Meet our Furniture & Equipment Projects team
At ESPO, our F&E Projects team is dedicated to delivering top-notch services that make your projects a reality and make your life that little bit easier. To help you get to know the amazing team behind the work, we’ve asked them questions so you can get to know their professional experiences and personal passions!
Meet Neil
How long have you been part of the ESPO family?
It will be 20 years next year!
Tell us a bit about your role in the F&E team
We’re in the solutions game – we’re here to help our clients select the right furniture and equipment whatever the size of the project. I’m here to provide our clients with advice on the products themselves, budget control, procurement compliance and delivery planning.
What’s one part of the project process you really enjoy?
Strangely, I’m going to say site installations! It can be long, hard days and sometimes site conditions aren’t always as you’d like them to be, but there a great deal of satisfaction to be had from seeing bare rooms become functional spaces.
What's a recent project you're proud of?
Every project that completes on time and results in a happy client always gives a nice feeling of accomplishment. Recent standouts include our work at a young offender’s institute in the Southeast, and a brand new large primary school in South Wales. We’re very fortunate on occasions to work with clients we’ve previously worked with and their confidence in entrusting new projects with us does give you pride in knowing this.
Coffee, tea, or something else while you’re on-site or in the office?
Water, although I’m partial to the odd can of Irn-Bru – blame it on my Scottish roots!
If your job had a theme song, what would it be?
Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas.
Meet Jen
How long have you been part of the ESPO family?
It's been two years now!
What’s your favourite part of the projects process?
Although we work closely as a team, we generally operate on projects with one of us as the single/first point of contact. I enjoy these start to finish projects – working with a customer throughout the whole process; building that relationship and supporting them to achieve a result they and we are proud of! There are so many parts to our job, I love the satisfaction of seeing them all come together.
How do you ensure furniture & equipment meet aesthetic and functional needs?
Communication and working closely with the customer are key. Ensuring that ultimately, the customer has the information to make those choices, not us. We just listen and make suggestions or changes based on their brief.
What's a common challenge you face when carry out F&E projects and how do you tackle it?
Juggling! We each have multiple projects on the go at any one time. Good organisation, careful record keeping and attention to detail help us to keep on top of our workloads and make sure every customer feels prioritised.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
Fresh air, closely followed by chocolate (unless I’m supposed to say my children?!)
Your go-to beverage while you're onsite or in the office?
Tea please! Or a creamy choc from our vending machine…yum!
If your job had a theme song, what would it be?
The A-Team song 15 minutes from the end of every episode when they’re locked in a tight space and use anything and everything to save the day!
Meet Pete
How long have you been part of the ESPO family?
Since April 2008 - a long time now!
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Working and interacting with people both within and outside the organisation, to build productive and long-term relationships.
What’s a common hurdle you come across during the process and how do you manage it?
Very often a customer’s own expectations will exceed their actual budget. We will talk openly and transparently with the customer and use our own, team members and supplier’s expertise to provide solutions that meet as closely as possible the customers aspirations.
Tell us about a recent project you're proud of
I recently ran a project to furnish the head offices of Lift schools in London. This was logistically complicated project that in addition to supplying a large volume of brand new furniture on time also included moving legacy furniture to and from several locations across London.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
My CD collection of course!
Coffee, tea, or something else while you’re on-site or in the office?
Tea, 100%!
If your job had a theme song, what would it be?
The Good Life by Tony Bennett.
Have a project in the pipeline?
Let's get started!
Drop us an email with your name and organisation and one of our friendly team will get back to you.
How long have you been part of the ESPO family?
It will be 20 years next year!
Tell us a bit about your role in the F&E team
We’re in the solutions game – we’re here to help our clients select the right furniture and equipment whatever the size of the project. I’m here to provide our clients with advice on the products themselves, budget control, procurement compliance and delivery planning.
What’s one part of the project process you really enjoy?
Strangely I’m going to say site installations! Can be long, hard days and sometimes site conditions aren’t always as you’d like them to be, but there a great deal of satisfaction to be had from seeing bare rooms become functional spaces.
What's a recent project you're proud of and why?
Every project that completes on time and results in a happy client always gives a nice feeling of accomplishment. Recent standouts include our work at a young offender’s institute in the Southeast, and a brand new large primary school in South Wales. We’re very fortunate on occasions to work with clients we’ve previously worked with and their confidence in entrusting new projects with us does give you pride in knowing this.
Coffee, tea, or something else while you’re on-site or in the office?
Water, although I’m partial to the odd can of Irn-Bru – blame it on my Scottish roots!
If your job had a theme song, what would it be?
Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas