| ‘In today’s market you need information at your fingertips’ |
|
Blinds & Shutters visited Rol-lite in Stalybridge to discuss the market, customer care and where the company is looking to prosper in 2009  Chairman Terry Hollis is the only member of the Hollis family who remains involved in the day-to-day running of the business. The present management team is made up of Terry, his financial director Jackie Tierney, production director Alan Stirrup and sales director Gary Millican. Terry is quick to point out, however, that non of the plus points a family business set up brings have been lost in the new management structure. He explained: “Even though Rol-lite is no longer a ‘family business’, we still maintain that family business mentality. We try to make it as easy as possible for customers to deal with us – we don’t put obstacles in front of customers.” This sounds simple, but after visiting Rol-lite’s offices and factory in Stalybridge it is clear that everything is geared towards creating a comfortable working environment for staff, so they can deliver the best possible service for customers. Terry says he is a strong believer in ‘modern business’ and this isn’t only reflected in the revamped open plan office or clearly structured factory, but also in the investment in machinery and software that has improved efficiency throughout the business. Gary Millican joined Rol-lite as sales director three years ago but has built up around 20 years experience in the blind trade. In his role with Rol-lite he has been able to use his experiences and knowledge to help give his team the tools to do their job. Gary explained: “We are looking to move the company forward as a team. We are already a lot more efficient as a company after investing in machinery and information technology.” Rol-lite’s all new company wide software network has brought huge benefit in terms of information flow and process. The customer relations management tool is a fine example of what this type of investment can bring. Gary explained: “In today’s market you need information at your fingertips – you can’t afford to be left in the dark. We want our sales managers in front of customers, not doing unnecessary paperwork. By providing a tool which enables the efficient logging of call data in a format that is detailed yet simple to analyse, life is so much easier and enjoyable for all concerned. Our sales managers have access to live sales information meaning they don’t have to wait to the end of the month to discover, for example, a key account has suddenly stopped buying from us. Indirectly, this efficiency contributes to our marketing effort, what customer wouldn’t be impressed by a sales manager who was that well informed?” As reported all too often, 2008 was a difficult year for many but Gary is positive about the year as a whole and says Rol-lite are well placed to weather the difficulties that 2009 is likely to bring. “We have adapted our business to be able to prosper in difficult times. We have invested in the right equipment at the right times and we’ve done it without having to borrow. We work on the principle that if we can’t afford it, we don’t buy it. It’s part of our company’s ethos.”  Gary continued: “There is no magic formula to get through this recession – but we are doing what we can to help our customers and to meet the levels of growth we want.” It would appear Rol-lite’s service and product offering appear to be going a long way to helping the company do that. Product range, delivery times and ease of ordering with the company’s online system (individual product order forms which can’t be sent if they are filled in incorrectly) all go a long way to saving time and making life as simple as possible for customers so they can get on with what they do best. Gary says Rol-lite are not part of what he calls ‘the 3 for 99 brigade’ stating, “Price is important but service and quality remain at the top of our list of priorities.” In 2009 Rol-lite will continue to promote the already successful INTU product range as they are convinced that no-screw blind systems are the future for interior blinds. The company are also adding value to all core products by introducing a simple to install and competitively priced motorisation option. The added value principle also applies to the superb ROLMAX chain operated ‘mini roller blind system’ which is ideal for small to medium sized windows and the back of doors. The retail side of the business for Rol-lite is “well established” and “going well” according to Gary and 2009 will see the company focus on the blind trade. Gary explained: “We have plenty to offer. We need to keep the pressure on and wherever we can increase market share.” This shouldn’t be a problem. Rol-lite is continually looking to improve and never rests on its laurels. The company recognises the needs of its customers, the problems they encounter and operates in a way that is geared to making their life easier.
|
