Spotlight on… Bruce Robins

Tell us a bit about your career and what brought you to CheckFire.

I started with CheckFire in the spring of 1988. In those days we were doing extinguisher servicing and I loved getting around into so many different types of premises. The fire industry always had an attraction to me. I loved the ‘life safety’ aspect of the job and the provision of equipment that really could save a life. Just a few years later, we changed the direction of the company to becoming ‘trade only’. Beginning in the refurbishment workshop doing tasks from cartridge filling to dry powder filling and C02 hydraulic testing, I then went into customer service and account management. I welcomed this move, as it gave me chance to talk to professionals nationwide. I still do that to this day – 32 years down the track!

What is your role at CheckFire and which service do you provide?

I am an account manager and look after a good number of our existing customers while also attracting more to join us.

Talk us through a typical day in your role.

A typical day for me would be getting up at 4.30am. I jump in the car by 5.30/6am. Off I go on a day visiting customers. The appointments can sometimes be long as it is good to talk and listen to the needs of our customers. While driving, I am taking calls from customers and need frequent stops to respond to emails etc. Last call finished, and I either head home, or sometimes stay out depending on the geographical layout of the next day’s calls. In the early evening, a number of my customers seem to wake up, so I have calls, emails and messages to reply to until sometimes quite late! That is all part of the job and my customers like to get an answer quickly! They need me to ‘get stuff done’ and that is what I do!

Which fire safety professionals do you regularly support?

I support the fire industry business owners, managers and engineer teams nationwide. In addition, I provide information and support for organisations such as IFEDA, BFC and UKFA, as well as assisting the BSI on the standards committee and I am involved with some specific BAFE schemes.

What advice would you give to landlords, property owners or business owners when it comes to ensuring the right fire safety measures are in place?

Number one is to double check the competency of the person or company you choose. This is vital. Make sure they are qualified, certified and backed by third party accreditation. Running along with that, get some feedback from others that use their services. You cannot be too careful in the selection process.

Which of Checkfire’s products are you most excited about at the minute?

I love the CS60 – Commander Safety Box. It’s so simple. Just a super strong waterproof box! You might ask why this excites me. I love it because it does what it claims, has so many applications, and is easy to sell. Every company I look after will have somewhere that this box will tick the box! It takes less than five minutes to tell a customer about this product.

What has been your most memorable moment with CheckFire?

Life at CheckFire is crammed with memorable moments. Every appointment is a memorable moment and I so frequently start meetings by saying “remember my last visit… Can’t forget it!” However, I suppose the day we chose to go from end-user to the wholesale business model was the biggest, most memorable moment I have ever seen. This was a huge change. I was up for it!

Why is your job so satisfying?

I like getting things sorted and leaving the customer happy. Listening to customers even talk about their own challenges, outside work, and empathising with them is so satisfying. A problem shared is a problem halved and I enjoy building those relationships.

In which direction do you think the fire safety industry is headed?

It can only get bigger and better. Recent ‘wake up calls’ in the tragedies, however horrific they were, have made everyone so much more fire safety aware. I think there will be an increase in the need to prove competency so I would encourage all to make sure you can demonstrate this. The fire industry is definitely on the increase.