Meet our Business Development Specialist - Lewis Carr

The most successful client/service provider relationships are founded on trust. Busy facilities managers need to know that whatever the issue, their delivery partner will respond quickly, appropriately and efficiently, providing a right-first-time solution.

In this Q&A, Lewis Carr, newly appointed business development specialist at Volta Compliance, discusses his role – and explains why building strong working relationships is a priority for the Leeds-based electrical contractor.

When did you join the Volta Compliance team, Lewis?

I joined Volta in March 2023, after relocating to Yorkshire from London. I was ready for a career change – and when managing director Richard told me that he was looking to expand his team, I jumped at the chance to become the business’s new sales apprentice.

Prior to making this move, I’d worked in the hospitality and music industries. I’ve also gained experience in the FM sector, working for a student property company. There, my job involved liaising with electricians, plumbers and other contractors; I bridged the gap between tenants and the business.

All these roles hinged on building strong working relationships, and have prepared me for my new position at Volta.

What will your new role involve?

I’m involved in everything from sales and marketing to business development. My primary focus, however, will be generating new business and building strong relationships with clients.

When these clients approach Volta, it’s my job to engage with them, gain an understanding of their electrical requirements and suggest the right solution. Our team of fully qualified electricians will be on hand to answer any particularly technical questions, but I’m quickly learning the ropes.

And, if a business is to properly support its clients, it must have a clear understanding of their facilities, processes and objectives. I’ve taken every opportunity to join the team on site visits, seeing first-hand the high-quality work that Volta carries out and meeting the people we serve. I really enjoyed a recent trip to Richard Austin Alloys; after supporting the business with compliance, Volta delivered the electrical installation for its expanded Manchester facility. Seeing this facility – complete with EV charging points and metering to track energy usage – was eye-opening.

Soon, I’ll have my own network of clients, and these site visits have been good practice.

Why was it important to you to pursue a B2B sales apprenticeship?

I’m really excited about the three-year apprenticeship, which will give me all the fundamentals of business-to-business sales. I’ll have the opportunity to learn from academics and sales experts, as well as a large peer group of students – many of whom are already experienced salespeople.

And everything I learn will be applied to real projects at Volta. It will equip me with the skills I need, not just to advise and support customers, but to help the business grow.

What will you bring to Volta?

With enquiry levels increasing, I hope to help Volta expand – and I’ll bring energy, enthusiasm and a wealth of transferrable experience to the team.

While we specialise in electrical compliance, the most important aspect of my role will be building relationships. That’s what I enjoy: meeting our clients, talking to them, finding out about how their businesses work, and helping them to find the right solution.

Why are strong relationships so important to the business?

We really care about client satisfaction, and building long-term relationships is key to that. It’s about delivering, not just excellent workmanship, but unrivalled customer service – and our approach is founded on consistency and integrity. Businesses want to know that they can call on Volta’s electricians at any time, treating us as an extension of their own facilities management teams.

And strong relationships lead to project wins. After carrying out electrical compliance work at The Hepworth Gallery, Wakefield, we gained the trust of its facilities team – and were later contracted to install LED lighting at the award-winning gallery.

Volta’s relationship with Richard Austin Alloys has followed a similar trajectory, as has its longstanding partnership with Tadcaster Community Trust. We’ve supported the trust for over 20 years – and when its community swimming pool was struggling with rising energy costs, we suggested installing rooftop solar panels. We’ve now completed the project, and the panels are already delivering cost savings.

Moving forward, I think energy savings will be at the forefront of business owners’ minds. It’s down to service providers like Volta to suggest the right solutions – anything from solar panels to metering systems that will track energy usage.

You’ve talked about your passion for networking – will you be attending any industry events over the next few months?

Volta is set to exhibit at Maintec (which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham) from 7 – 8 June 2023. We already help a range of manufacturing companies to manage electrical compliance, ensuring that their facilities meet regulatory and insurance standards. Maintec will be an opportunity to connect with more businesses in the sector, and I can’t wait to attend.

We’ll be returning to the NEC for the Holiday Park and Resort Show, which runs from 15 to 19 November 2023. Holiday parks have major electrical compliance requirements, and we’ll be able to engage with potential clients, explaining how we can streamline the compliance management process at their sites.

I’m so happy to be at Volta; the role is a great fit for me, I feel part of the team, and the business’s core values – quality, consistency, integrity and security – align with my own.