LANDSCAPING
TOP DECK R
esearch by the Homeowners’ Alliance shown decking to add thousands to the value to a house, but it’s also an ideal way to extend a home’s living space to make the most of outdoors – something many of us are likely to have taken for granted pre-lockdown.
That’s according to Jonathan Cooper, Arbor Forest Products’ Trex business manager, who says: “As we approach the 2021 decking season at Arbor Forest Products, we’ve experienced continuous growth in sales of our range of Trex composite decking for a number of years – with demand for the brand’s products outstripping supply in 2020 – and from speaking to our customers, including decking installers, it’s clear that a general demand for high quality, long-lasting decking has contributed to this.
High end composite decking products such as Trex offer a manufacturer’s domestic warranty of up to 25 years, and won’t rot, split, fade or stain – even with minimal maintenance, making it ideal for those seeking a low maintenance solution for outdoor living space. And it’s not just ease of maintenance and long-term guarantees that appeal to homeowners when it comes to investing in high quality decking: it’s also the promise of an environmentally friendly solution. Some quality composite brands including Trex create decking boards using up to 95 per cent recycled materials, which when combined with the benefit of being able to enjoy the space
26 Knowledge is key
As the demand for high end composite decking grows, it’s vital that merchants are able to stand out from the crowd as a stockist of these products. One of the best ways to do this is by knowing the products inside out and therefore being able to provide sound advice to decking installers.
Don’t forget to take advantage of any training resources offered by suppliers: not only do composite decking brands such as Trex provide materials for specialist installers, but they may also offer training designed specifically to benefit merchant stockists and position them as experts in the product. Ensuring as many members of staff as possible take part in product-specific training will help merchant businesses set themselves apart by forming the foundations for building solid relationships with decking installers who, despite being experts at what they do, will still rely on their merchant for information and advice.
Communication,
communication, communication It’s no secret that customer relations plays an important role in the success of a merchant business – and as well as being able to offer advice, open and honest communication with customers is vital.
Between the surge in demand for home
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net March 2021
There’s been a surge in home improvement works throughout the coronavirus pandemic, which is showing no sign of slowing down in 2021, and decking installation is leading the way.
for longer, is the ideal choice for eco-conscious consumers looking to invest in their home.
improvements, delays caused by the Covid-19 outbreak and ongoing Brexit negotiations, it’s no surprise that the industry faced a number of supply issues in 2020. Despite these challenges, decking installers were as busy as ever in spring and summer meaning they relied heavily on their local merchant to communicate with them as often and honestly as possible. And while we should be optimistic that these factors will continue to improve throughout 2021, lessons must be learnt from the issues encountered last year – and the value of communication should be at the top of the list. With decking installers set for yet another busy decking season, merchants which demonstrate extensive knowledge of the composite decking products they supply, combined with a consistently open line of communication, will further strengthen customer relationships and in turn see a boost in business. BMJ
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
