Whether she’s helping a customer solve a problem, keeping a project on track or squeezing in a gym session before work, Louise Pridding’s days tend to be busy and varied.
In this Q&A, she talks about life at ADAPT, what she enjoys most about her role and why she believes the company is one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.
1. Tell us about your role at ADAPT
I head up our sales team at ADAPT, including our Account Managers and a Business Development Manager. My job is to keep the team focused on the right opportunities, look after the customers we already work with and make sure our sales activity supports where ADAPT wants to go next.
It’s not a sales role in the traditional sense. As a service provider, a big part of what we do is understanding what customers are trying to achieve, building relationships and providing the expertise needed to make it happen.
I’m also part of ADAPT’s management team, where I bring the customer perspective into wider decisions. That might mean making the case for new equipment, better systems or extra expertise so the business is ready for what comes next.
2. Where were you before ADAPT and what experience do you bring to your role?
Before joining ADAPT, I spent more than a decade in electronic component distribution, working for businesses such as Arrow Electronics and America II Electronics. This gave me an excellent understanding of the electronics supply chain, customer relationship management and the challenges manufacturers face when sourcing components.
That background helps me see a project from both directions. I understand the commercial pressures customers are under but I also know what has to happen behind the scenes to turn an enquiry into something we can manufacture.
3. How does your day normally unfold?
A typical day starts early. After breakfast, I usually head to the gym before getting back in time to help make sure the kids are up and on their way to school. Then it’s a short drive to work, traffic permitting!
One of the first things I do is have a walkabout to check in with everyone, including colleagues across the office and manufacturing areas as well as my own team. We have a very open culture at ADAPT and I think it’s important to be approachable and take an interest in what’s happening across the business.
At my desk, I check the priorities I noted the night before and scan my emails. By then, I usually know whether my plan will survive the morning or an urgent customer request is about to take over.
Either way, I then have a quick catch-up with my team to discuss ongoing activities and priorities for the day. Customer meetings often follow, covering everything from project progress and current orders to future plans.
After lunch, I try to get outside for a brisk walk. The afternoon is usually more internally focused, with production and contract reviews and conversations about what’s coming up next. A chocolate bar tends to feature somewhere too.
Before heading home, I spend time with my team reviewing quotations, discussing any outstanding actions and planning for the next day.
4. What are some of the key challenges in your role and how do you approach them?
One of the biggest challenges is balancing competing priorities. Our customers operate in different markets, have different requirements and are often working to tight timescales, so things can change quickly.
Sometimes that means responding to a customer who suddenly needs a delivery brought forward or extra support to meet a deadline. Supply chain availability, fluctuating demand and evolving customer requirements can all affect a project, so being able to adapt quickly is important. Experience plays a big part in that.
Over time, you learn to spot potential issues early, weigh up the options and work out the best way forward.
5. What do you find most rewarding about your role?
Winning new business is always a great feeling but I get just as much satisfaction from seeing what happens afterwards.
We often become involved in projects long before production begins and with such a wide range of customers, no two projects are ever the same. One week we might be helping a start-up bring a new product to market and the next we could be supporting a global manufacturer on a complex programme.
I enjoy the problem-solving side of the role too. Supply chain issues and changing requirements can create challenges during the quotation and planning stages, so being able to work through those and keep a project on track is very satisfying.
Ultimately, it’s great to see something develop from an initial enquiry into a finished product and know you’ve helped to make it happen.
6. Can you share a recent highlight or achievement, either personally or for the team?
There are plenty of examples, but one that stands out was a project we worked on for a global customer with a fixed deadline to install equipment in the US. Missing that deadline simply wasn’t an option, so there was a lot of pressure from the outset.
The project involved far more than electronics and manufacturing. We also had to manage a complicated supply chain, including the machining and approval of mould tools for a new set of injection-moulded plastic parts.
We had regular calls with teams on both sides of the Atlantic and at times it felt like everyone in the business was involved in some way. Purchasing, engineering, manufacturing and sales all pulled together to keep things moving.
The customer not only met their installation deadline but completed the project ahead of schedule. That’s exactly the sort of result you want to achieve for a customer.
7. What has changed in the time you’ve been at ADAPT?
A lot has changed. We’ve continued to invest in equipment, systems and capabilities over the years and, looking back, the business is like night and day compared to the one I joined.
What hasn’t changed is our approach. We’re still an independent business and we’ve always focused on looking after existing customers. Much of our growth has come through recommendations and word of mouth, with one successful project often leading to another.
In many ways, I still think ADAPT is one of the best-kept secrets in the sector.
8. What do you enjoy doing outside work to switch off?
Family time comes first for me. I have two sons, so life outside work is usually just as busy as life in the office and I enjoy spending as much time with them as I can.
When I get time to myself, I head to the gym. It clears my head, gives me something completely different to focus on and brings out my competitive side.
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