Life through the lens: Craig Miller

As part of our new ‘My life through the lens’ series, we’re discovering how our people ‘live their best phone lives’. The new series is all about learning more about how some of the moments saved on our phones have shaped our people and how they contribute to #LifeAtThree.

Today we’re getting to know Craig Miller.

• Role: Head of Retail
• Function: Retail
• Tenure: 10 years & 3 months

Tell us about early Craig, what’s an early memory and what was he like?

My early years were pretty chaotic as not only am I an identical twin, I also have two younger brothers that are also twins. My Dad also chose that particular time to work away for long periods on the Oil Rigs in the North of Scotland as we needed the money as a family. So my earliest memories are of 4 boys, 4 years apart, causing my Mum a lot of challenges as we fought and argued over the sharing of toys! It was that bad she even asked her Mother in Law to move in with her to help!

When you were a child, what did you see yourself doing?

Along with my twin brother, we just wanted to play football and would leave the house each day with a ball in our arms dreaming of playing for Liverpool and would come home when the street lights came on covered in mud. Later as a teenager, as I came from a family that struggled financially even with my parents working as hard as they could, all I wanted to do was work as soon as I was old enough so that I could earn money to help my parents. One of the most important aspects of my life was getting a job as a newspaper delivery boy at 13 and then pushing trolleys in Marks and Spencer at 16 before and after school and that gave me an understanding of a work ethic from a really early age that I could take into the rest of my life. So I didn’t go through my younger years with an idea of what I wanted to do but I did know what I wanted to achieve and that has really helped me.

How did you get into your role?

My background has always been Contact Centre’s and over the years I have moved into various Leadership Roles both in my previous employer, HMRC, and within Three. In 2018 I was given the opportunity to move to Retail to cover maternity leave as Head of Region for the North which then became a permanent role. It was a huge change for me and easily the most challenging role of my life. After a few years of hard work I was lucky enough to move into the role of Head of Retail. I think it highlights that you don’t need to be a subject matter expert to be successful in a different discipline. There are many subject matter experts in Retail and I have an amazing team that supports me so I feel Ive been able to bring some leadership and stability which has allowed us to achieve some real success.

If you had one photo to sum up how you’ve lived your best phone life, what would it be and why?

In the nature of my role, with 296 stores across the country and living in Glasgow, there is a lot of travel and time away from home. Therefore, not only am I so reliant on my phone to keep in touch with my family, the memories captured on my phone of the precious time I spend with them are so important to me and allow me to relive some of my happiest times. I have two daughters who are now 10 and 13 and these photos constantly make me smile as I look back on them. Going on holiday with my wife and girls and detaching from everything is something I love doing.

What has been a career highlight so far?

It is an absolute privilege to be the Head of Retail for Three. Representing 2,300 people and dealing with millions of customers a year and being so important to Three’s commercial performance is a big responsibility but one that can be fun and rewarding as well as extremely challenging. Although we have achieved so much that makes me proud, my career highlight was hosting the Annual Retail Roadshow. Last September we ran a two day event at Alton Towers and standing up and hosting the Roadshow not long after being confirmed in my role as Head of Retail, and talking about our future plans and priorities to over 400 engaged, motivated and hungry Retail leaders was such an honour for me. I cant wait for this year!

What do you like to do outside of #LifeAtThree?

I try to be the best girl Dad that I can be although as the teenage years are now arriving I feel that it is no longer my area of expertise! I do love going to Orlando on holiday with my girls and I am also a big sports fan. I run 3 or 4 times a week to keep my body and mind healthy, and I’ve been lucky enough to win a place at the next London Marathon through the general ballot so my running will soon need to kick up a gear. I’m also a huge Liverpool fan and as I have had a season ticket since 2006, I often make the 440 mile round trip from Glasgow to Liverpool to watch them. Something that has been described as ‘the biggest waste of money and time ever’ by my wife.