Glideline’s managing director, David Pickering, discusses how his first-hand installer experience has enabled the nationwide aluminium manufacturers’ success in today’s competitive market.

Glass Times (GT): How did you get started in the industry?

David Pickering (DP): I was first introduced to the glazing industry when I was about 15 or 16 years old. I worked alongside my dad, as a fabricator, and from then on I worked as a fitter for around four or five years, giving me nearly half a decade of on-hand experience as an installer, before I eventually moved into aluminium fabrication.

GT: What was the transition from being an installer to setting up your own business and what were the key driving factors?

DP: The transition for me was two-fold. I’ve always had a passion for innovation and then the pain points I felt as an installer, particularly the high-cost and limited availability of slimline aluminium sliding doors, led me to solve the problems myself – and that’s when I set up Glideline in 2016.

It was the perfect time too, with the industry beginning to favour aluminium and knowing first-hand how difficult it was to find a solution to many of the issues you face as an installer, I saw the opportunity in front of us and so I filled the gap in the market. I began by fabricating a cost-effective, readily available aluminium sliding door and developed the product range from there. It’s not been an easy road by any means – I’ve not had any external help, so I’ve had to figure out the solutions to problems on my own, but the hard work has seen rewards.

GT: How would you say your extensive installer experience is unique in the industry?

DP: You’ll find that many big manufacturers come from a sales background, so the technical knowledge that comes from first-hand experience in installation and manufacturing is naturally absent. That’s what has set Glideline apart from the competition and connected us to our customers from day one.

As a company, we’ve lived through those issues, frustrations and costly inaccuracies that happen at ground level, every move we make is made with installers at the forefront of our minds, and that is the ethos we practise every single day.

GT: Can you provide any examples where your technical knowledge has been beneficial?

DP: There’s a few ways my technical knowledge and experience has been beneficial to customers. One of Glideline’s USP’s that I have created is that we can respond to queries within five minutes, which is demonstrated only by the technical knowledge me and the team can recall when customers need it.

Again, the value of my technical knowledge has also been demonstrated in the creation of an app and standout CRM system for our trade customers, that has been really well received since its launch. Because I know the pain points installers face, I wanted to provide a system that takes all the stress away, and so Glideline’s order management system, GlidelineGO, has done just that. Streamlining order management processes, GlidelineGO eliminates manual paperwork and has everything customers need in one place. Within the app, it allows customers to create, track and manage orders, approve drawings, make payments and stay organised.

I have also used my technical background to enhance the service that Glideline offers, which includes helping in areas like threshold drawings and general surveying of doors and windows. We can help customers with measurements and provide detailed CAD drawings for every job, which they can share with their builders, and it creates a seamless process for each project.

GT: What feedback have you received from installers about the support you provide them with?

DP: I think across the board, what our customers would say is that from the moment they engage with Glideline – from initial enquiry and quoting, through to installation and then aftercare – our dedication to service, our depth of knowledge and commitment to quality comes through.

This is where having spent so many years in our customers shoes shows the strength in our ability to provide exactly what they need, when they need it, while becoming an integral partner they can rely on no matter what.