ROOFING CASE STUDY
IMPERIAL INVESTMENT REAPS REWARDS
BMJ meets a roofing merchant that’s building a reputation as a centre of excellence for customer service and support.
W
hat makes a successful builder’s merchant? For Imperial Roofing Supplies, it boils down to recognising what ‘service’
means to different customers then meeting and exceeding those expectations. It’s because of their ability to achieve this that they’re nominated for local business awards. Family run since first opening, Imperial Roofing Supplies has serviced the local Leicestershire roofing trade for the better part of 24 years.
Joe Carnan who joined the business in December 2012 has seen the business transform in line with customer demand. “We’ve always put customer service first. I imagine a lot of people say that but it’s something which really sits at the heart of the business. Especially in our trade, people trust people and you need to build a relationship with customers to have any chance of success” Carnan explains.
For Imperial Roofing Supplies, that level of service comes from several factors. Over the past two years, the company has invested £250k to boost its business productivity and customer service quality. This included new premises, investing in the team through training, and having specialised vehicles to handle deliveries.
“It’s not just what we’ve done internally, we really need to ensure our suppliers match our approach to service too. We rely on them as an extension of the business so it’s vital we choose the right suppliers, especially when expanding our product offering.”
Going flat out
Despite a comprehensive range of roofing products, there was one area where Imperial Roofing Supplies hadn’t made inroads. “When it came to flat roofs, we traditionally only supplied torched on felt. When we started to notice an increase in demand for alternatives like rubber EPDM, we needed to move with the times,” he says. At the time, rubber EPDM products were relatively new to the market but offered what would be a huge opportunity for the business. “We began to reach out to a few suppliers. We didn’t just want the product, we wanted to buy into a brand which offered us the support and service too.”
Where they would land would be with the team at Flex-R.
Carnan says: “The offer from Flex-R felt like the most comprehensive in terms of the ClassicBond EPDM product and support. But it wasn’t just that, we also really liked the people there and that was such a huge aspect for us.”
This move into relatively uncharted territory for the business came with some risk involved. It’s here where having that trust and support from a supplier can make all the difference, especially with a new product. “EPDM was a completely new range for us. We didn’t know much about the product, so the Flex-R team offered training on everything, from how the ClassicBond range work and installation techniques to effective selling messages that would work with our customers. That’s what helped really embed the product and brand into the branch.”
Getting into the flow
What started as one to two deliveries a month quickly turned weekly as the demand grew. “At first we weren’t sure on demand, and we used to have limited storage space which meant we had to regularly communicate with the team to ensure stock was timely.”
Any merchant will testify to the difficulty of stock management. One delayed delivery can have consequences down the line and erode customer trust.
“Having the confidence in place is critical. We always know where we stand with deliveries. Even during Covid when product was on allocation, the team would do their best to get us any surplus to keep stock flowing.” says Carnan.
Pricing and stock management fall into service but there’s one final area where the company has seen huge value from the partnership.
“The Flex-R team are more than happy to train our customers. It’s a huge bonus for us as it means we’re able to position ourselves as having the direct links to manufacturers and it gets our customers locked into a system we sell. It’s a win-win.” By spending the time up front to get the relationship and structure right from the beginning, the team are reaping the rewards.
January 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
“We’ve seen sales of the product grow roughly five times over since bringing them onboard. EPDM only represents a part of overall revenue but comparing 2018 revenue of £500k to over £3.8 million in 2023 shows just how far we’ve come as a business.” “The team at Flex-R aren’t just suppliers, we think of them as mates too. That’s what really makes the difference in business. When you see people as friends then you can be so much more honest and open with them,” Carnan says.
Imperial Roofing Supplies was nominated for Leicestershire Business Award for Small Business of the Year in 2023, which Carnan says is a testamentto its growth and commitment to customers. BMJ
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
