BATHROOMS, SHOWERS & KITCHENS
PRODUCT CONFIDENCE, GUARANTEED B
uy a Bristan tap or shower and you won’t need to buy another until you move house. That’s because the company has launched a lifetime guarantee on its core bathroom taps, kitchen taps, and showers range.
In the taps and showers market, warranty claims can be complex, with exceptions all over the place, however Bristan CEO Jen Cassidy believes simplicity can be a powerful differentiator.
“We moved to a 10-year guarantee a number of years ago,” she explains. “Over time, we saw more brands coming out with, in theory, better guarantees. Yet, when you looked closer, there were caveats everywhere.” At the same time, Bristan was investing heavily in customer research. “What came through clearly was that the three most important priorities for installers and consumers were quality, reliability and durability,” she says. “We didn’t feel like we were making a strong enough statement on those.”
True guarantee
Cassidy is clear that the move was underpinned by solid data. “We always knew we had low warranty rates,” she says. “But when we really dug into the data, we realised just how low they were, and that gave us the confidence to go further. We asked ourselves: what if we offered a true lifetime guarantee based on ownership?” she explains. “Whether the product has been installed for five, 10, 25 or even 50 years, we will honour that warranty.” It has been designed to be simple for both merchants and end users. “If something goes wrong, we’ll send the spare part needed. Within the first year, we’ll also cover installation. If the product is no longer available, we’ll replace it with an equivalent, and if that’s not possible, we’ll refund the original purchase price,” she says.
“The only thing we ask for is proof of purchase. There are no hidden caveats, and importantly, that includes finishes as well.”
26
Tap and shower manufacturer Bristan is so confident that its products will last the course that it’s guaranteeing them – for life. Fiona Russell Horne finds out more.
The Bristan Executive Leadership Team. From left to right Mark Joynson-Bickerstaffe – Chief Product Officer, Hayley Whelan – HR Director, Jen Cassidy – CEO, Andy Jackson – Chief Financial Officer, Adam May – Chief Commercial Officer.
The lifetime guarantee doesn’t cover the commercial products, nor the contract value range, which remains on a five year guarantee. for the simple reason that it’s important to be able to differentiate and sell customers up. For merchants, the move is intended to strengthen confidence at the point of sale and beyond. “One of the reasons merchants choose to work with us is that they know we’ll take care of any issues,” Cassidy says. “Bristan isn’t a brand they have to worry about once the product has left the branch.”
At first thought, longer guarantees might seem counter-productive to selling more showers, however Cassidy sees it differently. “This is about long-term relationships,” she says. “If merchants are selling products that perform well and don’t cause issues, that builds trust with their customers. Plus, our research shows installers are increasingly shopping around across different merchants,” she says. “So, the question becomes: how do you build loyalty? Strong brands with clear propositions help.”
Early feedback from merchants has been encouraging. “The reaction from our merchant
partners has been incredibly positive. They see this as a real differentiator.”
Beyond normal commercial objectives, Bristan hopes the move will have a wider impact. “I’d like to see the industry move towards simpler, more transparent guarantees,” Cassidy says. “At the moment, there’s a risk that customers buy on price, have a poor experience, are put off investing again.” She believes improving product longevity is also key from a sustainability perspective. “There’s a lot of waste created by low-cost products that don’t last,” she says. “If we can help shift the focus towards quality and durability, that’s better for everyone.”
Keep it simple
“We talk a lot about being ‘brilliantly simple’ and easy to deal with,” Cassidy says. “This is a natural extension of that.”
There are no registration requirements, although customers are encouraged to do so for ease of service.
“We’re not asking people to jump through hoops,” she adds. “We believe in our products, and we want to be upfront about that. This is about putting customers first and standing behind what we do. It’s a simple message, but in this market, that simplicity makes a real difference.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net May 2026
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