Commercial: Trusted Trader – Phil, Head of Quality Assurance
Learn more about working in Commercial (within Trusted Trader) and why Which? is a great place to work and progress your career.
Current position
I am responsible for the provides oversight and assurance of the scheme and the compliance of the scheme’s standards I developed. I am responsible for leadership of the endorsement of suitable traders and manage the nationwide team assessors, all of whom are Trading Standards professionals, who ensure that businesses meet Which?’s rigorous endorsement criteria through risk-based auditing and assessing businesses.
My team conducts investigations to determine whether any of the 6500 businesses in the scheme fails to meet the criteria and/or legal requirements and determine whether the business should be rejected from the scheme. My team also continuously monitors traders to ensure that continue to meet the standards of the scheme and we moderate every review we receive about our traders to ensure only genuine reviews are published on our site.
Key Experiences
I started my career in Trading Standards and ended up managing a wide range of services in local government before leaving and joining Which Trusted Traders in 2014. My career has always focused on protecting the consumer so working for Which? the Consumer Association was a natural fit for me when I left the public sector. I like that Which? is the consumer champion and puts the consumer at the heart of everything it does.
Motivation for working at Which?
My current job really helps consumers to find good, honest reputable traders and no other scheme does that. I do it because I believe consumers need help to avoid rogue traders and it sits with my values. I couldn't do this in any other commercial organization because only Which is here to protect the consumer. I like that we do not put profit above doing the right thing for consumers but we have such a good business model that we are able to achieve both.
I like that Which invests in having staff dedicated to helping consumers resolve their complaints and has invested in great people to do this rather than just paying lip service to it. I would like that we provide dispute resolution which is free to consumers and are probably to the only organization that does this.
I like that we are proud that 40% of businesses that apply to be a trusted trader do not make it through the application process as it gives the scheme real creditability. I also like that Which invests in its staff and treats them well, it is the best and most caring organization I have worked for.
Greatest achievement
Because Which wants to do the right thing for consumers it invests in having the most robust assessment criteria for a business wanting to become endorsed as a Which Trusted trader. It has tasked me to build a robust assessment process and ongoing monitoring process and wants it to be the best in class. This really resonates with me and my values and I do not feel compromised between compliance and making money. Due to the power of the brand we are able to achieve both.
Top advice
Which has a great record of developing its staff. I think it is a real testimony that people progress through Which rather than look for opportunities outside. if you have the mindset that you want to develop your skills or yourself Which will enable you to do it. It provides support for people who want to grow. There are lots of opportunities either within departments or across departments for promotion and with hybrid working location is now less of an issue. Equally though if you find a job within Which that suits you Which rewards you with great employment terms and benefits.
What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?
Our most successful employees understand what Which? is about and in particular Which? Trusted Traders. They share the same passion Which? has to be a consumer champion and will challenge what we do to realise better outcomes for consumers.
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