Belinda’s job is icing on the cake
By YVETTE AUBUSSON-FOLEY
TO SARAH Jane Fine Foods retail shop manager Belinda Pengilley, customers matter.
She says good service isn’t hard and counts when it comes to building repeat business.
“We need our customers to keep coming back to keep us functioning. I’m actually not that great at remembering names so I try to remember the product a customer last bought or where they’ve come from, just to give them a bit of personal attention, because they do matter to us. Plus, I’m also always up for a good old chat. Most days I come to work and just laugh all day.”
Belinda’s genuine friendliness is backed up by the store’s quality and premium flours, bread, cake and muffin mixes, dried fruits, nuts and snacks. Even now she can’t believe where people are coming from to shop there.
“I’ve got a lady in Queensland who orders nearly 3 kilos of muesli every couple of months, and she pays the $20 postage because she loves it. She used to travel here but just can’t get down here anymore.
“We’ve got a biscuit lady out at Mudgee who comes in, and a man at Yass who buys our TVP – or textured vegetable protein – which is a meat replacement.”
Belinda says she’s always learning from customers and how they use the products.
“I love the contact with people. You learn from listening to their way of doing things, their breadmaking or how they make their cakes, especially the professional cake makers who like to do it the right way. I can then pass on their knowledge to mums and dads who just want to make cakes at home for after dinner and things like that.
“Men especially love to cook bread, so it’s interesting to see how men are passionate about doing it as well. It’s not just a women’s thing.
“We’re getting some younger people involved now with the cake making. It’s good to see 13 and 14-yearolds wanting to learn how to do the fancy decorations and make cakes and starting to kick off their own careers and earning money out of it. I’ve got a few young people that are quite successful at selling their cakes now. Social media has really opened that up.”
While Belinda is employed by Ben Furney Flour Mills owners Sarah and Tim Furney, the autonomy they afford Belinda to run Sarah Jane Fine Foods means she treats it as it were her own.
“Sarah and Tim have given me so much confidence. I’ll go to Sarah with an idea and she’s very supportive because I’m here every day with the customers and that means a lot.”
The nature of one type of customer is integral to the business.
“Without the farmers bringing in their produce, the mill would not exist. Originally the shop was set up to sell the refined products back to them in large quantities as they wouldn’t come to town that often and needed the bulk. Everything goes full circle.”
Drop in to Sarah Jane Fine Foods and Meet the Boss, Belinda Pengilley, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Belinda Pengilley started working at Sarah Jane Fine Foods as a casual 15 years ago and is now the retail shop manager.
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