THE boss at one of Brighton’s biggest employers has made a three-part pledge for 2019.

Alex Marples is now five months into his role as site director of Domestic & General.

The appliance care specialist is in the centre of the city, in Queen Square.

Mr Marples, who has been at D&G for 17 years, has identified three priorities for this year, which are to refurbish the building, reward staff and focus on career progression and boost the brand to create more of an identity.

First, D&G will invest £1.4 million in a complete refurbishment of its Brighton call centre.

The office has more than 780 people and the investment in Brighton follows a refurbishment of its Nottingham call centre last year.

Mr Marples said: “Both investments form part of a strategy to ensure customers receive a high-quality experience when engaging with its employees.

“We are delighted to be investing in our people and in Brighton.

“Our call centre employees across the country lie at the heart of our plan to put customers first.

“So investing in the quality of their working environment is critical.

“We take great pride in being one of the largest employers in Brighton and look forward to opening our doors to more local talent as we continue to grow our business.”

The front of the building will also be revamped, including signage, as well as the refurbished interior.

Second, there will be an increased focus on staff and wellbeing.

He said: “I am focused that we must offer good packages for staff.

“There are new benefits, including healthcare plans.

“Brighton is a competitive place and staff wellbeing is very important.

“We have a clear induction process, which is also very important, and apprenticeships are an area we focus on.

“People have a big role to play and I want to see more of our staff developing in the business.

“As an example, we’ve seen more than 30 promotions in the Brighton site in the last six months.

“It’s a great feeling to see so many people taking the next steps in their careers.

“Peak times are mornings and late afternoons.

“I will be looking at how we can attract more working mums and dads to shifts that work for them and work for us.

“I think overall that staff feel pretty good about working for D&G.

“The momentum has been created that the customer comes first.

“We are not a hard sales environment but we do ask a lot of our people.

“Yes, roles are varied and challenging.”

Thirdly, Mr Marples wants to boost the profile and awareness of D&G.

The company sponsored the annual fireworks display at Hove last November,

He said: “That was only the start, there is a lot more to come.

“We are proud of the community work we do for The Martlets Hospice in Hove and our involvement in Pride.

“It is great to be involved as the sponsor of The Argus Achievement Award.

“There is certainly a sense of community in the business.

“I am determined that we will create more of an identity for D&G of who we are and what we can offer.”

Last year more than 100 staff teamed up with former city mayor Mo Marsh to host an official Sport Relief fundraiser.

It was the 12th consecutive year that D&G’s team had voluntarily contributed, receiving nationwide donation calls from across the UK.

October until February is traditionally the busiest time of the year for the company.

The cold weather is the main reason for this. The company offers heating protection products.