Straighahead UK celebrates its 10th anniversary

December 10, 2019

Straightahead UK founder, Vicki Culverhouse, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her business which specialises in helping other businesses to grow and build strong relationships.

In November 2009, Vicki, who lives in Stamford, took the plunge to launch the company that sought to offer UK businesses a respectful alternative to traditional telemarketing. All of her previous roles had been related to helping businesses to generate sales, either as a rep, business manager or director. She saw a gap in the market for a B2B cold calling service that was considerate, friendly and built upon a compassionate ethos.

Vicki explains: “Having worked in numerous sales environments, I worked out quite early on that it’s really important to have the right sort of fun atmosphere for people to work in. It is very professional, we do make sure we make the calls in the right way, but what we also do is make sure everyone in the team enjoys being at work.

“We encourage our staff to feel relaxed and able to have a chat between calls, because the happier they are, the better they will work, the better conversations they will have and the better outcomes they will get for our clients.”

Despite the setback of undergoing treatment for breast cancer in 2016, Vicki has continued to see her business flourish. Straightahead now employs nine full-time staff members at its office in the Eventus Business Centre in Market Deeping.

“Over the last decade, the business has evolved and really taken off. Just as our clients love to build relationships with new customers, our team also want to see their personalised service is providing the right kind of help exactly where it is needed.”

As well as generating leads and appointments for their business clients, Straightahead also dedicate their time and resources to helping local and national charities. Their annual ball has so far generated over £50K for charitable organisations, including Peterborough City Hospital. Additionally, the company provide free calling days to charities to help them find promising future partnerships. The most recent recipient of this is Leonard Cheshire Disability, who support people to live, learn and work as independently as they choose, whatever their ability.

Since the day it was launched, Straightahead has stuck to a strict moral code: to never use highpressure tactics, to remain respectful and friendly at all times, and to never work with competing brands where there might be a conflict of interest. They believe that creating the right atmosphere and tone for both clients, prospects and staff is the secret behind building a successful business.

Kaitlyn Joyce, Straightahead’s Business Manager, who has worked with the company since November 2015, adds: “I am the biggest chatterbox going so to find a job that means I get to communicate with a variety of prospects as well as my team on a daily basis is a dream come true for me.

“I never feel like I’m selling anything, or that I’m being forceful, I generally just feel like I’m helping them and this shows when we listen to the call recordings which is why we think it’s so important to enable our clients to listen to any leads we generate to get a feel for themselves. It’s extremely exciting that I get to celebrate the 10-year anniversary with the business and can’t wait to continue my journey with Straightahead.”

Vicki is also a voice for other business leaders who experience personal challenges. She learnt valuable insights while juggling cancer treatment with work and family commitments. Now she supports other entrepreneurs facing similar situations.