Retailer Spotlight RDO
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‘What’s happening in the industry is that the bar is being raised’
Retailers are facing growing pressure from online giants and shifting customer expectations. In the centre of Reigate, RDO is responding by focusing on service, expertise and long-term relationships. Will McGill visited the retailer and spoke with Managing Director Chris Sargant about staying competitive in a changing market.
ERT Award-winning retailer - is focusing on service, expertise and its showroom experience as key areas of difference.
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Rather than trying to compete directly with larger national chains, the business has built its approach around offering a more personal, considered service. From its showroom layout to its staffing and customer support, the emphasis is on helping customers make informed choices rather than simply completing a transaction.
s electrical retail continues to shift online, independent specialists are under increasing pressure to show what sets them apart beyond price. In the centre of Reigate, RDO - an
The retailer has also refreshed its logo, subtly
increasing the roundness of the “O” in RDO to reflect what it describes as a more complete, full-circle approach to customer care. For Chris Sargant, Managing Director of the family-run retailer, the challenge is not just staying competitive, but staying relevant as expectations continue to evolve. “What’s happening in the industry is that the bar is being raised,” he says. “The baseline is now competence, and that will only continue, because everything is becoming easier. Whether it’s marketing content, customer support, email communication or product information, a lot of that is becoming more accessible through AI and automation.”
“That means you’ve got to find the points that
are unique to your own business. What makes you different? What is your character, your method, your support? Those are the things you have to lean into, because that’s not going to be the same as what AI is doing.” That view captures much of RDO’s current
direction. While Mr Sargant is quick to acknowledge the strengths of rivals, he is equally clear that trying to imitate them would be a mistake. “You’ve got to look at the big guys, because
they’re big for a reason,” he says. “They’ve been disruptive, they’ve challenged convention, and they’ve built fantastic businesses. But structurally, we’re not the same. If I try to play their game, I’m going to lose.”
Family business, modern focus Mr Sargant has been Managing Director for around two and a half years and represents the next generation of the family business. His route into the industry came after university, when he joined with an initial brief to help grow the company’s trade channel and online business. At the time, he admits, his interest was less in the appliance itself than in the wider mechanics of the business around it.
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