With 35 years in the window industry, renowned industry consultant Andrew Scott has seen it change and evolve many times to meet three-decades worth of challenges. Here, the Managing Director of leading full-service marketing agency Purplex, discusses why he has invested £1.5m to support the window industry – and why now is the time for ambitious businesses to build and shape their future.
I have always been conscious of the vital role Purplex plays in providing our clients with a platform to grow, and this has never been more apparent than over the last 18 months, when the challenges of the pandemic coupled with Brexit have resulted in crippling material, supply, and labour shortages through a period of record demand for home improvements.
When COVID first hit, we made the decision to quickly shift strategy and support our customers with internal communications and customer communications, as well as maintaining their brand and reputation.
The strategy clearly worked – our clients weathered the COVID storm extremely well and most have since gone on to enjoy a record period of growth over the past year, putting them in a strong position as we head towards 2022.
A new era
But it’s not been easy and given the market uncertainty, we made the decision to make 2021 a year of investment with the aim of providing our clients with all the tools to build and shape their future.
The investment included £1.5m in a new office on the same site as our current headquarters. This stunning building can accommodate 100-plus additional employees and features a full state-of-the-art technology kit-out, dedicated training centre, café, and gym – and it will become the first net-zero carbon office in the South West.
We have also invested in our video production department with 4K HDR Cameras that have been approved for use on BBC, ITV, and Netflix, CAA approved drone pilots with worldwide insurance, 360-degree virtual tours, and a dedicated TV/recording studio housed in our new headquarters.
We also made the decision to invest in strengthening our team by recruiting 36 new staff, with extensive investment in training and development, and we plan on expanding to 200 staff in the next three years.
The new office will give us the space to continue our upward trajectory, grow each area of our operation, and offer our clients the best services.
Having grown exponentially in recent years, producing fantastic results for customers, this investment is testament to the demand for our services, and our commitment to our clients. If we are a success then our clients are, and vice versa.
The time to build is NOW
As the UK moves towards economic recovery, there has never been a better time for ambitious businesses in the industry – and those companies that come back stronger, faster, and better will benefit the most.
With costs rising rapidly and margins being squeezed, businesses will need to either drive increased revenue to maintain the same (or better) profit in cash-terms, or seek ways to increase prices (and thus margins) and add value.
Trusted brands always attract a premium and in 2022 and beyond, businesses must strengthen their brand to succeed.
Marketing will be more important than ever before to connect with your audience, build your brand and business, and ultimately secure your future growth.
Thanks to our investments, we are now 100% focused on helping companies develop their brand, market share, and differentiate themselves so they can win additional margin points at a time when material costs are rising.
As the discussions and debates demonstrated at the recent Glazing Summit, the opportunities will be there for businesses moving forward. It’s imperative that businesses put themselves into a position to grasp those opportunities.
Thanks to a team of industry experts and marketing specialists that bring all the key marketing disciplines under one roof, we use 30 plus years of industry experience and analysis to create marketing strategies that fuel sustainable and profitable growth for our clients.
For more information, visit www.purplexmarketing.com or call 01934 808132.