With more than three decades in the industry, Steve Collett, sales director at Dekko Window Systems, says that, despite changes, core values like trust, support, and product quality remain the key to success.

When looking back at the industry over the last 30 years, we always tend to think things were a lot simpler back then. It’s an easy trap to fall into, but it’s not really the case.

The challenges we face today, such as economic pressures, shifting customer demands, supply chain issues, aren’t new. The focus on sustainability and energy rated products has undoubtedly been a massive change, but if you look back and analysed the last 30 years there have always been those huge changes and shifts, none more so than the move from PVC-U to aluminium.

So, those challenges have always been there, they have just evolved. What has changed, and quite dramatically, is how we navigate them.

The personal touch

The biggest change for me is in communication. Not that long ago, cold calling was the norm to find your next lead. Sales meetings were face-to-face by necessity, and building rapport meant knocking on a door and having a conversation, forming real, personal relationships.

Fast forward to today, and the landscape couldn’t look more different on the surface. We’ve gone from the Yellow Pages to WhatsApp. Email, texts, Teams calls, communication is quicker, broader, and more accessible than ever. In theory, that should make us better connected. But in practice, I think we’ve lost something along the way.

That face-to-face relationship building, the trust that comes from really knowing your customers, is still critical. Yet it’s increasingly rare. There’s a temptation to hide behind the tech, to fire off an email instead of picking up the phone or getting out on the road. And while that makes things more efficient, it doesn’t always make them more effective.

Looking ahead

Of course, the product landscape has shifted too. We’ve seen PVC-U take a back seat to aluminium in many areas, and homeowners are more informed than ever. They’re not just asking what they’re buying, they’re asking why. That kind of customer requires a different sales approach, one rooted in education and genuine product knowledge.

Right now, things are a little unsettled in the industry. Global uncertainty and economic pressures are slowing down purchases and causing consumers to hold on to their money a little longer. I expect that hesitation to ease towards the end of the year, but overall, I think the market will stay the same, or possibly contract slightly, in the short term.

What’s more interesting is what’s happening behind the scenes in the wider industry. It feels like the sand is shifting as we have seen some sizeable companies disappear or restructure, and I suspect there’ll be more movement ahead in the next year or so, which could affect everyone from installers to fabricators, and even potentially some systems houses.

The companies that survive, and thrive, will be the ones that can evolve quickly. The days of selling solely on price are numbered. Those that fail to keep up with customer expectations, who ignore service in favour of volume, who can’t clearly communicate the value of their products will find things increasingly difficult.

And that’s where I see real opportunity. For all the disruption, the businesses that build relationships, that support their customers and deliver real value will come out stronger and take market share.

Core strength

At Dekko, relationship building has always been a core strength. Even as we’ve embraced new technology, we’ve never lost sight of the value of real, personal service. That’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my time in the industry, and it’s something I think the market needs more of, not less.

For me, it’s about using the lessons of the past to shape a better future. The tools may have changed, but the values haven’t. Trust, service, and quality products, those are the things that have always mattered, and they’re what we’ll keep delivering to help our customers win more business, now and in the years to come.