Mark Brown, Managing Director of CR Windows in Bristol, has his say. When three new directors – including founder’s daughter Karen Wadham…

– took over the running of CR Windows a year ago, we were continuing our tradition as a family firm, at the same time as opening a new chapter in the company’s 31-year history.

Spreading the word
It’s been an exciting first year for us, despite an inauspicious start with news of the credit crunch and imminent recession breaking just weeks after we took charge. However, we were determined to build on the firm’s reputation and success, so we ramped up our marketing activities, targeting new publications and areas outside our core region, began redeveloping our website (still in progress) and worked hard to promote our trusted name to new audiences.

We are well-known around Bristol and in fact are the only local firm to combine manufacturing of windows and doors with a full installation service. We’ve got 13 installation teams to keep busy, so we really needed to keep the work coming in.

Energy-efficient offer
The introduction of ‘C’ rated windows as standard and ‘A’ rated windows at a premium has proved really popular with our retail customers. People want to be seen to be doing their bit for the environment, and our ‘C’ rated windows exceed all current Building Regulations for energy efficiency. They are offered at no extra cost, so customers can achieve the desired environmental benefits without breaking their budget.

Many customers have been attracted into our showroom by our extensive advertising of ‘A’ rated windows. That gets them in front of our salespeople who can then explain the options available. Customers may end up buying a ‘C’ rated window instead, but without the interest created by our ‘A’ rated window advertising campaign they may never have entered our showroom. The ‘A’ rated windows themselves have been popular with many people who can see the energy-saving benefits and are willing to pay a premium to achieve them.

Premium products
Another extremely popular product has been the vertical sliding sash window, which many customers have chosen for its traditional looks, combined with durability and ease of cleaning. It enables them to maintain the character of their old wooden sash windows without the maintenance worries.

In fact, February 2009 was our best sales month since August 2008, thanks in large part to a huge demand for these vertical sliding windows.

Quality and service set us apart
It goes to show that, even in a recession, if you have the right products and offer a good quality service, customers are still willing to spend. We have resisted the temptation to cut prices as an easy way to attract more business. We believe our quality and service standards set us apart, and price cuts and other gimmicks, such as free giveaways, would damage our credibility. We believe that if a customer wants new windows, they are going to look for quality products and professional installation, as well as good value.

Another factor in our success has been the increasing tendency for people to buy local, with many customers keen to support local enterprises like ours. As an added reassurance for customers, all our products and workmanship are backed by a solid ten-year warranty.
Public sector focus
We’re always looking for new markets for our products, and by targeting public sector housing providers we’ve secured a steady supply of work. These organisations have to meet strict deadlines for upgrading their housing stock and we have a long-running contract with Merlin Housing to supply C-rated windows for their properties as part of their ongoing refurbishment programme.

Building up our public sector work helps to offset diminishing demand from the new-build sector, where many new developments have been put on hold. Nevertheless, we have secured a new contract with Redrow Homes, which is about to resume work on a major development in our region.

Invaluable supplier support
The backing of a good supplier is essential for us to ensure we maintain the product quality our customers expect. We have been very pleased with the products supplied by Eurocell – and the company’s technical support has been second to none.

As an example, we recently submitted a tender for a new-build Housing Association project. The Association wanted windows with a U value of 1.2W/m²K. Our ‘A’ rated window had value of 1.3W/m²K, so I called Eurocell to find out how I might reduce this figure. Within the hour, Eurocell sent me a report detailing the required specification for a 1.2W/m²K window and how to fabricate it. I was able to use this detailed report directly in the tender document, which really impressed the client.

Such back-up from an experienced supplier is invaluable in helping us to win new work. It’s great to know we can tap into the knowledge and expertise of Eurocell to help support our business. Such assistance is eventually repaid to Eurocell by more orders for its products from us when our tenders are successful. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that makes a real difference to us and is helping to see us through the difficult times. It’s reassuring to know we’re not alone and have the support of a supplier that shares our commitment to quality.

Looking ahead
We’ve got some exciting initiatives ahead in the coming year. With Eurocell’s help we’re working towards achieving BS7412 and BS7590, as well as Secured by Design certification, all of which are increasingly important for winning new-build work.

We hope that by putting in the hard work now, we will be in a strong position to grow quickly when the economic recovery finally begins.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 1:06 am and is filed under Customer Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.