5 questions with Ria Tampion

This month our 5-minute interview is with Ria Tampion, our Customer Services Coordinator Lead for Professional Horticulture. Based at our Ipswich office, Ria is kept busy liaising with customers, distributors and our technical area sales manager team out on the road – part of our team working to ensure orders are processed efficiently and deliveries scheduled to meet customers’ expectations.

Why ICL?

My first foray into horticulture was when I studied level 3 floristry at Easton College.  As a student, I also worked in a local flower shop and then, after finishing college, I joined the plant department at a local farm shop, potting and displaying stock. Looking for a new challenge, I joined the ICL professional horticulture team in 2021.

What is a typical day in customer services? 

The main bulk of the work is answering questions from customers and the technical sales team, placing customers’ orders and advising on delivery times. As such I’m in constant contact with our team at our growing media factory and liaising with the technical managers and their team – helping ensure orders are processed and delivered in a timely fashion.

What are the major challenges?

A key responsibility is helping to ensure customers are satisfied with the service we provide. This includes all aspects from checking contracts are live, making sure product codes and pricing are correct to help ensure we can meet the delivery dates requested. There is also an element of forward planning – making sure we have sufficient stock to cover orders, especially in the busy season – when we recommend customers get their orders in as early as possible.

What do you particularly enjoy?

My role is largely office based, so it’s good to get out to industry events like the Four Oaks Trade Show and Hort Science Live – meeting customers face to face. I really like putting a face to a name and it hopefully it helps make the customer’s experience more personal – so I’m not simply a name at the bottom of an email!  Three years on and I’m still learning more about the products from the technical area sales managers – having a genuine interest in horticulture helps and makes this role more interesting and ultimately rewarding.

At the end of the week, how do you unwind?

Working in an office, at weekends I simply try to spend as much time outside as possible, enjoying time with my pet rabbits and a good book!