch be up to where I would have been. 
9 months later, I got the promotion from cable cutter to shipper/loader. 
The promotion I was applying for before I went on medical leave. 
Management has been behind me the whole way, helping me succeed. 
I plan on staying with this company until I retire. I learn new things everyday, and feel challenged in my new position, and look forward to moving up the proverbial ladder. 

This job gave me great insight to a new direction in my administrative skills and experience. I took with me a wealth of information to which I could easily put forth into a new position with a company with better management strategies. Great staff, very busy work load, but sometimes too big. I loved Project Coordination as it was ALONG the same lines as my previous position in Contracts Coordinator/Analyst..only that I was managing projects not contracts. Similar job in a totally different industry! I found myself very drawn to to Automation side of things, however the commute to this position was no longer viable as well as the outlook for quick advancement that I was promised did not appear to be on the horizon, hence moving on to a closer to home position. Department needed more POSITIVE management structure as well as much more staff and office decor/atmosphere was very very very depressing (1970's decor, paint, furniture...and NO windows!).

What is the best part of working at the company?
What I first thought might have been the best job I ever had turned into a prime example illegal activity. They refused to even give me access to HR after firing me without cause. Avoid at all costs.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The people and their lack of professionalism... more of a social club with a interest in electrical than it is a business.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Terrible. If you don't fit into the "social aspect" you time will be short lived.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stress, anxiety, confusion, lack of structure.

I joined Rexel in the credit department, also part of the finance department, a field I wasn't experience or familiar with. One thing I did learn was that my co-workers were more than willing to help me succeed. I did struggle a lot in the beginning. After a couple of months I was succeeding and proving to my team that I was a key player in the success of our department as a whole. I was also part of monthly meeting with my manager to discuss the claims report. I overcame allot of obstacles but in the end I gained respect of my co-workers and management.

I thoroughly enjoyed my 8-month tenure at Rexel. The tasks were manageable and the atmosphere was pleasant. My manager was supportive, and the camaraderie among coworkers made it an enjoyable workplace. The availability of complimentary coffee, tea, and Friday meals was a nice touch. The Monday to Friday schedule with weekends off provided an ideal work-life balance

Regional manager and Branch manager were fantastic. People within the company in the supervision roles were distasteful. You had coworkers consider you a threat and avoid you, you had people lash out from being stress induced. Senior management power trips to the point where they just simply decide that they don't like you. 

On site staff are fantastic, despite the outrageous conditions ownership creates. Too much product for the location, the expectation is for warehouse workers to somehow generate more business.... despite the fact they are warehouse workers, not salespeople. Overloaded with inventory, the warehouse is barely navigable on forklift. Also, they disable safety mechanisms, and problems are far too often answered with "well, that's how it is"

Good company to work for short period for gaining experience,the growth in the company is very slow to negligible and hiring with reference show more prominent rather than merit on most cases in some departments. Overall not a company with good benefits and salary is average compared to other companies. The company has a bonus plan which is only one sided whereas in most cases not  all employees get.all employees get it

Very fast paced company to work with; always freight to ship and receive never a dull day.  Team work is important everyone gets along well together.  Supervisor and Boss are very understanding and good leaders. Hardest part of the day was feeling I could leave for lunch and have my job covered. Most enjoyable part of the day was taking the time to be polite and friendly to the deliver drivers while still doing our jobs.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Inside sales representative 4 salaries reported	$48,375 per year
Warehouse associate 2 salaries reported	$22.16 per hour
Web project manager 1 salary reported	$60,000 per year
Specialist 1 salary reported	$48,000 per year
Receptionist/administrative assistant 1 salary reported	$46,000 per year

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