Work to win business

I visited Drake Circus in Plymouth recently, the city’s large, centrally located shopping centre, and it was as busy as I’d ever seen it. The multi-story carpark was brimmed, the shops bustling.

Considering the recent headlines on the increase in the cost of living, of fuel and energy price hikes, I found this a little surprising. If the good residents of Plymouth had concerns about rising household bills, then they certainly weren’t showing it.

But costs are increasing and despite my casual observations, the Bank of England has already reported signs of slowing demand from consumers and businesses from the impact of rising prices for gas, electricity, and services. In fact, it has predicted the UK economy will suffer the biggest shock from energy prices since the 1970s.

In this week’s newsletter, Emplas’ managing director, Ryan Johnson, says that many order books are now back to six-week lead times. Retail leads and conversion rates are also lower, admittedly down from the lofty peaks of the pandemic, but as Ryan says, the industry is going to have to prepare itself to work much harder going forward.

Ryan also highlights that homeowners may be prepared to invest in energy saving measures – including new windows and doors – and that the owners of the 800,000 or so homes that were purchased during the pandemic property rush, might also just be looking at sprucing up their new place. Especially as property prices remain so high…

One thing is certain though, and that’s if fabricators and installers are to make the most of remaining consumer confidence, then they will need to ensure they are equipped with the right products and are focussed on lead generation and great customer service if they are to remain competitive.