MEET THE PEOPLE WHO POWER US: DARREN DOHERTY

In this blog, we speak to Darren Doherty about his role as Area Sales Manager for Northern Ireland at Makita, as he discusses his day-to-day schedule, favourite Makita tools and more.

What does a typical day at Makita look like for you?

My role as Area Sales Manager for Northern Ireland is all about building and maintaining relationships with our customer base – that’s our end users, stockists and distributors – and I promote Makita’s products to this audience in this region. I work to an arranged travel plan to visit customers each day, firstly checking emails before I set off in the car. No two customers are the same, and so each retailer, builders’ merchant or power tool shop requires a different approach. As such, I’ve really been given the opportunity to develop my skills in adapting to a variety of client needs. Even while I’m out and about I will also be on hand – at the end of the phone or email – just in case anyone needs urgent help with product or pricing. I try to be home for 5pm to square away any other requests I’ve missed or that require more than a quick answer to a query.

What drew you to Makita?

I was really impressed by how positively and passionately the Makita team members at the interview spoke about their customers and the relationships they had built with them. You could just tell there was real, genuine pride there and aside from the obvious draw of working for a leading brand, it seemed a culture and an approach to sales that really appealed to me.  

What has impressed you since joining the company?

Since I joined, the team has gone a long way to make me feel a valued employee; part of the company’s present and future. It’s also heartening to see and be part of the long term strategic plan to invest and grow the business in Ireland. There’s huge potential. On another note, it’s great to be in the position of having such an excellent customer services team to work with. They are a dream to have on the end of the phone. In the unlikely event a customer experiences an issue, their attitude is: “that’s wrong, let’s fix this problem yesterday.” I love that and of course from a customer perspective – it’s just so crucial to the on-going relationship.

Finally, I have worked shoulder to shoulder with sales teams in the past, yet still felt very distant from them. Within Makita, although our teams might be miles apart in terms of location, there’s a brilliant level of camaraderie. When there’s a query or an issue, we all jump on the problem immediately to resolve it, so the customer knows how committed we are to providing them with the best service and support.

Have you always worked in the construction industry? If not, how does it compare to other sectors?

I haven’t always. Alongside a recent construction role with a fixings company, I’ve also worked in retail, the hospitality sector and as a car salesman. There are many similarities to draw from to apply your experience and skills, but I would say perhaps the biggest difference is that those other sectors have been more transactional in their nature when it comes to sales. There might still be a loyalty to a brand or the need to ensure a positive experience but in the construction industry I would say the importance of long term relationships is crucial. Of course, you’ve got to have the high quality product to back it up, but people buy from people at the end of the day.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your role?

I love my job and so much of it is rewarding. I know I take real pride when I get positive feedback from my manager. He had been in the same role as me before moving up the ladder, so he understands the challenges the role can sometimes entail – and equally gets it when it’s a real achievement or win.

Closing a sale and knowing that I’ve got a happy customer is also a great feeling. It’s fantastic when you make product recommendations to merchants or stores and then they come back really quickly to reorder after they’ve sold the lot.

What’s your favourite Makita tool and why?

My favourite tool would have to be our 80VMax (twin 40V) XGT wet and dry Dust Extractor, the VC006. There’s no other M-class extractor like it on the market. It removes 99.9% of particles, is cordless, and its features Makita’s Auto-start Wireless System (AWS) which uses Bluetooth for wireless communication between Makita’s AWS-equipped tools and the dust extractor. Once connected via AWS, the VC006 will automatically power on or off when the connected cordless tool starts or stops, running only when the tool is in use, which is so convenient. Users can link up to 10 AWS tools to the VC006GM making this a must-have solution for preventing dust inhalation when working across a variety of work pieces. It’s a full sized, M-Class approved extractor with all the functionality of a mains extractor with the additional benefits that cordless offers – perfect for the trade!

What is your second favourite Makita product?

I’m cheating a little bit here as it’s not an individual tool, but I have to say the XGT platform itself. This is Makita’s 40VMax and 80VMax battery powered platform that provides the power and performance to genuinely rival corded, petrol or pneumatic alternatives, making a cordless job site truly possible. This, alongside its compatibility with many Makita tools, makes it a game changer. The XGT platform really is ahead of its time when it comes to battery technology.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Years ago, it was boxing and rugby – but these days, I am a spectator! When it comes to competitive sport, it’s darts. I also love music, cinema and sitting down to watch a good bit of television.