MERCHANT FOCUS: BEESLEY AND FILDES
at Beesley & Fildes, but it’s my job to make sure they are consistent, scalable and clearly communicated to our current and potential customers.”
Scalability
The company has 11 branches across the north west of England, with the largest in Huyton, which is also the Beesley & Fildes head office and has a kitchen and bathroom showroom, a timber yard and a roofing centre. The other branches are located across Liverpool, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, with additional kitchen and bathroom showrooms in Liverpool and Chester, civils supplies in Chester, Swinton, Walkden and Widnes, brick cutting in Chester and milling in Widnes. Traditionally, the company’s customer base has been local to each branch, but times are changing and Beesley & Fildes is already changing with them. “We have been a family business serving other family businesses for generations. This is particularly true for our older branches in Liverpool and Merseyside, where loyalty to Beesley & Fildes has been passed down from one generation to the next. But we’re always aware that loyalty like that is not automatic; you have to earn it. And, as the challenges and commercial conditions associated with different trades evolve over time, we have to be prepared to meet evolving expectations of service, pricing, lead times and knowledge, so we’re laying the groundwork for continuing change as we continue to grow.” The Beesley & Fildes branch network has grown significantly over the past decade. Added to that is the company’s e-commerce capability, which not only serves its traditional heartland of the north west but is gaining a loyal customer base from across the UK too. “The bedrock of Beesley & Fildes is our tried and tested model of offering excellent value, expert knowledge and reliability,” Beesley explains, “and we’ve embedded those
principles across all our branches and our online presence. In branch, we have offers to bring in footfall, along with high service standards to encourage customers to come back and recommend us. We also have a variety of product specialists who ensure the range we offer reflects what our customers want now and in the future. We add value by offering sound advice on specification, buildability and value engineering requirements.
“But this is a competitive marketplace,” he continues, “and, as an independent, we’re competing against some huge players, so we have to do more than maintain the status quo. That’s where my track record in marketing and customer experience come in. Pricing is always important, but if we get involved in a pile-them-high-sell-them-cheap race to the bottom, we’ll lose. Our strengths are in our people, our knowledge and the pride we take in what we do, so my role is bringing those strengths together in a scalable, consistent and customer-oriented business.”
Beesley has begun by benchmarking the customer experience to learn where there is potential to enhance service and customer interactions and inform marketing activity. He has also initiated an employee engagement process to inform the company’s people strategy and training investment. “Recruitment of talented and loyal people is difficult for everyone, especially at the moment,” he continues, “and we’re fortunate to have a very strong team, many of whom have been with us for years, if not decades, so staff retention is a key element in delivering a first class customer experience.
“Some customers will always shop around on price, and we offer great deals, but small price savings have much lower value to a busy customer than the wasted time and risk they avoid by coming to a builder’s merchant that will move heaven and earth to get them what they need on time. Reliability, service
January 2022
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
The bedrock of Beesley & Fildes is our tried and tested model of offering excellent value, expert knowledge and reliability.
and the ability to provide alternative solutions to shorten lead times have never been more important.”
Adding Up
That combination of market-focused pricing and reliable service is also helping Beesley & Fildes to grow its online business. The company has its own fleet of delivery vehicles and drivers, enabling it to offer in-branch pick up, delivery to the customer’s yard or delivery to site with reliability and accountability. “The company has built strong relationships with customers but those relationships don’t always need to be face-to-face or local. Indeed, we’re finding that customers in other regions are coming to us because we can offer them lower prices and reduced lead times as compare to their local merchant. “My goal is to ensure we have the systems in place to engage effectively with all customers, whether we’re serving them in branch or online, because there are opportunities for growth and differentiation through both channels.”
Working alongside John Beesley and the experienced management team at Beesley & Fildes, he sums up his role as the addition of a new generation, rather than anything more dramatic. “I’m not here to make dramatic changes a company that’s been 200 years in the making,” he says, “but to add my ideas and experience into the mix, just as every generation has before me.” BMJ
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