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If you’ve ordered anything from Mila over the past few years, chances are Charlie Heeley will have played some part in getting it to you on time, in full and perfectly packed. Here he talks about how Mila really is in his DNA and how he once missed out on the chance to be scouted by the Premier League champions Leicester City.
It’s All About You
Where were you born, and which part of the country do you currently live?
“I was born in Northampton and I now live closer to Mila in Long Buckby.”
Your education and the subject or activity in which you excelled?
“I went to secondary school in Northampton and my best subject by far was PE.”
Your favourite sports or interests?
“Fishing, family and football. I’m a big carp fisherman and regularly go fishing and camp by the water’s edge overnight – I am even planning a trip to France to do just that later this year. With four young children, family is obviously a huge part of my life, and football is how I keep fit these days.”
Your biggest regret in life?
“I wish I’d never started smoking. I was a pretty good footballer at one time and scouts from Leicester City were watching me when I was 14 or so. Smoking put paid to that dream though – little did I know then that the Foxes would one day win the league!”
Someone or something that inspires you?
“I’d have to say my late Dad, Roger. He worked at Mila for years as a packer and helped me get my first job here eleven years ago. We worked together for a long time and he showed me how important it is to take real pride in doing a good job”
The temptation you can’t resist?
“Buying fishing gear – there’s always another gadget out there which I’m convinced will hook me the big one!”
Your career
When and how you joined this industry?
“I worked on a farm for seven years and then got my first taste of warehouse work at Tesco. I joined Mila direct from there and was made a team leader after five years.”
The job you do in 25 words?
“I’m responsible for a team of twelve and it’s our job to make sure all orders are picked accurately, packed properly and despatched on time.”
Your greatest achievement?
“My four children are obviously fantastic but, work wise, it was probably going two years supplying to B&Q with a 100% picking accuracy score. That’s an awful lot of orders to get right and probably says a lot about my passion for the job.”
The mistake you’d like to correct?
“It’s too late to correct it now but I once left Mila for 6 months to work with a mate fitting air conditioning units. I soon realised that I couldn’t be away from the place though – what they say about Mila being in your DNA is definitely true!”
The talent you would like to enhance?
“I’m fairly obsessive about creating what we call the ‘perfect order’ for customers and I always want to get closer to that, which means spending more time analysing metrics and performance and looking for those incremental improvements which will help us to get there.”
…and your future
What you would like to do if you weren’t in this industry?
“Obviously, I’d be a full time fisherman.”
A particular ambition?
“I’d love to one day own a Range Rover – not to show off but to pack full of all my fishing gear!”
The way you want to be remembered?
“Definitely as someone who worked hard, went the extra mile and always tried to get things right.”
