Fit the Best? - Everest TV campaign
It’s great to see Everest on TV with a new campaign pushing A-Rated Energy Efficient windows. The advert shows new Energy Rated windows fitted at the highest pub in Britain - Tan Hill Inn.
I must admit, it’s a very well produced advert which gets across the message, and I’m sure it will kick start a few competitors into developing energy rated windows. I’m also aware that this campaign along with the Safestyle-UK TV campaign is now starting to build public awareness of Energy Rated Windows.
Customers are now starting to ask ‘What rating is your window?’ And, this has to be a good thing.
The problem is, as I understand it, Everest are advertising an A-Rated window, and then selling a C-Rated Window. I’m happy for the guys from Everest to correct me on this, but the word on the street is that consumers are being told that an A-Rated window can be supplied, but that they’re a bit expensive!
Don’t get me wrong - a C-Rated window is still better than selling a window that merely complies with Part L. But why not just advertise a C-Rated window which is still classed as Energy Efficient, and can carry the Energy Saving Recommended logo? Why not just tell the truth?
21 responses so far ↓
1 paul.com // May 25, 2008 at 6:19 pm
It’s all to do with advertising standards. As they will tell you over and over again until you lose the will to live they’re the only ones who can legally use the words “Fit the Best ” in their adverts. If they didn’t wangle it the way they do and honestly admitted that you only get a C-rated window as standard they could be forced to stop using the strap line. “only Everest fit the Best”.
The funny thing is many customers have been persuaded to only have part of their house double glazed rather than get the whole house done with cheaper but inferior windows. Forgive me if I’m wrong but won’t the effect of double glazing be useless until all the windows are done. As I often point out to customers, not because I’m a greedy salesmen, it’s stupid to have double glazed windows and leave your old draughty wood doors in. It defeats the object of the excercise. A bit like if you had a car with no wheels and buying one at a time. No Mr.and Mrs. Prospect you won’t be able to drive your car until you’ve got all 4 wheels!
2 paul.com // May 25, 2008 at 6:23 pm
You should have bought a Robin Reliant . Or a motorbike . Or a unicycle.
3 paul.com // May 25, 2008 at 6:27 pm
“Here look at these lovely doors that look like Lego and are just moulded out of plastic” I say to them.
4 noel // May 25, 2008 at 8:51 pm
replacing your windows doesn’t really have an analogy with car wheels. The car doesn’t work without wheels! Your insulation will work better with each window you replace: the heat doesn’t run away from the insulated windows looking for the old single-glazed one and then form a queue to get out! Every square inch you insulate will improve it bit by bit.
5 paul.com // May 26, 2008 at 7:48 am
Oh thats good to know. Can I have 2 square inches of your a-rated window please. By the time I’m 90 I might have managed to have the whole house done.
6 Peter // Jun 24, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Standard Everest pvc-u window is ‘B’ rated and the upgrade costs about £40 per square metre since this also includes additional gasket/frame modifications to achieve ‘A’ rating. Most other companies only offer ‘B’ and ‘A’ as a cost upgrade.
7 Peter // Jun 24, 2008 at 2:55 pm
paul.com - I believe you work/worked for anglian - who actually were trying to sell ‘A’ rated windows to customers BEFORE they even had them to offer. And who explain all about ‘ultra2′ windows and their efficiency and neglect to add that the customer is only likely to get this quality if they pay the first quoted price, any further discount end up meaning the customer will get another grade of windows with ‘non aesthetic alterations to the specification’ (clause 10 of your contract) - which may well be ‘C’ or worse (ie Excaliber grade).
8 Renegade Conservatory Guy // Jun 24, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Hi Peter
Thank you for your comments. That’s good news if Everest are now selling a B-Rated as standard, as it will help push the industry towards achieving higher standards in the future.
My point about advertising an A-rated window still applies though, as quoting £40 per sq.m extra for an A-Rated window is not really what the TV ad states. And, customers are unlikely to choose to go from B to A as the difference in energy efficiency is so little, but the cost so large.
RCG
9 Peter // Jun 25, 2008 at 10:20 am
RCG - quite agree, and I actually say to customers that the upgrade is not worth it unless they are particularly concerned. I guess after 20 odd years the ad needed to get across the improvements and expansion of the product range all in 20/30 seconds. Our literature is quite clear though as to the ‘B’ standard rating.
10 Renegade Conservatory Guy // Jun 25, 2008 at 10:53 am
Hi Peter
I assume you must be a salesman for Everest. Well, good luck with selling ER windows and please feel free to come back and visit my humble blog whenever you like.
RCG
11 paul.com // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:41 pm
There’s nothing I despise more than an Everest man trying to build up his rip off company by trying to trash other companies and Anglian which is about all you can do.
If there is a clause in the Anglian contract it’s nothing more than the same sort of sales gimmick that Everest always use with the Immediate Order Discount. “I have a letter here from the Managing Director himself, Gary Risley that says I can only give you this discount on the night. It is all registered with Trading Standards and we’d get in serious trouble bla bla bla. Mr. and Mrs. Faukauhasen some Everest Salesmen were sacked because they came back and gave this extra 10 % discount after the day of the original quote.”
I need to find another website like this in a parellel universe where I’m allowed to swear because you know exactly what I want to say to you don’t you?
“I guess after 20 years…” The ad is a lie. I don’t care what’s in your literature.
12 sdl // Jul 9, 2008 at 10:37 am
I am in the process of purchasing double glazing and with the array of glaziers etc and information it is difficult to choose which one to opy for, any suggestions on what to look out for?
Thanks a million.
13 Renegade Conservatory Guy // Jul 9, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Hi sdl
Which area are you in and I may be able to advise.
RCG
14 peter // Jul 9, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Oh dear Paul. For anyone else reading this blog and groaning, just a few facts.
The Immediate Order Discount letter - yes its a sales gimmick in the same way as showhome promotions/phoning the manager etc. Most companies unfortunately have them, even more unfortunately many witless sales reps use them. I don’t.
However, clause 10 of the Anglian contract - note the actual legally binding document on which the sale is based - is a get out clause which allows the substitution of products as long as they look the same. With relevance to the blog, with Everest if you buy pvc-u casement windows from us you can be sure that they are ‘B’ rated, BS and BBA standards approved or exceeded without question-what we describe/show the customer is EXACTLY what they will have fitted. With clause 10, Anglian reserve the right to NOT fit units to the standard described/shown to the customer. I will only mention this to a customer if they have already contacted Anglian and/or received a quotation from them. I have a copy of their contract (given to me from an ex Anglian rep) which I can show to back this up.
We all have to make a living-I do it by being honest, giving customers only the facts I can independently verify, and a price free from sales gimmicks. I never ‘trash’ other companies, and I’m sorry if you feel I was by stating the facts I know. Surely this is better than the generic ‘tall tails’ the sales trainers regretably drum into new recruits.
15 paul.com // Jul 10, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Oh dear Peter this is so very tiresome. So it’s not Everest fault that it’s trainer’s drum in these sales gimmicks ? It’s because of the many witless sales agents that do what they’re taught to do and your not one of them , you’re honest and people can be assured that they’ll get a B grade window.
I never said you don’t have to make a living. Why do you think I’d think you don’t have to make a living? Do you think I don’t have to make a living?Do you think I’m telling everyone why Everest and Anglian are rubbish for fun?
16 paul.com // Jul 10, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Alot of people don’t have to make a living. Espescially if they can find enough mugs that’ll believe all the garbage Everest tells them.
17 paul.com // Jul 10, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Oh I understand it now. Everest Fit The “B”est. Not “A” like the mountain in their logo.
18 peter // Jul 12, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Paul, in many ways it sounds like we both hate the same parts of the glazing business. Perhaps I’ve not been in it as long as you were and still believe that I can do the job ‘my way’ rather than how Everest want me to!
19 paul.com // Jul 13, 2008 at 9:46 am
I enjoyed some of my best years working for Everest. I could say unfortunately I burnt all my bridges but I deliberately burnt all my bridges and there is no way back for me.
There are alot of good things about Everest and it is true you can do things “your way”. As long as you get results you’ll be left alone. In sales you have to have an instinct for each customer and adapt to them anyway. What people forget and as a salesman you’re not allowed to say is how many customer’s are just as devious in their own way. They’ll say they’re going to sell their house soon or they’ve had a quote £5000 cheaper. If the glazing industry is notorious I think it’s only a reflection of the kind of the greedy society we live in and consumers have only got themselves to blame to a large extent.
I should make the most of your time at Everest because it’s not as easy to find other jobs in the double glazing industry anymore with all the closures.
At the end of the day “people by people” as they say and I belive when they buy their windows they’re buying the person that was punctual, well presented, professional(knowledgeable & well -trained) genuinely friendly etc.
I once went to sell a conservatory in Castleford and I was running a bit late and having difficulty finding the address. I thought to myself
” I don’t really care because I’ve been here so many times before and they always want to buy a conservatory for 4 to 5k!” . The customers placed an order with me because they said I’d bothered to show them a breakdown of the products involved, done a computer generated image and been very professional. They said the local companies turned up pointed out an area with their feet , had written a price on the back of a cig packet and dissappeared after 10mins. !
Good luck with your career.
20 Bob // Jul 15, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Just been offered a job with everest start the training on Monday any advice Peter?
21 peter // Jul 16, 2008 at 6:52 am
Hi Bob,
Go on the training - 4 days in a nice hotel with food and drink (some!) thrown in. Its a good course. Just don’t expect to be a millionaire in 6 months. If you are sensible and have some financial backing to ride out the lean months when you might not earn anything its a good job. Or if you are able to commit 100 hours a week playing a numbers game on getting self generated appointments on the door you could earn bundles. Most reps start off enthusiastic but the constant rejection and/or abuse when knocking on strangers doors can soon get very wearing unless you are particularly thick skinned! Expect to earn £15K if you are the soft sell type who wont take advantage of people (i.e selling on finance etc) but £30-40K if you are more hard nosed.
Hope this helps.
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