Premium partners
Glass Times chats with John Waugh, sales and marketing director at EYG Domestic, part of EYG Group, about the fabricator’s decision to switch composite door supplier and the impact this has had on door sales.
“We’ve been in business for more than 50 years and we’ve outlived our warranty four times over, there’s not many that can say that,” says John Waugh, sales and marketing director at EYG Domestic.
“We are a trusted and stable brand. Something which our customers value, especially in challenging times such as these. We pride ourselves on being a premium supplier of high-quality products, and our customers appreciate that. They’re happy to invest in quality.”
According to John, this was the primary reason behind the company’s decision to switch composite door supplier in 2017. “Unfortunately, we were experiencing service issues and the quality of the doors had deteriorated, so we made the call to change door supplier.”
A visit to the FIT Show sparked an introduction to Distinction Doors, as John explains: “Our buyer went to the show with the intention of finding a new composite door supplier. Having visited the Distinction stand, he put them forward for consideration. After subsequent meetings and a tour of the manufacturing facility in Barnsley, we had no hesitation in partnering with Distinction Doors. They too strive for excellence and are a premium supplier with increasing consumer reach.”
Distinction provides EYG with its fully prepped service. The fabricator takes the company’s 44mm, Signature, Contemporary, and nxt-gen GRP composite door ranges, all of which are supplied machined, painted and glazed in preparation.
“We’re a busy fabricator, with multiple branches across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and over 300 staff,” says John. “We offer our home improvement and installation service throughout these regions and beyond. Therefore, it’s imperative that our operations run smoothly and at speed. The Distinction prep service enables us to achieve this. It makes business easier; it helps everything flow.
“We were early to adopt the composite door,” he continues. “While we service the domestic market primarily, we were aware of the rising popularity of these doors in the social housing sector. At the time they were renowned for being more secure than other door materials on the market. Once they started to make waves and the aesthetics improved, we decided to get onboard.”
Consumer awareness
John credits the impact of advertising by the composite door suppliers for raising awareness of the benefits of composite doors amongst homeowners.
“Most customers know what they want and nine times out of 10 they will choose a composite door,” he says. “The benefits have penetrated the consumer consciousness, and while they may be more expensive than some rival door materials, customers know that ultimately, they are buying a high-performance door. It feels strong, it’s durable, secure and looks good.
John adds that consumer awareness and the popularity of composite doors is proven by the fabricator’s sales. Composite doors now equate for around 60% of EYG’s door sales, with almost a quarter generated online.
Complementary support
“One of the many reasons we chose Distinction was its service offering, not just in delivering the doors but complementary services like sales and marketing support,” says John. “The online door-designer tool is particularly valuable. Most of our composite door customers use it and as a result they know what they want. This can really help establish a good rapport early in the sales process.”
The Distinction Doors door-designer configurator has recently been upgraded, delivering a better user experience with improved functionality, streamlined actions and faster load times.
“Everyone at Distinction Doors is helpful,” concludes John. “If we have a query, there is always a response. We have developed a strong relationship with Andy in sales, Bethaney in marketing and Lois in customer service. We look forward to working with them for many more years.”
