MERCHANT FOCUS: ALLOWAY TIMBER
sure that as an industry we fully understand what that means. What customer service looks like in merchanting versus retailing is vastly different. In both Alloway and PBM we have some great stories and examples of how we service our customers, going above and beyond on a consistent basis and enabling them to build with confidence.
We simply don’t let our customers down and it’s that attitude and approach which sets us apart. It’s in the DNA of the business and it is a fundamental strength that we will of course build upon.
“We have made a number of investments in the past year to ready the business for the next phase. In the last few months, we have invested in our business platform, with a new ERP system from Merlin Software together with spending in our hardware and software environments. This has been a big change as both Alloway Timber and PBM Builders Merchants were trading on an old dot matrix system for many years. “We have probably seen more change in the last twelve months than we have in the last 12 years but it is necessary change and we are adapting well to it.”
“We have embarked on a three year plan that challenges all aspects of the business, from our systems to how our customers are channelled, who they talk to, how we service them and how we manage our service costs whilst delivering a truly great customer experience. We understand that our customers can operate their businesses better too, with less cost and improved productivity. We believe it is our duty to help them be better at what they do.”
Investing in Talent
The company is investing heavily in its talent. In the last few months it has attained the Investors In People accreditation and Doyle says that the drive has been to understand every single person’s role in the business, setting out what good looks like in those roles with identified competencies. “We are now helping our people to get to those benchmarks.
We recently launched our leadership program to develop people at all levels and create leaders of the future to sustain our growth. We have also begun developing a multi- channel offering. “Yes, it’s about seeking new revenue streams and creating convenience, but our intentions run much deeper than that. Technology will be absolutely key to our performance outcomes in the next
few years. Doyle adds that there are some really interesting innovations happening in merchanting on the Continent and in the USA, things that we can learn from and adopt. One major challenge will be how the company continues to operate with the majority of branches based in and around London. “Operating in London is not about distance; it’s about time. How we maximise our time with customers will pre-occupy us a lot over the next few years. It’s not just our challenge, it’s our customers’ challenge too. Skills, environmental regulations, transport regulations – these are all putting pressure on the sector but we believe that where there is pressure, there is opportunity.
Taking a Holistic View Both businesses are now operating under the same internal strategy which means, Doyle says, that they can take a holistic view of customers, not just in terms of their projects but also in terms of how we collaborate our operations and systems around that customer. “For example, we have begun to integrate our fleet across both businesses and every branch now has access to the entire stock file across the network, creating more flexibility for our customers. We are also harnessing expertise and knowhow to ensure that the customer gets the best service experience possible. “We are in the early stages of our plan but we are creating customer value, capturing new business and diversifying our revenue streams. We have made huge strides in developing our people strategy and becoming the employer of choice. The challenge for our business remains delivering the best service possible in the most cost efficient way whilst never letting our customers down.
The customer wants a seamless experience and one that helps to support and develop their business. We have our sights set on helping our customers win over their customers. That’s where we believe we can make the difference.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net August 2019 29
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