With the consumer trend for individuality showing no sign of abating, Quickslide’s Tom Swallow looks at the opportunities for installers to add margin to their heritage VS sales.
A wise man (who happens to be our Chairman, Adrian Barraclough) once said: “a white window is a wasted opportunity”, and I’d have to strongly agree. Not just in terms of sales, but also for the homeowner, when it comes to that all-important kerb-appeal.
Of course, the classic white vertical sliding (VS) window will never go out of style – from historic buildings to new-builds, it enjoys enduring popularity thanks to its pleasing aesthetics and sophisticated charm – but in a world where individuality seems increasingly important, from children’s names to the colour of your front door, it is well-worth tapping into the current trend for standing out from the crowd.
At Quickslide, there are many ways for our customers to increase margin with a more bespoke product – and at no extra cost to install than our standard white VS, it’s a win win for installers.
While our products may look traditional, with heritage features including run-through horns, a deep bottom rail and period-style hardware, they still offer all the latest modern-day benefits. From on-trend colour and finish options, to the highest standards of energy efficiency and security, we’re fully committed to helping our customers benefit from this.
Getting the message across to the end-user is key and as a result, we have put our utmost effort into ensuring our trade partners have all the tools available to sell the right product to the right customer and generate the organic growth that we, as a business, pride ourselves on creating.
As part of this quest, the new year will see our business development support streamlined by restructuring our dedicated Sales team, as the roll-out of our new EvoWeb direct ordering service continues. This will enable us to support our trade partner network more effectively with the option to place orders directly, 24/7.
To help facilitate this, while also improving our customer support services even further, a personnel reshuffle will see more emphasis placed on client development, with Lee Turner and Adam Wray, both long standing members of the Quickslide sales team focussing their efforts on making sure our trade partners are armed with the tools and expertise required to increase sales and profits, this new structure will help to provide a greater understanding of the full Quickslide offering, enabling them to better advise their own customers on the options beyond the standard white VS specification, potentially gaining more orders as a result.
These options include a security upgrade package, argon-filled units to boost energy efficiency ratings, various realistic woodgrain finishes and colour choices including black, Chartwell green and agate grey, as well as a bespoke colour bonding service for those looking to take personalisation to the next level. Never one to overlook the finer details, we’ve even introduced colour-matched woolpile, to ensure that every window is perfectly finished, while providing an excellent seal against the elements.
The support provided by the improved Sales structure, which will include EvoWeb systems training, product advice and project management services, as well as ordering and marketing assistance, is key to ensure our trade partners are best placed to grow their businesses.
With added product margin key to profitability for many installers, strong marketing support is vital when it comes to selling heritage VS windows and as the market continues to evolve, we will endeavour to ensure our trade partners are well-equipped to capitalise on, and comply with the latest developments, from emerging home improvement trends such as minimalist, ‘Scandi’ inspired products, to changes in legislation.
With updates to Building Regulations on the horizon, it’s down to us to deliver a product that ‘speaks old’ but ‘performs new’ while meeting or surpassing any new requirements. Finding a profitable solution for our customers is an ongoing challenge that we relish.
ISSUE: DECEMBER 2021
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