International Women's Day is a time to honour women’s contributions around the world. This year, we turn that celebration toward the remarkable women of our Customer Services leadership team at SLS who ensure every customer receives the very best service. Their dedication, expertise, and passion often go unnoticed, yet they are truly the heart of our team.
Take a moment to read their interviews and discover the stories behind the women who make every customer interaction exceptional.
Kayleigh Clough, Customer Services Team Manager
"I started my journey with SLS as an order processor, my first office-based role after working as a hairdresser from school. This role quickly opened the door to a career I’ve grown to love. I soon progressed into customer services, where I thrived on interacting with a diverse range of people, building relationships, and solving problems both internally and externally—something I still find incredibly rewarding.
I was then seconded into a Team Leader role, which was later made permanent, and I discovered how much I enjoy people management, coaching others, and confidently handling escalated customer issues to achieve positive outcomes. From there, I moved into my current role as Customer Services Team Manager, a position I truly adore, as it allows me to develop high-performing teams, drive continuous improvement, and make a real impact on both customer experience and colleague growth.
I report into our Customer Services Director, Meggin, the first female on the SLS Board of Directors, whose journey, leadership, and day-to-day support are genuinely inspiring—she sets a powerful example of what’s possible through determination, authenticity, and strong leadership.
I feel incredibly lucky that SLS took a chance on me in the beginning when I had no prior office-based work experience. Their belief in my potential gave me the opportunity to transition into a completely new career path, and I’m genuinely grateful for the trust and support that allowed me to learn, grow, and prove myself along the way."
Amanda Somerville, Customer Service Team Manager (Scotland)
"I joined SLS almost 15 years ago as Office Junior, and from day one I felt welcomed and supported. It didn’t take long before I started training as a Coordinator — answering calls, processing quotes, and speaking with customers. I loved building relationships and growing in confidence every day.
As my experience grew, so did my opportunities. I moved into a CS Coordinator role, handling more complex enquiries and working closely with Sales Development. Meeting customers face-to-face and seeing the impact of our work made me incredibly proud from this, I was then promoted to Key Account Coordinator, managing our largest customers and helping to grow a dedicated key accounts team in Scotland.
Throughout my journey, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the support and mentorship of my manager, Meggin Shevill — our first female Director. Having a strong female leader ,has been truly inspiring and has played a huge part in my development. Today, I’m proud to be Customer Service Team Manager - Scotland and what I love most about my role is the people — building strong relationships, supporting my team, and seeing others grow in confidence, just like I did."
Emma Sanderson, Customer Services Team Manager
"8 and a half years ago, fresh from travelling, bright eyed, bushy tailed and very skint.. I stepped into SLS to cover a couple weeks of annual leave on reception. That ‘temporary’ job somehow turned into a whole career! I was asked to help on order processing and then offered a full time Customer Services Coordinator role where I discovered a genuine passion for our industry. I loved the problem solving, the people, the pace, and working with different departments to drive improvements for our customers and business.
Since then, I’ve progressed to Senior Coordinator, CS Team Leader, and now CS Team Manager, overseeing SLS’s customer service provision in the North of England and Northern Ireland and reporting to SLS’s first female Director Meggin. It was throughout these roles that I found my love for leadership. I thoroughly enjoy supporting people, shaping strategy, and helping create better ways of working. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to industry wide initiatives through the GAMBICA NextGen council, and I was honoured to receive a Rising Star Award at the Lab Awards 2023.
One of the things I’ve always loved about SLS is the freedom to get involved in projects I’m passionate about and feel I can contribute positively to, even when they sit outside the neat lines of my job title.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be supported, empowered, and championed by a number of mentors throughout my career, many of them incredible women who have helped shape my journey. For someone who thought they’d be at SLS for just two weeks, I’m genuinely delighted to still be here, still growing, and still loving what I do!"
Today, we celebrate the women leading our Customer Service department, whose vision and dedication guide our team. But International Women's Day is a celebration of every woman’s impact. Through their strength, passion, and perseverance, women inspire change, lift communities, and make the world a better place.
Happy International Women's Day!