…by Jonathan Brind of Clearview Magazine
There’s no doubt Glass Talk, which I thought was formerly a news page in my old magazine Glass & Glazing Products but actually turned out to be a fantastic networking event, was a great success, even if a veil should perhaps be drawn over some of the events later that evening. How window industry is that….
Some whined about the fact that it meant a trip to the West Midlands. Let’s face it the NEC is pretty central for England anyway. Newcastle might seem to be more central if you lived in the north of Scotland, but most of us don’t . The NEC complex doesn’t have much going for it but it is central and very well connected to the motorway, railway and air systems.
The proportion of real window industry people as opposed to the people who make a living out of the window industry by public relations, training or marketing support etc, was probably a bit on the low side. Some of the sessions dragged on a bit too long but that was only a problem because we were anxious to see the sessions that were crowded out so we missed them.
That said, many of the movers and shakers were there and we got unfiltered discussions about issues of real concern of the type you rarely see in any other window industry media (except of course Renegade Conservatory Guy).
The networking was also extremely well organised. People were forced to talk to each other without sight of a pink gin or a pint of beer. And they had some very interesting things to say. For example one very useful revelation is that many are finding inquiries are up but business is down. Quite clearly some customers can scent bargains out there and are snooping around to see just how low your price will get.
The rather wonderful Barry Dunlop, who looked as if he had been born and bred a compere and presenter, also made several interesting remarks. One was: “I got out of retailing because it was too much like hard work and a real job for me.”
It sounds like a flippant remark but is there a deep truth there? Long ago and in that far distant country that is the past, the window and conservatory industry was famous for its high pressure salesmen (and yes they were men, by and large, anyway). One company even had a glorious event at which its million pound a year salesman was installed on a throne and crowned.
Today’s salesmen are expected to work long and hard for far from exceptional wages.
Many customers use the internet to buy. Even if somebody came up with a new whiz bang product, a totally new paradigm (you know like plastic windows 40 years ago) in today’s market conditions would it be possible to achieve the rapid growth of those early days?
Mature markets may need different approaches. Maybe the window industry is still, at heart, the same as it ever was. I certainly intend to be there at the next networking event to find out!
*The next issue of Clearview contains a four page feature about the Networking event. Don’t miss it.
Hi RCG,
I completely agree with your comments, especially: “Even if somebody came up with a new whiz bang product, a totally new paradigm (you know like plastic windows 40 years ago) in today’s market conditions would it be possible to achieve the rapid growth of those early days?”
Just look at Harnser Solutions for example, the company I used to work for – an absolutely fantastic bit of kit but no market. People won’t change unless they’re forced to, unfortunately.
Sounds like the event went well. Keep up the good work!
Ryan.
The Internet has bought a new generation of ’savvy’ consumers who know they have the tool at their fingertips to get all the information they think they need to know and make an informed decision without meeting or contacting an installation company (in the case of windows).
Those companies that not only have an online presence but continually ‘tweek it’ and monitor their own company name being mentioned will be best placed to deal with the ever changing consumer market place – whether that’s double glazing or photo gifts.