Distinction Doors’ Online Ordering Example Of Customer Support

Distinction Doors has been reviewing the success of its online ordering system. Sarah Denham, Distinction’s Customer Service Manager, comments: “We kept the needs of our customers at the forefront of our minds when we were developing our online ordering system so it’s great to see how popular it’s proving.”

Distinction’s online ordering system has all the hallmarks of a tool designed to add value to a customer’s business. Perhaps the most important of these is the speed at which an order can be placed – under a minute from start to finish, which is good news when time is money. Orders placed online are subject to a later cut-off time than orders placed over the phone or email, giving you a few extra precious minutes each day before the order book closes too.

Then there’s the flexibility of the system. You can build an order then come back to it later, safe in the knowledge it will be saved on the system in the meantime. Each door order comes complete with the price and list of materials used so you have a quick reference when you’re doing administration and accounting. There are options to review and modify orders before placing them so you can double check the details before submitting them. And there is a copy function so you can place repeat orders at the click of a mouse.

You can choose to have as many logins as you want, so not only can any number of people have the ability to place orders, you’ve also got complete traceability and transparency about who ordered what in the event of a query.

Overall, the system is quick, simple and intuitive to use so it can add value to a business from the very first time it’s used.

Sarah is also keen to add that the system is under constant review so it can keep delivering value: “We encourage our customers to give us feedback about our online ordering system so we can develop the most popular requests into new features. It’s only by listening like this that we can continue to exceed expectations.”

www.distinctiondoors.co.uk

Picture above: Mark Fearn

Despite post-Brexit challenges, Hurst Plastics is well on course to maintain its industry-leading ‘on-time in-full’ record with the appointment of a new Continuous Improvement Manager.

Mark Fearn joins Hurst Plastics in this newly created role with the goal of improving the company’s production processes to ensure greater product consistency whilst maintaining a robust supply chain. His appointment is instrumental in driving even greater efficiency and increasing capacity as Hurst continues its pattern of growth.

Kevin Wheatman, Hurst Plastics’ Director and General Manager, explains: “Post-Brexit currency fluctuations and a feeling of uncertainty around Article 50 has had an impact on supply within our industry and this has meant that some of our competitors have let their customers down. It’s therefore vital for us to continually improve our production processes and increase our capacity to sustain our year on year growth and maintain our OTIF record of above 98.5%.

“We’re delighted to welcome Mark to the business at such an exciting time when we are investing for the future. Mark is a highly experienced lean manager and he has been steadily analysing our processes. He has already helped the business to reduce waste, improve efficiency and achieve even greater capacity. Product consistency is fundamental and we are really proud to be sustaining our high standards and boosting output without having to increase the headcount in our factories.”

Mark joins Hurst from Corrboard UK Limited. He has a strong track record in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing.

Mark’s appointment follows a series of major investments at Hurst Plastics to increase the production capabilities of its two dedicated factories in Kingston-upon-Hull. The company has significantly increased production of both its composite doors and door panels and delivers the majority of them on its own fleet of 16 vehicles to maintain a consistent and reliable customer supply chain.

www.hurst-plastics.co.uk 

The forthcoming 2017 FIT Show at Birmingham’s NEC has been billed as the biggest and best yet, and thanks to the late opening hours on the first day of the exhibition, the show’s organisers have revealed that exhibitors have been busy making plans to ensure that the evening of ‘BIG Tuesday’ really will be one to remember.

The glass and glazing industry has always been known for its social scene, but with ‘BIG Tuesday’ allowing for an extension of opening hours to 8pm, visitors to this year’s show will be able to mix business with pleasure thanks to everything from champagne receptions to ‘80s themed discos, a host of anniversary celebrations and even a pub quiz and ballet dancing performance, once the exhibition begins to unwind after 5pm.

For those looking to relax after what is likely to be a very busy first day, companies such as Victorian Sliders, VEKA and The Camden Group will be offering visitors to their stands the chance to let their hair down with drinks and nibbles, with Swisspacer UK laying on a champagne reception; Iceni Windows serving pizza, Prosecco and beer; ECI offering an assortment of Irish whiskey and Yale Door and Window Solutions a selection of bespoke cocktails from a gin bar.

A number of companies will also be taking full advantage of the after hours atmosphere to celebrate a variety of important anniversaries. For example, Stevenswood will be hosting a party to mark its 20th year in business, Selecta Systems will be welcoming all-comers to its 35th birthday with an ‘80s and ‘90s disco and Advance70 Ice Bar, while both Roseview and the Glass & Glazing Federation will be celebrating 40th anniversaries in style.

James Lee, Director of Marketing and Communications at the GGF, said: “Our stand for this year will include a special ‘Life Begins at 40’ members lounge. The FIT Show is a perfect opportunity to celebrate our 40th anniversary with the industry, and we are looking forward to welcoming both members and non-members for a few drinks and some fun entertainment!”

The likes of Ultraframe and the Synseal Group will also be inviting guests onto their stands on the evening of Big Tuesday, while others such as RegaLead, The Georgian Bar Company and KAT UK, will all be enjoying a blast from the past with 1980s themed parties.

There will also be a competitive element to the proceedings, with The Window Company Contracts (UK) announcing the winner of a Makita on-site battery powered radio and AluK challenging visitors and exhibitors alike to take on its team of ‘AluK Experts’ in the Big FIT Show Quiz. Sika will also be offering prizes for ‘gunning out’ the straightest line with one of its specialist adhesive dispensers, although visitors might be advised to attempt this before venturing onto the drinks parties elsewhere in the show!

Last but not least, OnLevel will literally be taking it to another level with performances from Dutch ballet dancer, Nathalie Hombergh, and close up magician, Robert Ellams.

Taking place 23-25th May 2017, to book a stand at FIT Show 2017 please contact Freya Humphries on: 07572 623457, or email: freya@fitshow.co.uk. To register as a visitor for FIT Show 2017 visit: www.livebuzzreg.co.uk/2017/fit17

Clement Windows have provided offices at 188 Fleet Street in London with a number of ‘striking’ internal steel screens and doors.

Formerly the home of bankers Coutts & Co, the 35,000ft2 building has recently been refurbished to house a publishing company with what is described as ‘a very 21st Century approach to working life’.

Architect, Martin Helyer, of HD architects, said of the project: “The lighting scheme was an important feature of this office refurbishment which incorporates a dynamic daylighting system to control the light intensity of the space, which in turn helps to maintain staff’s natural body clocks. Clement’s internal steel-framed windows maximise the amount of light in the office, thus contributing to the overall wellbeing of the office workers. We chose Clement windows due to their external aesthetic aiding the feel that the space was not purely internal.”

Internal steel screens are becoming increasingly popular in both commercial and residential settings where a fashionable industrial aesthetic is desired and new ways of collaborative and informal working need to be supported. The strong, slim sections of steel can be moulded into any design, while simultaneously allowing maximum solar gain and creating the illusion of extra space.

www.clementwindows.co.uk

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Caitlin Whalley (left) and Kayleigh Pritchard of Universal Arches

Shaped frame and arching specialist, Universal Arches, says it is putting its ‘females to the fore’ when it comes to customer service, sales support and FIT Show planning.

With an increasing number of women involved in the fenestration industry, Universal Arches says it is giving Kayleigh Pritchard and Caitlin Whalley ‘more wide-ranging responsibilities’. Both of them came straight from college with Kayleigh now in her ninth year and Caitlin in her third with the specialist frame manufacturer.

Leon Day, managing director of Universal Arches commented: “Both Kayleigh and Caitlin now have more proactive roles in the business and their experience and skillsets fully justify this. I would expect that more women will come to the fore in this industry given the statistics and opportunities. We are starting to see more women such as Clare O’Hara at the Epwin Group now also taking major roles in what has been a male dominated environment for so many years and it is a welcome change in dynamics for modern society, as it is at Universal Arches.”

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Dear Sophie,

Since President Trump started labelling people, news organisations and news he didn’t like as ‘fake news’ the phrase has been in the media. It’s one of the internet’s favourite memes.

But made-up news, distortions and lies used to deceive, dissemble and confuse are common, and as old as the hills. It’s also more common than we’d like in our own industry.

In composite doors, some brands claim to have Secured by Design when the slabs they use don’t pass the PAS24:2016 cut test, or meet the current Document Q. Some claim to injection-mould their cassettes when they don’t, and haven’t done for over a year; or claim to extrude their profiles when they contract out. Or their door slabs don’t achieve the 1.8 ‘U’ value they must have to achieve the CE mark and sell them legally.

What do we think about that? Does it matter? Who cares? Turn a blind eye?

You could argue that ‘overclaiming’ is morally questionable, and isn’t a problem until someone gets caught. But it’s usually the innocent who carry the can.

When a burglar breaks in – quickly, easily and near silently – and gets away with your customers’ valuables, who’s to blame? Not the homeowner who bought a composite door the installer recommended as ‘very secure’. Not the installer or fabricator who believed it was very secure, because that’s what the manufacturer claimed. But whoever’s to blame, installers and fabricators stand to lose their reputation. The manufacturer who fudged or faked it, or failed to say the door’s security was good for 30 seconds protection at best, tends to hide behind the small print in their terms and conditions and escape the flak.

I believe installers and fabricators want manufacturers to be straight with them, so the products they buy match the specifications they’re sold, and perform exactly as promised.

It’s what homeowners and installers want. Is it too much to ask?

Sincerely,
Gareth Mobley
CEO, Solidor & Residor

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Exlabesa launched its ECW50 curtain walling system last year and it has taken the market by storm since then. Paul Benn, Exlabesa’s National Sales Manager, said: “We are pleased the ECW50 is proving so popular but we are not surprised. It’s one of the easiest curtain walling systems on the market to manufacture and it’s also extremely competitively priced, which is a winning combination.”

The ECW50 curtain walling system has 50mm profile widths so it has the stunningly slim sightlines of a classic aluminium system. It’s suitable for use on a wide variety of commercial building projects and can be integrated with Exlabesa’s KWS window systems and KSF and KTS commercial door systems.

The ECW50 is a thermally broken system so it meets and exceeds current building regulations for thermal efficiency. It has 28mm glazing as standard but can accommodate glazing of up to 46mm for projects where thermal efficiency is paramount. The system is fabricated using high quality European components and is tested to UNE EN 13830:2016 for weather resistance, safety in use, energy efficiency and heat retention and also to the more onerous CWCT standard in the UK.

Other features include a choice of depths for structural members, mullion sizes of up to 220mm and transom sizes of up to 195mm. Internal reinforcing bars are available where bigger spans are needed, plus a range of structural add-ons, while a range of external caps give different finishing options. The system is easy to install, thanks to the unique gasket design that makes glazing simple, a feature that will cut installation time and make installers’ lives easier.

Paul reports that sales of the ECW50 show no signs of slowing down, but that’s not surprising either. Exlabesa is one of the country’s most experienced and reliable aluminium systems companies and the ECW50 is the perfect example of a company with its finger on the pulse of market needs.

www.exlabesa.co.uk