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Minster
Windows and Conservatories Ltd
near York is just one of a growing number of satisfied users of Windowlink’s
Vector Plus conservatory software, which combines a 3D presentation
facility with instant on screen pricing. However, for Minster Vector
Plus is proving not only a highly effective sales tool but also a means
of enhancing overall business efficiency.
Minster
Windows and Conservatories is a trade fabricator with a retail division
installing between four and five conservatories a week. A demonstration
of Windowlink’s software range convinced the company that Vector
Plus would enhance its presentation skills and resolve many of the difficulties
associated with quoting for a conservatory. ‘Pricing a conservatory
is much more complicated than estimating for doors and windows because
many more items need to be included in the build process,’ explains
Minster’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Joann Furnival.
Installed in Minster’s showroom, Vector Plus enables sales personnel
to design bespoke conservatories on screen with the homeowner and provide
an accurate price at the click of a button using the software’s
pricing module.
Stored price matrices and pricing rules are set up within the program
as
standard, together with a checklist of prompted questions based on information
provided by each individual user. This list also ensures that nothing
is overlooked on the quote, as any errors can prove costly.
In addition to the obvious sales benefits, Minster also regards Vector
Plus as a good means of keeping track of costs and margins, which is
vital if a company is to remain profitable. The company’s surveyors
use the software to check actual costs against the price quoted and
calculate the margin on each job. And taking this concept one step further,
Windowlink is currently looking at programming the software to generate
purchase orders, thereby streamlining the whole administration process.
Having seen the benefits for its own business, Minster is now looking
at promoting Vector Plus to its trade customers with a view to supplying
the software direct. ‘And by becoming their software provider as
well as their fabricator we will have an additional bond between us
as we are keen to develop long standing customer relationships rather
than ad hoc purely price-based sales,’ concludes Jo.
Tel: 0870 7701640
Web: http://www.windowlink.com
Sarnafil
Roof Assured on Coronation Street
Charlie Berry, Owner of Ayrshire based home improvement company, Andrew Wright Windows, first got to hear about Sarnafil Roof Assured (SRA) in the trade press. ‘I investigated the product and the company because this premium, maintenance free PVC flat roofing system looked like an excellent addition to our existing products – another string to the bow’, comments Charlie. ‘From first sight, I was impressed. The roof system’s quality, life longevity and its versatility to do sloping and flat roofs convinced me to join the network of approved SRA installers. Sarnafil is a highly professional company that looks after its customer and supports us well. Sales and technical support are in abundance.’
Andrew
Wright Windows Showroom has been designed like a scene from the TV soap
Coronation Street. The layout is an ideal way for prospects to see the
range of products in situ.
Charlie has managed the business for 10 years, and currently the company
has a turnover of £8 million with 106 employees. It fabricates
250 windows and doors per week ,as well as manufacturing its own sealed
units. Thanks to SRA Charlie hopes ‘to add another half a million
pounds turnover by the end of this year.‘
Tel:
01603 748985
Pyramid
Goes to Sole Status Supply
The
Synergebuild on line ordering system from Status
Systems is saving Norwich fabricator Pyramid
Windows up to five hours every week. This one of the benefits
that the company says it has enjoyed since changing to the Status profile
system.
Pyramid first took on Status as a secondary product line. Status' brand
recognition and popularity among installers and window companies in
the East Anglia area, combined with a fresh drive by Pyramid to improve
the overall professionalism of the company, led the fabricator to assess
its suitability as its main profile suite. Pyramid says that some of
the most stringent examinations and comparisons of the product highlighted
it to be one of the best options on the market in terms of quality and
value for money.
Dale
Joyce, Pyramid managing director (left) and Ian Cowling, Pyramid sales
director
'Status
is probably one of the most recognised brands in East Anglia, and our
customers have embraced the change with a great deal of enthusiasm,'
said Pyramid director Dale Joyce. 'When we were first assessing it we
carried out comparisons which gave us some extremely reassuring results.
The Status suite came out far better than many others on the market.
This fact, combined with the company's outstanding reputation in terms
of customer service and approachability made the final decision to move
solely to Status pretty clear cut'.
The benefits of Synergebuild is one of the advantages that Pyramid has
enjoyed since moving to Status. Dale used to be tied to his desk until
2 or 3pm on the days he placed orders. Now, because of the simplicity
of Synergebuild, he completes everything within half an hour and gets
confirmation of its receipt practically immediately.
Pyramid is set to double production within the next year to 18 months.
Sales director Ian Cowling believes that Status provides them with a
big comfort factor when dealing with local window companies.
'Our target customer base relates to the simplicity and approachability
that Status represents, and we are getting some very favourable feedback
through word of mouth referrals and organic growth through existing
customers,' said Ian. 'We are looking forward to introducing the company's
new profile suite to the market in the next few months. There is a real
need for something new and different to satisfy the changing needs of
the replacements market, and Status is right on the ball with what it
is offering.'
Tel: 01457 875731
Email: mailto:sales@status-systems.co.uk
Web: http://www.status-systems.co.uk
Polyframe
Fits Egress as Standard
Halifax
fabricator Polyframe fits every
side hung casement window with a Cotswold
egress friction stay as standard, and at no cost premium. This production
feature gives the reassurance that every installation carried out by
its trade customers meets the requirements for emergency exit in habitable
rooms.
Polyframe
introduced this policy in direct response to FENSA reports that a good
proportion of fenestration building inspections failed due to non-fire
exit hinges on habitable rooms. During its first year, 900,000 window
installations were registered, and FENSA inspected 72OO of them. 25
per cent failed to meet Building Regulations - that is 1800 installations
that had to replaced or remanufactured. Out of these 1800, a further
38 per cent failed because they did not fulfil egress requirements.
'We wanted to take away the worry of non conforming from our customers,
and ensure that they fulfil their responsibilities to their own customers
as painlessly as possible,' said Polyframe's group purchasing manager
Nigel Hignett. 'Working with Cotswold we were able to put together a
solution that could guarantee conformance with every installation, without
adding a premium cost to the product. Emergency egress is not a premium
issue - it is a fundamental safety requirement across the industry.'
Cotswold's specification sales manager Andrew Jennings added: 'Polyframe
is a pioneer in promoting egress as a standard feature, and will potentially
save its customers thousands of pounds in expensive refits in the future.
The responsi ility for assessing whether egress is required normally
lies at the front end of the chain when initially surveying a job. Polyframe
is easing the burden of that responsibility from a lot of shoulders.
Cotswold believes that it is the responsibility of hardware manufacturers
to educate fabricators about the changing and often complex British
and European fenestration standards that must be met according to FENSA
regulations. The company's friction stays go a long way to helping fabricators
manufacture compliant products.
Tel: 01242 233993/234466
Web: http://www.cotswold-windows.co.uk
Picture (above right): Polyframe's group purchasing manager Nigel Hignett (L) with Cotswold specification sales manager Andrew Jennings.
Grendell
Continues Customer Support…
Hatfield
based Window Company Decro Glass
has announced the re-opening of its re-fitted retail showroom. The newly
refurbished showroom is a further example of the company’s growing
reputation within the local area. The company was set up over 13 years
ago initially providing sealed units and selling associated glazing
products. Over the years one thing lead to another and Decro Glass owner
Darren Gear decided to enter the window and conservatory market.
Within this market, Darren and his staff thought their particular brand
of service and quality would be attractive to potential customers. It
would seem that Darren has been right and during the last five years,
Decro Glass has gone from strength to strength.
Grendell Windows, a Eurocell Ultimate 70mm fabricator, has contributed
the window frames to this latest project of the company’s growing
customer base. ‘It is essential we support Decro Glass in this
project. They have been a customer now for almost two years and they
are continually growing their business, we wish them every success in
this venture’ said Andy Wells, Grendell Windows.MD.
Grendell Windows is based on Icknield Way in Letchworth, ideally situated
to serve the Home Counties with the company’s trade window division
– including coloured doors, mock horns, arch heads and sculptured
sash.
Please contact 01462 686616 for more details or visit http://www.grendell.co.uk.
Email: mailto:grendell@windows.co.uk
Six
months was all it took for Burton based fabricator Satinview
to realise that Status gave excellent
service and value in the supply of PVCu profiles. The company had been
lured away from Status by what turned out to be false promises and empty
gestures.
Within six months and week after week of problems, let downs and headaches,
managing director Jeff Lovell was more than happy to welcome Status'
area sales manager Dave Barnes who called in to see how things were
going.
Jeff
Lovell, managing director of Satinview, delighted to be back in the
Status fold
'We were: dealing with late deliveries, and sometimes no deliveries
at all. The profiles were often scratched and in a poor condition, we
could never get hold of any woodgrain,' said Jeff Lovell. 'Ultimately
we were forced to buy in from other fabricators just to fill in the
gaps that were appearing in our own manufacturing.
'The whole experience made us realise the value of having a supplier
as committed and reliable as Status. As soon as we started working with
the extruder again every one of those headaches disappeared, and we
are once again back on track with our strategy for growth.'
Status general manager Chris Foreman added:
'Satinview's experience speaks for itself. Promising the earth is one
thing. Delivering it is quite another. It was a significant moment for
us when Jeff came back to Status.'
Tel: 01457 875731
Email: mailto:sales@status-systems.co.uk
Web: http://www.status-systems.co.uk
Folding
Sliding Doors Slam into the PVCu Market
Bradford
based company Folding Sliding Doors Ltd
– a manufacturer of timber folding sliding doors for over two years
– has seen a marked increase in orders for domestic installations
since starting to manufacture a PVCu version using Veka’s
Matrix system six months ago. The company reports ‘excellent feedback’
from domestic customers who have had the doors installed and is already
planning to capitalise on this growing interest with a new PVCu folding
sliding door in kit form to be launched this year.
Manufactured entirely from the company’s Bradford factory premises
and incorporating the company’s own gasket and running gear design,
‘Folding Sliding Doors are a superior alternative to French and
patio doors’ according to the company. ‘The doors allow for
a far greater access area than either of the above, and their flexibility
is particularly useful for larger openings of around 4m in width or
greater. The doors also have an unobtrusive design - using slim butt
hinges to produce an in-line appearance - and fold away neatly and easily.
They are also very simple to install, something that has been an important
factor in their increase in popularity. Indeed, such is the appeal of
the folding sliding door that it has been used in the Channel 4 TV DIY
programme ‘Room For Improvement’.’
Production Director Richard Wharfe chose Veka profile for its new PVCu
version due to the high quality of the product and the support offered
by the company:
'I had worked with Veka profile in a previous role and knew that it
was a decent product and that we would be offered solid technical and
marketing support, something that was vital to us in launching a new
product. The new PVCu doors are really starting to take off and, with
Veka’s continuing help and advice on hand, we think that this could
be a massive growth area for us. We are filling a gap in the market
as wider openings really aren’t being effectively catered for.’
Web: http://www.foldingslidingdoor.com