MERCHANT FOCUS: GRAHAM PLUMBING SUPPLIES
it. Our staff are the key to giving the best customer experience.”
Graham have realised that to connect to their customers effectively, they have to reflect their demographics in their staff. So there is a healthy mixture of young and old staff members, from those with traditional merchant experience to those who have a background in technology and the modern advancements being made in the industry. “The modern generations don’t see merchants as a social network the way previous generations have.” explains Kenny. Graham have found that social media doesn’t have as great an impact on their customers/ business and experience levels as might be expected, so while they keep their networks active and interesting, it’s not where the merchant expects to make the most growth. Of course, as well as the generations, genders are also a growing change in the industry which needs to be represented by staff in merchants. Having spoken to women installers, Graham are planning to improve their female staff mix, which currently stands at 14.2%.
Clear pricing
Operationally, Graham are trying to brighten up the way they conduct business, making prices easily accessible and connections between customers, branches and bigger stocking locations faster. This has been helped by four recently opened new branches, three relocated branches and sharing sights with their sister brand Jewson.
heavily in smart products including customer based programmes to make our service better suited to serving individuals rather than trying to please everyone with a blanket approach
“We are investing ”
Following customer feedback, Graham have realised that price perceptions are one of the main dangers to merchants as customers are more and more likely to resort to the internet for products. This led on to reveal that installers recognised the branding and promise of one supplier above all others: Screwfix. This was because they knew they could get what they wanted, when they wanted with the least amount of hassle. Kenny says, “There has to be a shift in savvy-ness from merchants to suppliers like Screwfix. It’s all about speed, availability and convenience.”
However, as is being seen across all industries, with the growth of the virtual a need for interaction in the real world has risen: “As the internet has grown and larger companies have monopolised, customers have been made more aware of the services and survival of smaller, personal, local businesses and that’s what they want.”
Graham have a tightrope to walk and believe that most merchants will have to face the same in coming years. Kenny explains, “It’s about building a sense of community while offering the services of a giant; Behaving small with all the benefits of being big.”
November 2018
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
While carrying out all of their research, Graham didn’t employ a single consultant. “We invested in listening to our customers. We didn’t see the point in using a middle man. We found that ‘on the tin’ marketing was most effective with colloquial, friendly language that’s to-the-point. Companies that change their promises every year made them too easy to forget and the secret was to be consistent and reinforce the same simple promises every year.”
Graham consulted their customers when it came to the refurbishment of their stores, including having some help them with the refurb itself. They have also initiated a scheme to help individual installers by bridging the gap between installers’ customers and professional options.
“Too often an installer will be employed by a client who has researched and bought their own products but without the professional knowledge and foresight which can make a job very tricky. Our Elite Installer Scheme is offered by invitation to certain installers and aims to take the time-consuming pain of going from client to supplier and back again away from them.”
New systems
Using invaluable 3D drawings and their newly revamped (and installer influenced) showrooms, Graham consult with the client and come up with simple drawings for the installer to then follow. They also draw up all the paperwork on the installer’s behalf. So the installer is still the one with whom te householder has the day-to-day contact, but with the help of Graham staff and the good word-of-mouth of their customer feedback. All this goes towards Graham’s desire to create a community feel in each of their branches.
Graham have also been initiating the ERP operating system called ICON, from Kerridge. “The system will recognise individual customers and keep a history of their previous purchases and needs through an integrated Telephony System.” Yet, the modernisation of Graham won’t mean they lose their traditional values: “The tone will be modern with respect, i.e. use of the customer’s first name. It’s been recognised from customer service programmes and market research that the industry has progressed from a Sir/Madam approach and that use of the first name is acceptable and appropriate. All staff are being trained on the new systems, along with the central team too, to ensure that it’s consistent throughout the business. The use of positive tone/voice is also so important to ensure that the person on the end of the phone gets a positive welcome.”
If all of this wasn’t forward-thinking enough, the company have also been testing drone delivery in Paris. BMJ
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