Pro Installer May 2015 - Issue 26 | Page 41

41 PRO INSTALLER MAY 2015 TRADE COUNTERS @proinstaller1 Trade counter Spotlight: Truemans Overview The only way is up at Truemans at the moment having just opened a new trade counter in Sheffield after outgrowing its previous premises. The leading trade supplier of PVCu windows, doors and glass is also set to expand to new areas later in the year, opening a new trade counter (at a mystery location) and two more trade counters next year. Alongside its marketing assistance for customers, new staff and recent awards, by all accounts, Truemans seems an exciting place to be. Location Truemans currently has three trade counters, Burnley, Doncaster and Sheffield, covering Lancashire, Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottingham. The business offers installers the opportunity to receive on-site deliveries anywhere within an hour of its showrooms, free of charge. However, for those who wish to collect their goods, the company encourages customers to take advantages of its skips to dispose of their old windows and doors. Going that extra mile for its customers! Nicola Stevens, Marketing Support Manager Truemans, comments: “Although we enjoy meeting our customers when they collect their products from one of our depots, we understand that there may be instances where they need us to deliver their products. “For example, recently a long-serving customer who lived close by to one of our showrooms moved to Skegness. We continued to deliver his goods when needed and he has continued to order from us despite the distance!” Company Background Truemans was first established 20 years ago by Alan Trueman, manufacturing from Selecta profile and installing in and around Haslingden, Lancashire. Alan retired from the company in 2010 and handed over the reins of the business to his son, Joe. Six years ago, Truemans decided to stop manufacturing and buy-in windows and doors. Truemans now supply Rehau, Halo, Assured, Residence 9 and Spectus profile systems, along with Solidor and Door Stop composite doors, Global and Supalite conservatory roofs, Smart and Aspect Systems for bifolds, and timber alternative PVCu windows. Today, Truemans is a rapidly expanding trade counter business overseen by managing director Joe Trueman and the hands-on Truemans team. Joe’s idea to develop the trade counter side of the business started seven years ago. Joe started making teas and coffees for his father’s workmen at the age of 14 and by the age of 16, he was working as a fabricator, then a fitter, installing windows and doors. Now, as MD, he has helped turn the company in to a ‘One-stop shop’ for tradesmen and not just on the shop floor: Truemans last year invested £75, 000 in an online ordering system that enables customers to login, price and order products. Current Promotions With the opening of Truemans new Sheffield branch, the company are offering customers the chance to take advantage of its new 6,000sqm facilities, double the size of its last premises and are now better equipped to hold far more products than before. The company has a comprehensive marketing support package to assist its customers with the sales of its products to consumers. The package, which is bespoke in design, includes the customer’s brand, flyers, homeowner guides and full product brochures. ‘a young, vibrant and extremely exciting company’ Accreditations and Awards Winner of the Publisher’s Award at the 2015 Red Rose Awards, the only award not judged by panels, but by Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View. Winner of the National Fenestration Awards 2014: Young Person Award and PVC Company 2014 Award. Trade Counter Focus Sheffield is the company’s busiest branch and this is why the team needed to relocate to bigger premises. The new branch has five full-time staff and two parttime, with two new starter’s beginning in the branch in May. Nicola is very passionate about the company and excited for the future Truemans has ahead of it. She said: “I think customers are going to love our new branch in Sheffield. With the bigger space and more hands-on staff to accommodate our existing and future customers, we really have our customer’s interests at heart. “I love working here because it’s a young, vibrant and extremely exciting company. There are lots of things going on and every day for me is different. There’s a true sense of family here at Truemans and we are all genuinely friends. We all work together to make our customers lives easier and help make their business successful, we get a great sense of achievement working here and I’m proud to be part of this amazing team!” Main Suppliers Polyframe, Clayton Glass, Solidor Product Promotion Truemans now supplies four extra colour options for its Rehau Edge profile. These new colours include White Woodgrain, Cream Woodgrain, Black on White and Anthracite Grey on White. Ash Warbuton, Group Manager, said: “By listening to our customers needs we now provide a range of coloured foiled options in Rehau on a five-day lead time. Enabling our customers to win more work, and carry out installations on short timescales that are now being demanded by homeowners! Truemans really are all about choice, and we offer a wide range of colours and window systems.” Company Ethos Nicola continues: “We try to help our customers sell more. If our customers’ businesses are growing, our business grows. We support our customers with their marketing and help to generate leads for them through our website and that’s where our customer service really exceeds the norm. “Complimentary marketing literature is provided to all customers who want it. We make and print everything in house; we can tailor everything to our customers’ needs and likes. I love sitting down with a customer and working alongside them to design and create their marketing materials.” Nicola adds. In the free marketing pack, Truemans customers get their very own brochure, ten drop card’s product guarantee and a homeowner maintenance guide as well as an energy certificate. Nicola concludes, “This is our customers’ showroom and it’s always here if and when they want it, however our market