A lot of you will have seen a recent post where I highlighted a company which was selling and fitting a door for £380. You can see it here: https://www.doubleglazingblogger.com/2014/01/this-image-is-exactly-what-is-wrong-with-the-industry/ but what that post did was to highlight ways in which to grow a company. In my opinion, growth via quality is the best way to go.
I have been, and always will be, an advocate of quality over price. No £380 doors in our showroom! Starting off business at the lowest end of the market makes it very difficult to change into something better. You get known in your local area as being cheap and not supplying the best that is out there. That then limits your customers base to those who will always be looking for the very lowest price, not even considering quality. Once you’re there, it’s a very hard rut to get out of. This is why a business which starts with a focus on high standards of quality will find it much easier to build on growth.
The way I see it, if you run your business as a high quality enterprise, you are creating a desire and aspirational target for your potential clients. You are exuding an image which tells the client your business can meet their every single requirement and meet their very high standards. You don’t get that if you’re a business focused on undercutting your competition and installing the cheapest money can buy.
Not everyone wants to be the type of installer that fits the very best quality, I understand that. But the point I’m making is that if there is growth to be had in an industry which is churning out ever higher quality, cheap and cheerful isn’t going to be the way to do it.
The range of high quality products out there can command a higher profit margin and open up new revenue streams to take advantage off. I have found that by working for a company which focuses on the highest end of the market, we attract a clientele which if often more affluent and willing to spend more money on grander types of installations. On top of that, we get an ever increasing amount of work due to word of mouth and recommendations. We also try to be innovative. We look at new products which we think fill a gap in our portfolio and what we think customers may be interested in.
So I guess the message is as simple as this: more often than not, scrapping around at the bottom end of the market isn’t going to get you growth, quality and innovation is. Agree or disagree? All comments welcome in the section below!