The customer trends within the fragrance-related industries can move very quickly and can be very changeable due to seasonality and fashion. Our ability to adapt to these changes and find fragrances that fit with consumer preference is something we at Carvansons are incredibly proud of. In the second of our Scent Profile Blogs, we talk to Helen Goddard about her role as UK Account Manager and how she supports customers with fragrance selection and identification.

Name: Helen Goddard

Job Title: UK Account Manager

Favourite perfume: I have quite a few but my current favourite is Lancome – La Nuit Tresor Nude

People would describe me as: Unique, Bubbly, Excitable

The office is buzzing with activity – as always.

“Supporting customers through the minefield of scent selection can be tricky, but we try to make it as simple and straightforward as we can,” says Helen.

Helen is the UK Account Manager for Carvansons and started with the company over 10 years ago. She is now responsible for working with some of Carvansons largest UK customers, heading up new fragrance enquiries. She is responsible for managing and developing these customer relationships. Working closely with the fragrance creation team, she helps advise and guide customers in the fragrance selection process.

What does a day in Helen’s job look like?

Helen’s days can be incredibly varied. Her role extends from working with technical documents relating to allergens, ingredients and fragrance regulations, to fragrance briefs, sales trends and market research. By working closely with customers, she is able to create fragrance briefs for a wide range of products and applications, provide the customer with samples so they can test and evaluate the fragrance with their product and guide customers through the process to find the most appropriate fragrances for their product lines.

fragrance oil samples“I love my role at Carvansons. It is incredibly busy, but I really enjoy helping our customers to find the right scent for their product. We often have to help guide customers, as some aren’t familiar with the industry restrictions and allergens that affect their products.”

“It’s great to speak to customers about their aims and aspirations for their products. By understanding their needs and providing this advisory role we are able to suggest improvements and changes. Our aim is to help them with fragrance selection, give their products identity, a unique selling point and ultimately, make them profitable.”

Helen has picked up much of her industry and market knowledge from her years working closely with customers. She enjoys visiting customer sites to understand how their businesses work and what makes them so special. Helen also works very closely with the longest-serving member of the Carvansons team, John Whowell the director of Carvansons.

“I love working with John; His knowledge of the industry and experience is amazing and working with him has taught me so much over the years. He’s a great teacher and his passion for the industry is evident in everything he does. The directors are very hands on with the business and get involved in many of the discussions regarding fragrances and trends.”

What is the biggest challenge working in fragrance selection?

One of the biggest challenges for Helen and her team, is when regulations change regarding fragrance formulations. Changes in IFRA regulations (International Fragrance Association), the global representative body of the fragrance industry, can have a huge impact on formulations and fragrances.

“Although these formulation changes and restrictions can present challenges to what we do, it is greatly rewarding when we have been able to help customers navigate the industry to create the best possible products for our customers.”

We asked Helen what inspires her personal fragrance choices;

“I’m a big fan of natural and green scents. Growing up in a rural location as a child, I was always out in the fresh air. Horse riding, beach trips or walking; being outdoors lifts my spirit and fills me with positivity. I do love finding new fragrances and scents and incorporating these new scents into the conversations I have with customers.”

When not in work, Helen loves walking, socialising and recently took part in a charity hike for Macmillan’s Mighty Hike.

“I am an incredibly competitive person. Apparently, the charity hike wasn’t a race, but I was still proud to finish in the top 5% of participants!

The Future

With having worked here for over 10 years, Helen’s knowledge of the industry and the key factors for success is extensive. As a family-orientated business which has grown exponentially over the last few years, Helen has seen Carvansons change dramatically over the years. However, the next step is for Carvansons to move to a larger premises as the company has outgrown its current facility.

“In my role I get to work with some great people. I can’t wait to invite some of our customers to visit us at our new site in the New Year!”

Helen Goddard is the UK Account Manager for Carvansons. For more information about how our team can support you through your fragrance selection journey, please contact us. To see other Scent Profile Blogs click here.