Wow what a start to the New Year!
I stopped doing these reviews on here as they got a little depressing. Month after month I used to write more in hope than in evidence that things might get better. But as the industry really does now seem to have turned a corner, it makes writing these reviews much easier and a lot more positive.
Leads…proper ones!
I have written on here about the need to call a lead a lead and anything else other than that. But this year started with a very strong start with customers wanting to know how much a house full of windows and doors would cost them.
From what I have seen online and from conversations I have had with others, the amount of leads in January seems to have been on the strong side. From a personal point of view, I can also report a very healthy month on the lead count. Far better than the past couple of years and a clear showing that consumer confidence seems to be right back on track.
The discussion this month, amongst other things has been about the definition of a lead. For me personally, a lead still remains, and always will remain, where a sales person gets to sit down in front of the client where a full demonstration is done, and some measuring of windows and doors takes place. A lead is NOT where someone requests a brochure and the company manages to find out the name and address of the person asking for that brochure. This is simply data capture and won’t always mean a follow up leads comes from this.
Sales and Targets
Leads are good. Sales are better. January was a month where I think most saw their sales targets achieved and then some. A strong start to this year meant that targets probably looked a little low. I knows ours did!
We sailed past our January target in the third week of the month. The last week of January actually saw us almost reach our February target too. We did set a higher target in the second month, but the end of January was so strong that it will only take a good house full of windows and doors for us to be able to tick that month off early too.
The general commentary up and down the industry seems to correlate with what I have seen. Sales have been brisk and things look to be continuing that way going into February.
Debates
As well as my little argument about what a lead actually is, the other big debate that kicked off in January was the triple glazing question. A debate set up by Edgetech UK to try and figure out exactly where triple glazing is heading in the UK and what its place is within the industry at the moment.
You can read my own personal thoughts on the whole triple glazing argument by clicking here. But at the moment the general consensus seems to be that triple glazing doesn’t yet have its place in the UK fenestration industry as the general public doesn’t see a need for it. I guess until costs change and a tangible reason can be found, triple glazing is going to continue to struggle on.
Full Steam Ahead
All in all January was a very positive month. The positive vibe taken from the back end of 2013 carried through into the New Year and now 2014 already looks like it going to be one of the most fruitful years since 2007.
How has the New Year started for you? Has it been as positive as many are describing or are things still a bit slow round your area? All comments welcome in the section below.
In all honesty, January was a very slow month for us and it’s only now we’re seeing an uplift in both enquiries and then leads. We could probably have had more work but there were a few of those situations with customers telling us what they thought our product should cost and then playing us off against those companies who are doing ridiculous prices (UPVC door fully fitted for £350 anyone??) so we had to let those particular customers walk off into the sunset. Although we met our target in January it was hard going! Our area still seems to… Read more »
I agree entirely, most of the leads we have had this year so far have been for full houses, of which I have sold most that I have quoted. I think the worst lead so far was for a single composite door which we priced and got it. Trade windows has had a slow start though, picking up now.
Agree, the industry seems so positive after all the dark days of the last few years, it really does feel like a recovery is well under way, coming to work in February and still feeling excited about the year ahead and I haven’t even touched a Smartie yet!
I sincerely wish everyone a hugely successful year, let’s keep it up, positivity breeds positivity, Yeah!!!!!
Pass me the caffiene I’m on roll!