A BDM's lot

Helen Banks has only been a BDM for 15 months and unashamedly confesses: "When I started, the licensees were saying: Oh no, not another BDM'."

Prior to joining Avebury Taverns, she spent 10 years with cidermaker Bulmers and recalls visiting licensees who said they were dreading the impending visit of their BDM.

This hasn't dented her enthusiasm for the job. "I wouldn't call the job stressful, but it is very demanding because one minute you can be discussing accountancy and cash flow, the next you could be counselling on personal matters."

Banks likes to visit her 40-plus outlets at least on a six-week cycle. "My role is as a supportive tool for licensees and it annoys me immensely when people think we are just police looking in cellars and fridges. When I go to see licensees, I want to talk about things like sales volumes, products that are not selling well, machine income and issues that can enhance their business such as what are they doing to increase trade at Easter."

She feels some of the people attracted to the trade don't appreciate what they are letting themselves in for. "You can get someone who is great with customers and great behind the bar, but who is hopeless at business. If that person genuinely wants to stay in the trade and is not afraid of hard work, then I will help them. Sometimes it is a case that they are the wrong type of person for that particular pub."