14 Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2023 Apr23386 Female Start Up Director of the Year 2023 (North West England): Sian Dunn Lead generation is crucial to every business, but no two sectors are the same. The team from Excel TM Group focus on the needs of the construction sector, building relationships that have supported many businesses. In the Influential Businesswomen Awards 2023 from Acquisition International, Director Sian Dunn has been recognised for her efforts. We dig a little deeper to see just what has brought her to these incredible heights of success. No company can survive without clients, but finding people who are interested in your services can be immensely challenging. No one knows this better than the team at the Excel TM Group, who provide lead generation services for businesses throughout the construction sector. By focusing in on the specific needs of one industry, the team have been able to transform leads into clients better than their competitors. At the heart of the firm is a selection of experienced telemarketers who know the construction sector inside and out, and can effectively communicate the value of their clients’ products and services with ease. The various campaigns that the team mounts are designed to identify potential clients, generate leads and schedule appointments for sales representatives so that they can continue the process. With a steady flow of qualified leads and appointments, clients who turn to Excel TM Group have more chance of increasing their sales and revenue. So how does Sian Dunn, award-winning director at Excel TM Group, fit into this story? She officially joined the company in January this year as co-director alongside her husband Mike, but has been helping run the business since the start of 2020. For her, customer service comes naturally, and she has developed strong communication skills, resilience, problem solving abilities, a customer centric mindset and a strong work ethic. In a business such as Excel TM Group, these skills are invaluable. Of course, entering into the traditionally male-dominated construction industry has brought its own challenges which Sian has managed to overcome in her own inimitable way. She has seen much change over the last few years to promote greater gender diversity and inclusion in the construction industry including increased representation, greater recognition and support and changing attitudes and perceptions of how women are actually treated in the workplace. All of this can only be good, and has only created an environment where Sian can thrive and empower many businesses to thrive as well. Although the construction industry has its own unique challenges, the universal difficulties of being a mother and wife, as well as a businesswoman, still remain. “It’s really difficult for women in business to get back to work after having a baby,” Sian tells us. “The rising costs of childcare and dealing with a new child’s immune system – or lack of – can make it near impossible for us to get back to work. I have only just really found the balance, but my little girl is now six. Both mine and Mike’s parents still work so we didn’t have a great deal of support in the sense of childcare. It always seemed to fall on me as the woman to take the time off as Mike was the “bread winner.” I really sympathise with any woman wanting to be a mother, but also have a successful career. We shouldn’t have to choose between them.” Fortunately, Sian has managed to overcome the challenges of the work/life balance, building a strong support network of like-minded people and setting strict boundaries that allow her to support herself. “This has included finding mentors and advocates through social media and personally that can offer guidance, support and also advice,” she says. “I try to make sure that I spend enough quality time with my daughter in the evenings and at weekends.” This experience of becoming a successful businesswoman has guided many of Sian’s decisions in the workplace too, with support being a key part of what sets Excel TM Group apart. “We have committed to supporting all of our staff through the distress of a miscarriage by signing The Pregnancy Loss Pledge, something I feel is very important in the work place having been through this myself whilst being in a corporate environment,” Sian explains. “I also hope to start a graduate programme for disadvantaged women or those looking to get back into work after having children.” This scheme would support those who may be at a disadvantage or come from tough backgrounds that have not had the same opportunities. Working alongside local authorities and education providers, Sian’s proposed scheme would allow candidates to receive the relevant skills and qualifications to help guide them into more corporate roles. This programme would also help mothers back into work, and help them to build a network of like-minded women who can offer support in the same way that Sian has found help from others. Looking forward for Excel TM Group, Sian and the team have just set up Excel PA Services, a platform for providing outsourced call answering for any business in the construction industry or built environment. Now, the team can offer a full cycle service to clients, not only making outbound calls to generate leads through Excel TM Group but managing those leads by taking inbound calls as well. The next year will see this idea develop, with clients using an app to build their own campaigns, as well as access call states and leads. “This will give the client full control and eradicate the need for monthly reports, as clients will be able to generate their own reports directly from the
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