12 Years in the Making - Q&A with Ailsa Alexander
We recently had our Head Office Lettings Director, Ailsa Alexander, do a Q&A talking about herself and life at D&G. Ailsa has been with Douglas & Gordon for over 10 years and to say she’s an integral part of the business would be an understatement. There are not many people that have seen more development or shown more dedication than her. Read about her story below!
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Well to start with, my name is Ailsa Alexander, I have been living in London for about 12 years now and I have worked at D&G that entire time. I am originally Scottish, and I love to escape to the Highlands as often as I can. I enjoy watching Scotland play rugby and I am also a Manchester United fan! Other than that, I love to read, climb hills, and Scottish Country Dance. My husband and I are expecting our first child and we have just bought our first house in West Norwood, with big plans to do some work to it in the next year!
2. You've been at D&G for over 12 years. How has your role evolved?
After 12 years at D&G I can say my role has evolved a lot! I started my career here as a Sales Negotiator in our Balham office. I was there for 3 years until I moved to Battersea Park to be our Sales Team Assistant and trainer. From there I was promoted to Team Assistant Manager where I oversaw all of the support staff at D&G. As that role evolved, I helped lead various training sessions for all different roles at the company until I was made Training & Compliance Manager and then later Head of Training. In November 2021, I started a new Douglas and Gordon venture, Corporate Partnerships, where I have been looking to build our client base by partnering with various businesses as well as developing the Build to Rent department at D&G. In September 2022, I became Head Office Lettings Director and I now continue all of the work I was previously doing but I also look after the Head Office Lettings teams (Property Management, Tenancy Management, and Lettings Accounts) and I work closely with the Lettings Managers, Negotiators, and Sales & Lettings Director.
3. What does your day-to-day as a Lettings Director look like?
One of the main reasons most of us like working in property and particularly at D&G, is that no two days are ever the same! We are dealing with real people’s lives which means that there is always something new and exciting happening. However, every week I will spend at least one full day with our Lettings teams and join in all their meetings so I can catch up on what’s going on with them and answer any questions that I can. Every week I generally have a few external meetings whether it be meeting a potential new partner or viewing a rental development. On Tuesdays, I always join in our Recruitment Evenings, so I can meet the exciting new talent coming into the company.
4. How are you building/growing D&G in London today?
One of the most rewarding parts of all the roles I’ve had at D&G is that I’ve been able to contribute to the growth of the company. One of the benefits of working for an independent, family-owned company like us, is that we control our own destiny. Meaning that if we need to make an improvement or change a process, we do it! This dynamic, proactive approach ensures that we are constantly evolving and improving all our processes to consistently provide a better service for our clients and customers. Personally, I am focusing on building the Lettings business and making it as efficient as possible, so D&G are always the go-to agent for private and corporate Landlords alike.
5. What are some of the key lessons you've learned at D&G?
I feel like I have learnt SO MUCH at D&G over the years, but I would say that my key lessons have been:
• Having a personal touch is so important. There aren’t many things more personal than spending money on a home, so showing your customers that you genuinely care and want to give them good service is important.
• Pick up the phone! It’s impossible to build a relationship through email and that’s such an important part of our job, building relationships. If you can sit down on a sofa or in the office with your customer, that’s even better!
• Put yourself in someone else’s shoes, whether that be your customer or your colleague. Empathy is such a key part of interacting with people and it helps everyone work towards the same goal.
6. Any tips for people looking to join D&G?
• Get stuck in! Life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy. You will get so much more out of your time at D&G if you throw yourself in and make the most of it.
• Ask questions- there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
• Be yourself- a large part of the reason you’ve been hired is because of your personality, so let us and your customers get to know you and you will get to know them in turn!
Interested in joining us? Explore open roles here.