Celebrate Lana's 4 Year Anniversary at Appleton Woods with us!

Lana Robinson, our Equipment Sales Specialist has officially hit the 4 year mark at Appleton Woods.

Starting as a Customer Services Officer, Lana quickly progressed into becoming our first Equipment Specialist who dabbles in all things from advice on equipment specification to overseeing rather technical installations!

Find out more about Lana’s Journey below…

How does it feel to have been part of the Appleton Family for 4 years now Lana?

In some ways I can’t believe it has been that long already, but then I think back on everything that has happened and all of the exciting changes at Appleton Woods (AW) and suddenly 4 years feels too short a time for so much!

Tell us more about yourself outside of work Lana, do you have any interesting hobbies?

Can I be honest here? I think I might just be a little boring. This is the part on your CV where you make yourself sound like a renaissance woman, but I actually quite like seeing friends, binging T.V. and long walks. As I grew up in London, the seeing friends part also means seeing a lot of the M40 and M25, so I guess you can add slowly losing the will to live in standstill traffic to my hobby list?

Do you remember your first day here? If so how was it!

I remember it surprisingly clearly. I started as a Customer Service Officer and I was terrified at the prospect of answering the phone. Thankfully no one subjected me to that on the first day and there was a delicious welcome lunch (I always remember good food). I am also pleased to say I quickly got over my phone nerves, otherwise I wouldn’t have been very good at customer service or sales, haha!

What has been your biggest achievement since working here?

I like to think that I have improved the range of equipment and level of service Appleton Woods can provide in that product area. My role was a new one for the company back in 2019, and I think the dedicated focus I have had on equipment has allowed us to offer more specialised technical support to more people.

I also secretly enjoy the eye rolls I get from my colleagues when I advocate for everything equipment multiple times per day.

Do you have any big holidays planned this year now we can finally travel again!

Not too much planned for the remainder of 2021, although I was fortunate enough to get some beachside sun earlier in the year. However, for 2022 I am hoping to make it to either South East Asia or Mexico for my honeymoon. COVID did cause my wedding to be pushed back a year, but fingers crossed that just means the dream destinations are more feasible.

What’s your most memorable Appleton night out!

It’s actually really hard to choose as we have such excellent night outs. I think I might have to pick the time we all got ridiculously competitive over bowling. The banter was on another level and we followed it up with tequila shots – I will never forget Chris Brown’s face during that.

7. What is your favourite part of your job?

I like how varied the role can be, one minute I am preparing a quotation or tender and the next I am discussing product development or marketing. The other day I was even being filmed presenting our new appCYCLE product!

And of course I really love the people I get to work with, our customers and everyone at AW. I love hearing about the fascinating research projects taking place around the country, and I enjoy listening to people passionately speaking about their work. It’s especially rewarding if I can come up with a product that makes their life easier

8. What has been the biggest lesson you have learnt working here?

I think I have learnt just how important it is to all come together and work as a team. Although Appleton Woods has continually been a great place to work and collaboration has always been one of our values, I think COVID really reinforced that teamwork mentality. We often refer to ourselves now as #oneteam, and this group focus across all departments is really central to everything we do. I like to think we all feel supported by one another and it has had a huge positive effect on the work that we do. Sorry if that comes across super cheesy haha!

9. You will never leave us right???

Oh god, how do I say this…. This is going to be a very public exit announcement! Only kidding of course, you’ve got me for the foreseeable.

10. What is your biggest hope for the next few years at Appleton Woods? In what ways would you like to grow?

My hope is to see an ever growing focus on equipment at Appleton Woods. We very recently just had Dr Mark Perkins join the equipment team as our new Microscopy Sales Specialist and he has settled in amazingly. I would love to see the team expand even further.

Speaking of Mark, I saw his outlandish claim in his “Meet Mark” article that he was going to become a regular Friday morning Quiz winner – my aim is to make sure I don’t lose my crown to him.

If you would like to ask Lana any questions too, you can drop her an email!

I am pleased to support Appleton Woods partnership with ZEISS. I recently purchased from Appleton Woods a ZEISS Axiolab 5 compound microscope with a range of bright field and phase contrast objectives and a camera attachment. The service has been excellent. This included a prompt home demonstration by a very knowledgeable representative who also provided some very practical advice with regards to ZEISS objectives.

Dr John S. NoyesScientific Associate

Our account manager Harriet has always been extremely helpful and proactive, helping supply critical items where others have failed. The service is extremely friendly and I always feel the matter is being dealt with behind the scenes, so no need to chase. Always available and responsive to any enquiries we have. Reliable delivery dates in an extremely difficult time for logistics, due to COVID-19, Brexit, and many other factors. Would always be happy to recommend Appleton Woods to other companies in the industry for lab consumables and equipment.

AdamProcurement Officer

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have found Appleton Woods to be extremely responsive and reactive to the needs of the University, which is greatly appreciated. Appleton Woods were especially supportive in providing essential supplies for the University PPE Store at a time when it was needed the most.

E. CorkishPurchasing ManagerUniversity of Oxford

I have been ordering from Appleton Woods for a number of years now after our lab started using their molecular reagents. Pricing of most items is very competitive, and delivery has usually been exceptionally quick, even for quite large orders. The local sales reps are also very helpful and responsive, and frequently pay us visits to check on our needs. I will certainly be continuing to order from Appleton Woods.

Dr D. ClarkSenior Research Officer University of Essex

I have been dealing with the company Appleton Woods for several years now and have been extremely satisfied with their level of service. The local representative regularly makes contact with various members of the department with information on new products and special offers that he considers would be of interest and I also receive email updates for circulation. Quotations are sent promptly and orders dealt with efficiently with personal follow ups to ensure we are satisfied with the products. I look forward to a continued association with the company.

T. ClarkeChief TechnicianOxford

Appleton Woods is always the first company I consult when ordering laboratory equipment or consumables. They stock an extensive range of products to suit all needs at prices for every budget. Having liaised with both the customer services team and sales representatives I can say they are always professional, knowledgeable and happy to help. Delivery of items is always very prompt and their regular e-newsletter provides updates of the latest offers and product information. I would definitely recommend this company

Dr R. DavidResearcherLondon

I have been happily working with Appleton Woods for over 7 years in the capacity of laboratory manager encompassing the role of procurement of laboratory consumables and equipment. The product range has always met my needs; there are usually different brands/manufacturers available which either cater for specific needs or small equipment to fit with the available funds - pertinently they offer a much needed budget priced range of items. I have always found them competitive on pricing, which along with their attention to detail, good communication and prompt response time makes them a personal preferred supplier

Alex MartinLab ManagerLondon

The fact that I've been dealing with Appleton Woods for many years says it all - I've never felt the need to take my business elsewhere. The company sells quality products at competitive prices and the service is very reliable. The staff are well informed, helpful and friendly. An excellent organisation

S. ButlerTechnicianOxford

I have found that Appleton Woods are able to provide a wide range of laboratory consumables and equipment at competitive prices. The staff are always very friendly, helpful, and quick to respond to requests. Their reliability means that they are often a first port of call when we need to source new items

K. LangfordResearch TechnicianManchester

Appleton Woods provides an extensive range of laboratory consumables and equipment - both large and small - and on request they make every effort to source spares and replacement parts. The customer service is excellent and the local representative extremely helpful, professional and quick to respond to queries and requests. In addition, Appleton Woods listens to and acts upon customer feedback. This company is on my list of top suppliers of good quality, competitively priced laboratory goods.

Dr S. ShawcrossUniversity of Manchester

Appleton Woods is one of my favourite companies to deal with. The sales staff are always friendly and efficient, providing us with competitive prices on a quote tailored to our needs, as well as regular communication about all current offers, which we have often taken advantage of. Our area sales manager is extremely helpful, sourcing many consumable items for us in the past and is a pleasure to deal with. I would definitely recommend using this company.

J. WoodSenior Technician Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool

Overall, very pleasant to deal with. Very efficient and competitively priced. I would always recommend this company to anyone.

Dr K. ChamInstitute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool

Appleton Woods have supplied my lab with a wide range of quality consumables and equipment at competitive prices for many years now and the fact that we continue to use them speaks volumes

J. RobinsonSenior TechnicianInstitute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool

I've been using Appleton Woods for purchasing laboratory consumables and equipment for a number of years now. The reasons for this are quite simple; an excellent local sales representative who has an in depth knowledge of products, who is always available by telephone or e-mail when further information is required for a particular product and when quotations are required. In addition, prices are competitive and delivery is prompt. Overall, an excellent service. I would definitely recommend this company!

Dr D. HowarthTechnician

Blog