Today we’re really excited to be welcoming our new store manager, Louis Dawson to the team. It’s great to be expanding our team at this time, welcoming a fresh face and new ideas.
Louis brings with him over 20 years experience in the home furnishings industry, coming to Donnelly Watson from Barretts of Woodbridge where he specialised in flooring, alongside selling curtains, blinds and beds.
We caught up with Louis just before he started, asking him a few questions about his experience, his role and his plans for his future with Donnelly Watson!
What is your role at Donnelly Watson?
I’m a Store Manager and most importantly, a team player.
What will your role entail?
First, I’ll work to blend into the hugely successful business which Scott and Daniel have built alongside Claire and Esin. I’ll then focus on further developing the business as I’m privileged enough to have been asked to offer my own commerce advice to the team.
We’ll work hard to continue offering great customer service, whilst looking to bring in new stylish flooring products, in turn improving the store by offering a wider array of products to our customers!
What is your background in the industry?
I’ve had a long career (25 years to be precise!) in quality home furnishings, and have been a buyer, manager and a sales person in flooring, curtains and blinds, beds, sofas. I gained my knowledge through extensive training and experience at a family run, home furnishings store in Woodbridge. There I oversaw all scales of projects, from simple room improvements right through to building contractor development solutions. All of this sets me up perfectly for my new and exciting challenge at Donnelly Watson!
What attracted you to Donnelly Watson?
Firstly, and most importantly, it has great people! I can’t speak highly enough of the warmth I received from the team when I first arrived, not to mention their dedication and professionalism. A business is nothing without the right people. Donnelly Watson have both a great team and a clear vision for the future.
I was also excited by how progressive Donnelly Watson is as a company. From the sales team assisting the customer in a relaxed and honest way, to the fitters hoovering up afterwards, they have the highest standards. It is apparent that everything they do is in the customer’s best interests, and these are values that are close to my heart too.
What aspects of your role excite you the most?
I can’t wait to fully understand how everything in their efficient system clicks into place. I’m also excited to work on amazing plans for the future! Like me, Scott and Daniel are very ambitious, and planning for the future of Donnelly Watson will be very exciting! I can’t wait to help both the company and it’s customers achieve their dreams, their happiness is mine.
What do you hope to achieve in the next 12 months and beyond?
I’m excited to launch enhanced product training with the staff, which will include factory visits (they are a great way to further the education!).
The following year will no doubt be even more exciting, I’ll be working with Scott and Daniel to realise their long term visions. I know how much they want everyone to know just how good this business is to deal with, and I’ll help to make that connection a reality.
All I can say at this stage is “watch this space!”.
What are your specific areas of expertise?
I have thorough technical knowledge of all types of Carpet, Vinyl, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Wood, Laminate and Natural Flooring so I can explain to the customer the difference between costs and help them make a more informed decision.
My favourite has to be Luxury Vinyl Tile, such as Karndean. This is a product of beauty, style and durability, which can be used in both domestic and commercial settings. It really does make your home the envy of guests!
I also love striped carpet on stairs, beautiful stair runners, deep pile carpet (perfect for that first step out of bed!) and woven natural carpets, which create a stylish solution for your room whilst having a reduced impact on the environment.
What are your main interests beyond carpets and flooring?
I’ve always had a great fascination for design and technology, and the way experts find ways to solve problems with new ideas. For me, every day is a chance to learn something.
I must confess to two quirky facts about myself: I speak Russian fairly fluently, and I’m a semi professional football referee!
What have been the highlights of your career to date?
After leaving school, I served a short apprenticeship in the merchant navy, which taught me a lot, including fixing engines bigger than your house, fire fighting, and emergency sea survival! It also made me appreciate family and the comforts of home.
I then worked at Barretts of Woodbridge department store, where I worked for and learned so much from the team. They taught me everything I know and turned me into a success story as a manager and as a person. Most of all, I learnt to invest time into people.
My most recent highlights include taking my flooring department at my previous job to new heights of success, bringing together a great team to bring a huge new record turnover. I also worked as a project manager for a prestigious six apartment flooring contract at Felixstowe. These homes overlook the sea, and the washed oak herringbone parquet-look LVT looked amazing!
A new face, the same cutting-edge Donnelly Watson service
Come and meet Louis and our team of experts! Our Ipswich showroom is currently accepting walk-ins, we can’t wait to see you.