Customer Account Manager Review

As a Customer Account Manager I am responsible for the growth and development of four wholesalers within the UK and internationally. On a day to day basis this requires ensuring they are tracking as they should with financial and experience support. However the role also involves driving growth and developing the customers with a future Unilever plan.

From the apprenticeship programme I have developed personal communication and negotiation skills, knowledge of the FMCG and retail market and a huge understanding of business financials. This has supported me in securing an IGD certification of Food and Grocery and a course on Unilever negotiation. This is all great for my personal development.

I enjoy the aspect of managing customers, growing Unilever and the personal growth attributed. The personal experiences have created a savvy sales attitude and grown ways and experiences I undertake. The company culture at Unilever is very relaxed this is good for personal situations, however does create slower responses as a business. But the team culture is amazing and I speak about this to potential apprentices.

The programme is very well thought through by Unilever taking into consideration the time required for the course. The support from the business is also very good putting together courses to allow personal development. The only potential area for concern is the coursework provided by BPP which is not always checked and enforced.

Unilever offers huge amounts of support with courses and agile working. Agile working allows for you to fit work around everyday life making it easier to hold a work life balance. My line manager offers support if it is ever needed and believes in the abilities I have as a CAM.

The skills coach for BPP is always on top of the work due/ identifying if there are issues that require support. This is a huge help as he enjoys catch up and investing in the individual of the programme. Although the training provider BPP is behind on feedback as a whole.

The qualification has certainly developed me as an individual pushing the skills and experience that I have in FMCG and retail. Although there is certainly room for financial knowledge to be gained around economics and business as a whole. Although the programme is a strong start for developing all business knowledge.

As a work team we are heavily involved in competitive activities such as a netball league (3 game winning streak). As an apprentice intake as well we often mostly catch up, however it would be good to have enforced get to gathers and hold completion between the intakes, to create a team.

Yes

It is a strong learning culture with huge amounts of support available from more experienced members of the team. This allows for personal development as business development. On top of this Unilever is a well respected company allowing for control of customers opening conversation in multi dimensional avenues to grow business.

My top tip to others applying for Unilever is to know about the company, as Unilever is a TRANS national corporation and knowledge of its effects such as the USLP, ethical standing points and work on plastics will give a footing for entrance into the company. In addition to this knowledge of the market helps in everyday talk.