Abbeychart
Simon Willis has been appointed as general manager of Abbeychart as of the beginning of March, with the aim of reinventing and reinvigorating the company’s business. Bryony Andrews reports…
An active new era for Abbeychart W
ith a brand new e-commerce website, its first product catalogue in over three years, a total warehouse re-
organisation and a planned re-launch of their espresso parts market, Abbeychart has had a busy year. Best described as “a distributor of fluid handling components,” the liquid dispense experts currently supply over 9,000 specialist component parts, spares and accessories to operators and OEMs (original
equipment manufacturers) within the water, vending, coffee, soft drinks and brewery sectors.
UPDATING ABBEYCHART Formerly managing director of Crane Merchandising Systems and N&W Global Vending, as well as group sales and marketing director for Autobar and commercial director for Connect Vending, Simon Willis has a prestigious history in the vending industry. “Simon will take full responsibility for the running of Abbeychart and has been brought into the business to work with the existing Abbeychart Team to take the business forward,” said Mark Taylor, the group managing director. “Abbeychart is in a period of transition,” Simon told the VI team
during our visit to the company’s premises at Stanford in the Vale this month. The company has an annual turnover of approximately 7 million, but Simon plans to shake things up and actively seek new business. Engaging all staff and employees in weekly meetings, he is centralising objectives and getting everyone on board with the company’s aims. “In the past, our customers have tended to come to us rather than the other way around, but getting in front of clients is key. We are moving from a reactive to an active company.” Simon’s ambitious five year vision for Abbeychart will see the
company recognised throughout the whole of the automated retail industry for its products and services. The company will also make a renewed attempt to capture the espresso market, where it plans to
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become an important player. What’s more, Simon is already looking at other avenues for growth, including a recent visit to America to scope out micromarkets. “We want to move away from being a vending part supplier and into being a supplier for the whole coffee and automated retail industry,” said Simon.
GROWING THE BUSINESS Abbeychart recently partnered-up with chartered marketing agency Studiowide to help execute a comprehensive multi-channel marketing, content and communications strategy. To this end, Simon has hired marketing manager Danae Watson, who will be transforming Abbeychart’s public image in the vending industry. Moving forward, Abbeychart plans to be much more active and visible in the sector, with the aim of raising its profile and increasing its business. Quality is a key factor of this business. Buying British is something
Abbeychart prides itself on, and a topic Simon feels strongly about. “The temptation for our customers is to buy everything cheaper from China,” he said, “but although you are saving a little, you are risking a lot in terms of potential problems.” And as Simon pointed out, with fluid handling, you cannot afford problems. One leaky valve, one flooded corridor, and you can have an enormous lawsuit on your hands. Abbeychart isn’t the cheapest way to source parts, because it puts a higher value on quality than on cost, and because it provides a service. “We take the risk,” Simon explained, as he showed us round the company’s impressive 5,000 square foot warehouse. “We acquire, store and transport the products, so we take on the associated risks and costs. If a client calls by 4.00pm, they will have the part the next day.” With this incredible dedication to service, combined with the
exciting changes the company is already implementing, the future is bright for Abbeychart. “We are entering a new era, where operational excellence and customer satisfaction is paramount,” said Simon. “Abbeychart is moving with the times and adding quality to every aspect of the business.”
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