Profile - Esther Wassmann: A new broom sweeping away old ideas in world of cleaning

THE male-dominated world of support services does not have many managers like Esther Wassmann.

The stylish and charismatic Dutch boss of Resource is a world away from the men-in-suits normally associated with the industry, but her image is a conscious attempt to improve the perception of what is often thought of as a dull occupation.

However, today, she is regretting the fact she is dressed in a trouser suit, despite the fact she is still immaculately turned out. "I never wear trousers, I always wear dresses," she says before hesitating and adding: "I actually forgot about our interview today."

Resource, based in Colton, Leeds, specialises in the "soft" side of support services and looks after the cleaning, car park management, security, grounds maintenance and reception services for companies including RBS, Barclays, HMRC, Michelin, Edinburgh Castle and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.

The company has been kept particularly busy in recent weeks providing snow clearing services.

Ms Wassmann, 42, joined Resource UK in September 2008 from catering contractor Compass after the firm acquired support services firm Pall Mall from Carillion in 2007.

Resource had been without a UK managing director for eight months and one of her first tasks was to integrate Pall Mall into the Resource culture.

"Someone was holding the fort before I arrived but the real culture change didn't happen until I took over," she says. "When we bought Pall Mall, the cleaning and security sides of the company didn't really mix. We had some clients who bought both services from us but there were always two managers. We changed that very quickly. We now have one point of contact for both services and we want managers to manage as many different services as possible and take on more responsibility for that client."

Ms Wassmann has made some dramatic changes since her arrival, including overhauling the management team.

"We have slightly reduced headcount," she says. "We started at board level and worked our way down to the next levels.

"We are looking for business managers who can manage a number of different services for a client. It's an ongoing process. We're not at the end of doing everything we set out to do."

One of the most challenging parts of the job, she says, is dealing with the 7,000 employees.

"We employ low-skilled people, from a whole mix of cultures so they need a certain type of looking after," she says. "They need the opportunity to learn and get qualifications. It's a group of people I find interesting and challenging and I wanted to have a crack at reaching out to them because they tend to be neglected."

She added: "A lot of people we employ work part-time hours and work through the night. I would like to see cleaning done during the working day. We don't want cleaning fairies who come and go without being seen."

Although many of the people employed by Resource do not speak English as their first language, Ms Wassmann refuses to provide translation services.

"We want to support them by helping them to pick up English, which improves their employability in this country."

Another challenge is educating clients about the importance of cleaning and other so-called soft services. "I'm trying to move these services up the value chain with our clients. They tend to be seen as less glamorous and not very important but in terms of increasing the productivity and the well-being of employees, they are vital."

Ms Wassmann insists she enjoys the challenge of being in charge of an all-male board of directors. "I bring attention to detail to the table," she says. "I have a different view on things because I'm very customer-focused. That is where we as an organisation set ourselves apart from the competition.

"I would like to have someone on the board who is female but as far as I am concerned people join Resource on merit, not what sex they are."

For the company as a whole, the recession has had both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it has picked up new clients from companies looking to outsource services. On the other hand, existing clients have been trying to drive down the cost of the services Resource provides.

"We have had the benefit but also the tough side," she says. "We have had to work with a number of clients but I believe that if you work with clients and support them, it creates loyalty.

"We have managed to hold our own during the recession and we have a fabulous number of opportunities on the desk at the moment."

Ms Wassmann is also keen to promote Resource's green services. The company launched a green cleaning product, which contains no chemicals, and she is also trying to make clients aware of recycling.

"Different sectors take a different approach. The financial sectors really buy into the environmental side but big retail chains haven't got time to make sure that every outlet segregates waste. We want to be proactive in saying to clients that we can help them recycle and sort it out for them."

Resource, which began in Ireland, has a turnover of 150m but plans to grow to more than 200m in 2010. Most of the growth will come from the

UK arm which has a turnover of 80m.

It's interesting to see how far Ms Wassmann's career has progressed considering her self-confessed lack of ambition in the beginning.

She grew up in Holland but came to England at the age of 18 to work in the hotel industry and improve her English. "I never really had any plans for a career. I ended up in the hotel business because of watching Dallas," she admits.

She studied a BTEC in hotel and catering management at Norwich City College for three years before getting a job at Sodexo where she ended up as operations manager.

She moved to Sheffield in 1991 and, three years later, was headhunted by Compass where she was thrown into the business development arena and ended up in charge of the firm's sales team in Leeds.

"Sales people are high maintenance," says Ms Wassmann. "They need a lot of input but they work hard."

In addition to her demanding role, Ms Wassmann and her husband, Steve, have three daughters under nine.

"I sometimes wonder how I got here," she admits. "I never had to concentrate at school or college but when I head into something I give more than 100 per cent and go the extra mile.

"At the moment I really enjoy the fact that I can bring a bit of femininity and glamour into a male-dominated industry."

Esther Wassmann

Title: Managing director of Resource UK.

Date of birth: August 5, 1967.

Education: BTEC in hotel and catering at Norwich City College.

First job: Trainee manager at Access.

Favourite song: Pride, by M People.

Car driven: CLK Mercedes.

Favourite film: As Good As It Gets.

Favourite holiday destination: Maldives.

Last book read: Chicken Soup for the Soul, by Jack Canfield and Mark Hansen.

What I am most proud of: Apart from my children, I am most proud of not particularly wanting a career but getting to where I am today.