Next up in our #MeetTheTeam series is Richard Russell, Head of Logistics. With over 30 years in the business, Richard is focused on leading a high performing operation and highly engaged team that delivers a brilliant service.
            
We caught up with him to find out how he ensures we always deliver on our Next Day Delivery promise, his thoughts on the how the logistics sector is adapting post-Covid and more. 

Q: What does your typical workday look like as Head of Logistics at Bristan Group? 

A: I usually start my workday by reviewing the previous day’s service performance metrics, which helps to inform upcoming activities. I then lead on an operational ‘team huddle’ with the warehouse leaders to ensure that the day’s operations are ready to run smoothly. 

Just as important is making sure that our people are appropriately supported, so I then turn my attention to the individual teams and functional areas. This includes meetings with key stakeholders from the Group sales channels and strategic logistic partners, in addition to individual 121 sessions to keep the team engaged. 

This balance of work is essential to nurture a highly engaged team with great behaviours and personal wellbeing, while delivering exceptional performance and brilliant service levels at the same time. 

Q: How long have you been working at Bristan Group? And how did you work your way up to the role you’re at now? 

A: I have worked for Bristan for 31 years and have been in the bathroom distribution business for 34. 

I left college at 16 from an engineering apprenticeship and first joined a local bathroom company as a warehouse operative, before joining the Bristan Group operations team. I held the position of Warehouse Manager from 1992 to 2005 and was then promoted to Group Distribution Manager, before securing my current role as Head of Logistics in 2012. 

During my time in the business, I have been given the opportunity to take part in some brilliant development opportunities. Including attending a Masco leadership course in Operational Management at Michigan State University, where I graduated and achieved a distinction and fellowship. 

Q: What’s the best thing about your job? And what makes working at Bristan Group so brilliant? 

A: After so many years in the business, I’m still excited by my work. The pace remains dynamic and we’re continuously challenging ourselves to not just maintain brilliant service levels, but to search for even more industry-leading and customer-first opportunities. 

A warehousing operation must run efficiently and effectively every minute of the day, and this can only be achievable with great alignment and collaboration with all business functions. We make it a priority to keep teams aligned, establish shared goals, and create a winning culture – all of which contribute to ensure we consistently deliver for our customers. 

Q: How do you make sure that operations keeps life flowing for customers? 

A: It’s a brilliantly simple formula: understand your customer needs and deliver. 

The business has many distribution channels – from totally automated solutions on a carton network delivered next day, to specification conformance requirements to main retailers. Every customer has a requirement and service agreement, so it’s critical to regularly communicate with them, set your expectations, and deliver on that promise. 

Q: What are your top tips for delivering excellence in supply chain management? 

A: Number one is to develop long-term relationships with suppliers and service providers and always be transparent with them. Also, it’s important to agree clear performance targets that are both realistic and measurable. Across the supply chain to the customer, everyone involved in the process needs to be clear on their role and how they add value. 

And lastly, develop a great team around you and share your successes collectively. 

Q: How is the logistics sector responding to the Covid crisis? 

A: The logistics sector has experienced unprecedented disruption at either end of the process – with many businesses still feeling the effects. 

For example, supply lead times and availability continue to be impacted by the lack of containers in China, far east reduced tonnage capacity, port disruption and congestion – with bulk and panic buying only compounding the global stock positions.

What’s more, increased consumer demand and the dramatic shift to online purchases has resulted in a significant uplift in parcel transactions for carriers networks and last mile service providers. However, the channel switch is so dynamic in pace that it has caused operational inefficiency with some businesses opting to turn growth opportunity down, rather than fail to meet service expectations.  

At Bristan Group, we’ve adapted accordingly and utilise our long-standing logistics network to ensure we continue to deliver for our customers.   

Q: How is Bristan Group overcoming current challenges? 

A: When Covid hit, our teams adapted quickly; we made sure to address the changing markets and buying patterns, while also staying true to the business values and customer base. 
 
We worked closely with our suppliers to develop plans that increased output and improved lead time performance. Operational restructures were put into place to streamline processes. This allowed us to continue growing throughout 2020, despite the challenging circumstances. 

In the height of the pandemic, we also worked together to ensure stock was ready to be supplied at Nightingale hospitals, with many of the team and myself coming in on weekends to deliver. 

The warehousing operations remained open from the start of the pandemic and we always worked in line with Government guidelines to ensure the safety of our teams. 

Q: What excites you about the industry? 

A: Without a doubt, there is a rebound effect and the bathroom industry is performing well. The effects of the pandemic and change in consumer habits means that we have room to explore new opportunities and continue growing as a sector. 

Q: Tell us a fun fact about you. 

A: In 2014, I ran the London Marathon in under four hours – which I achieved with less than 10 weeks’ training and after having two ACL reconstructions on both knees. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but my proudest achievement!