40 Faces of Seasalt: Sophie Cotton, Customer Experience Delivery Manager

“We thought that we could either dream about how lovely it would be to live beside the sea, or just do it. So, we did!”


Sophie joined our customer service team ten years ago after following her heart to Cornwall. She is now the Customer Experience Delivery Manager in our new Customer Experience Team. 

I used to live in the Midlands, about as far away from the sea as you can get. When I met my husband Paul, we shared our love of the sea (he’s a true Brummie). He used to holiday in Polzeath in Mrs Mabely’s cabins (with a hole in the floor that was carefully covered by a carpet!).

We thought that we could either dream about how lovely it would be to live beside the sea, or just do it. So, we did! That was 11 years ago and we took a gamble that we’d find jobs here.  

Paul got a job in the Seasalt warehouse, delivering product to our shops. We were so small that all the shop deliveries were done by a ‘man in a van’ on a part-time basis, and Paul was one of the drivers.  

He let me know about a part-time customer service vacancy and I was delighted. I worked my way up, first to Manager of the team then to Head of Customer Service. Now I’m part of the Customer Experience team, where I’m focused on making sure our teams always have exactly what they need to give the best possible service.  

It’s really exciting to have a whole team dedicated to doing what I love, which is delivering the best possible customer experience.

My Seasalt 

Seasalt has changed a lot since I joined 10 years ago. When I started I think we had 11 shops. We were rattling around in the new office at Falmouth Business Park and our warehouse was the tiny unit at Penryn. I don’t think we’d get a single delivery in there now!  

I think what makes us special is that the focus is always squarely on the customer and we always want to do better. Just being ‘as good as’ isn’t enough.  

We appeal to so many people but that every customer is unique and special. I love their passion for the brand. They want to chat to us about their favourite Seasalt item or their holiday in Cornwall. 

My Cornwall

I’m still exploring! We’ve been walking the coast path in sections, so this summer we plan to take a week and cover a longer distance, probably starting around St Just. I also love swimming off Gylly Beach in my wetsuit. It’s often so clear, it’s a bit like a chilly Mediterranean! 

In our 40th year, we’ve been shining a light on some of the many people who have been key to our journey so far. You can read more of our stories in the series on the blog, or share your own memories of Seasalt with us on Instagram or Facebook.

 

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