New Director of UK Consumer Operations to build on solid foundations at Stiltz Homelifts
Newly appointed to the role of Director of UK Consumer Operations, Darryl Cope might be the fresh face on the block, but the pedigree of experience he brings will take the Stiltz Homelift customer experience to the next level.
Starting his career ‘on the tools’, Darryl didn’t have the traditional entry into management. “I originally worked as a joiner, and I think this has been the anchor across everything I do. I derive a lot of my work ethic from those early days.” This means Darryl has a practical understanding of both quality and attention to detail. It also means he’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and tackle issues head-on.”
The Director of UK Consumer Operations role is cross-functional, from customer communication to building and installation and after-sales care. He is ultimately responsible for an extensive field-based team as well as customer-facing staff at Stiltz West Midlands’ Head Office and Stiltzs Northern Office in Leeds. Straddling management and construction, Darryl’s experience is perfect to answer this brief, and the building and installation teams now have someone else who speaks the same ‘technical language’ they do.
Darryl’s journey towards Stiltz Homelifts has seen him completing a business degree, after which he moved into a management position at Space4, the manufacturing division of Persimmon Homes PLC. In his eight years there, he progressed to Construction Operations Manager. His next role was Head of Operations at BD Living before a life change prompted him to head out to Las Vegas and complete a Business Mastery. An unorthodox step but one that gave him the opportunity to reset and regroup.
Armed with newly-acquired skills, he returned to the UK to work at Alno Kitchens as Operations Director, following this by becoming a Founding Director at Stoltz Kitchens, where he stayed for five years. The way in which Darryl balances business growth while building great employee relationships appealed to Stiltz as it closely matches the domestic lift company’s own management vision.
What is Darryl hoping to achieve at Stiltz? “I’ll be looking at how the business operates on a granular level, making sure we’re working smarter for our customers,” he explains. Creating a connection between the Board and the Field Teams by strengthening lines of communication is really important. It helps to empower people, especially as the business continues to grow and structures formalise. The results will obviously be measured against service satisfaction and the bottom line.”
His initial brief from CEO Mike Lord has been to fully immerse himself in the home lift business and soak up the culture with no immediate responsibilities except to visit sites and engage with the build teams and customers nationally.
So, what excited Darryl about Stiltz Homelifts? “The culture here is very ‘me’,” he explains. “I understand the vision of ‘democratising home lifts’; it resonates with me personally because my parents are at the age where they’re thinking about their mobility.”
A family man with four young daughters, he also warmed to the Stiltz approach to business, feeling it reflected his own values and business goals. “I am in this for the long haul,” he added.
CEO Mike Lord is delighted to welcome Darryl into the fold. “We have spent the last 12 years refining our home lifts range, which is world-beating. Our service is outstanding, but we know there are always gains to be made. This is where Darryl’s role comes in, especially as we focus on taking the customer experience to even greater heights.”
Watch the full interview with Darryl below: