The year of NMBS: another milestone celebrated as Dean Hayward marks two decades at NMBS

While November 2003 may have been the end for Concorde, it was the start of Dean Hayward’s career at NMBS. Here, we speak to Dean about his career, how the industry has changed over the past two decades and what he’d like to see in the future…

What did you do before you worked at NMBS?

When I first left school, I enrolled on an electrical apprenticeship with a large electrical firm in Leicestershire. We had been working on the new £37bn stadium for Leicester City. The team moved into the new grounds at the start of the 2002-03 season, and just a few months later the club went into administration. The ripple effects of that meant that the company I’d been working for also went bust and I was out of an apprenticeship.

While I didn’t get to complete my qualification, being in the real working world taught me lots of key skills. I was able to talk to people and build relationships, so when an opportunity came up at NMBS, I jumped at the chance.

How would you describe your career at NMBS?

My first role was within the finance department where I stayed for around 18 months before joining the marketing team. From there I worked my way up, and took on the sales side. Last year, I was promoted to my current role as head of sales and marketing.

Day to day, my role is quite varied. I could be meeting with our members or suppliers to ensure they’re getting the support that they need, working with our Trading Team to identify opportunities to improve our offering, or looking at our next marketing campaign. Getting to meet and work with so many people both in and outside of NMBS is one of the best parts of my job.

What has been your most memorable experience?

I’d say my most memorable experience was when we launched the rebrand of NMBS at the start of 2012. We created and implemented a whole new identity within just three months which, at that time, also included updating the franking machine!

From a sales perspective, it would probably be in 2018 when we hit a record number of new members. The team had worked so hard all year and it was such an achievement as we’d more than quadrupled past figures.

This year will also be up there; 60 years of NMBS, 50 years of the NMBS Dinner Dance and absolutely smashing our target to recruit 60 new apprentices into the industry this year.

I’m passionate about apprenticeships, as is the whole NMBS team, so it’s great to be involved in an organisation that shares those values and is actively promoting these early careers opportunities.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the builders’ merchant sector?

It is a very rewarding sector. Many people find their way into the builders’ merchant sector by accident but stay because its very supportive and quite varied. Builders’ merchants play a crucial role in bridging the gap between manufacturers and tradespeople so there is always lots to learn. From new products and innovations through to the latest standards and construction initiatives, it’s certainly keeps you on your toes.

How has NMBS changed over the past 20 years?

If I was to sum up the changes over the past 20 years, I’d use one word: digitalisation.

That’s not just NMBS, but our members and suppliers too. Everyone recognises the wider business benefits of embracing technology and capitalising on the improved efficiency that comes with working in this way.

During this time, we’ve launched OnePlace – an industry product information management (PIM) solution – so that members could access an online order portal and accurate product data that’s maintained in a secure structured platform, making it much simpler for them to carry out their day-to-day tasks.

What do you hope to see in the next 20 years?

NMBS has always been a people-focussed organisation and that won’t change. Our values centre around being a supportive, professional organisation that is making a genuine difference to independent merchants and helping them to strengthen their position in the market. Even with our internal team, it is always a people first approach to ensure we’re creating an environment where people can grow and thrive.

We’re working on some really exciting things that we hope to share within the next year or so, including a new membership option that will help start-ups.

The main thing I’d like to see happen over the next 20 years, and I’d like it to happen sooner rather than later, is more proactive collaboration among merchants. Particularly as the wider construction industry heads into more turbulent times, it is important that we all band together to share our knowledge, learnings and experiences to create a better, stronger sector.

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