Jeanette Haines
Financial Planning
Jeanette retired after many years service to the company as Financial Controller, but recently returned to work part time to help with our Financial Planning.
This was the interview Jeanette gave whilst she was running the Accounts Team. We will catch up with her again soon, to ask her how semi-retirements is treating her and to ask her about her dogs.
Q When did you join Southdowns and how has the company changed in that
time?
A I joined Southdowns in 2008. As financial controller, I'm responsible
for the bulk of the accountancy-related work involved in running the company,
with part-time help when the workload gets particularly heavy. Since then,
despite a difficult economic climate that has seen many small companies fail,
Southdowns has doubled its turnover, creating new financial challenges. I now
have to be more proactive than ever before, ensuring I'm aware of what's coming
in and going out and keeping a constant track of cash flow.
Q How
has your job changed since you joined the company?
A I am more involved
in the sales side of the operation than I used to be. When I first started at
Southdowns I generated all the customer invoices. Now, with a dealer management
system in place, despite the fact that the sales team are generating their own
invoices, I still have a supervisory role, ensuring invoices are correctly and
efficiently processed and making certain cash flow is effectively maintained.
Q Six years is a long time with one company, so what has made you
stay?
A Despite the expansion of the business in recent years, the
company still manages to retain its individual culture. There is definitely a
'Southdowns type' and that means being prepared to work hard, think on your
feet and use your initiative - if people don't fit in they don't stay long.
Judging by the number of people who have been with the company for more than
five years, the people who do fit in are happy to stay.
Jeanette
lives in Bedhampton and enjoys spending her spare time with her four
grandchildren.
Jeanette can be contacted on :
Accounts Direct Line number: +44 (0)2392 674827
Southdowns Switchboard
Number: +44 (0)2392 674820
See Also: See what Jeanette said to us when we last interviewed her in 2008