7am

I get up at around 7am every morning unless my wife is working her early shift then I'm up a bit before as I have to get the kids to school. The showroom opens at 8am and as I drive in, and only live round the corner, I'm normally in just after. We open early to cater for our trade customers, so if they need something for one of their jobs they can come to us and buy supplies before they are due out on site.

8.15am

I spend about 15 minutes checking e-mails. Then I do a quick check on any jobs starting that day and make sure our guys are on site ready to start fitting the kitchen or bathroom. We call the fitter first and then out of courtesy we call the customer to make sure they are happy with how things are going. If it's an older couple, and it's their first time using us, I make a point of being on site for the initial meeting so that I can introduce the fitter to the customer. It's an important part of our customer service, because some old people can be apprehensive inviting people into their homes, they like to see a familiar face.

8.30am

If I have time, which is pretty rare, then I have a quick bite to eat for breakfast in the office. It's around this time that the phone starts ringing and it doesn't really stop all day which makes the showroom environment pretty hectic.

10.00am

This is when we generally get a chance to sit down with a cup of tea. I make a point of sorting the post at this time, and deal with any pressing matters, knowing I'll probably not get another chance to do it.

11.00am

There's always something to be done throughout the day, from dusting down displays and sweeping the showroom floor to dealing with customers or answering the phone. Seriously, we rarely have a moment to ourselves.

12pm

We don't actually close for lunch so it tends to be a case of grabbing something from the sandwich lady and eating it when we can. When it's your own business you can't afford to close so if a customer walks in while I'm eating my lunch, tough, they take priority.

1pm

After lunch I tend to go out on site visits. Sometimes I can have four quotes to do in one day and this involves me visiting potential customers in their home where I measure up for their kitchen or bathroom and talk through the ideas they have and what exactly they are looking for. I may also have arranged appointments for customers to visit me in the showroom for one reason or another. If I'm not doing that then I tend to go out and visit the fitters on site, to make sure the jobs are going ok.

Appointments tend to take about an hour I'd say by the time I get there. I spend about half an hour at a client's house measuring up, then I head back to the showroom with the quote and add it to the growing pile.

2.30pm

We get quite a few visits during the week from reps. They don't stay for long, about half an hour or so, which is just enough time for us to have a cup of tea and a catch up about new products and what's going on in the industry.

3pm

I tend to sort out my orders around this time because generating jobs throughout the day means that there is a constant demand to order in products. I also might have some outstanding orders to chase so I'll speak to my suppliers and find out the status of the delivery.

4.30pm

The fitters are all back in the showroom by about 4.30pm picking up supplies for the next day, so it's the perfect time for a tea break. It gives me a chance to catch up with the guys and see how the jobs are going and they can talk to me about any problems they might have.

6.30pm

The showroom closes at 5pm but I'm always there until well into the evening working on CAD designs for my customers. I always aim to work on them throughout the day but seem to run out of time. I also make appointments to see some of my clients in the evening, to fit in with their work schedules. I try and be strict on this and make my last appointment for 7pm if I make them any later I find I don't get home until 8.30pm. Having said that, even when I get home I don't stop working, you'll always find me tapping away on my laptop. As an independent retailer we have to raise our game to compete with the big boys. If that means me working all day long then I'll do it without a doubt.

8.30pm

When I'm not working what do I do in the evenings? I don't do anything because I'm always working! On the rare occasions I'm not working I like to spend time with my family and make a point of spending at least one day a week with them. It's generally a Sunday as that's the only day the showroom is closed, and we just jump in the car and go off somewhere for the day. It's important to make that time to remember that work isn't everything.