Positivity breeds success
Don’t be swayed by the negative voices, warns Mike Parczuk, managing director of award-winning fabricator, Sternfenster.
If Sternfenster has learned anything from 50 years in business – 37 of those personally – it is that there is always someone willing to tell you how bad everything is, and that you should prepare for the worst.
Always. No matter how excellent the trading conditions, no matter which political party is in power, and no matter how cheap your suppliers are – someone will always suck their teeth and say that the sky is about to fall on our heads.
And the other thing that we’ve learned is that positive results only come from a positive mentality.
This is why I find it very difficult to respond with anything meaningful when people ask me how I think the next 12 months are going to pan out.
People will always want new windows and doors. The key to being the window company that supplies them is by being the best option available with the best products and services.
At Sternfenster, we make sure this is how our customers perceive us, but we have also invested in products and services to help our customers operate productively and efficiently.
Right at the top of this list is our workforce. In 2024, for the third year in a row, we won the G-Award for Training and Development Initiative of the Year thanks to our ongoing and successful Investors in People (IiP) programme.
We are working hard to be one of only 2% of organisations worldwide who attain the Platinum standard, and by informing, empowering, and engaging colleagues across the organisation, we are creating a stronger organisation, where colleagues are ‘fully bought in’, and play an active role in their future.
As a result, we have become more efficient as an organisation, our COTIF (complete, on time and in full) figures are at world class levels, and our customer service is the most responsive it has ever been.
Expect to see new products from Sternfenster in 2025. Thanks to significant investment in new machinery, we will be manufacturing new on-trend products that will put you streets ahead of your competition.
I believe innovation is often the first casualty of a negative mindset, when business leaders believe the best option is to cut ‘unnecessary’ spending and to weather the coming rough patch.
But do you really want to trade with no new ideas from your supplier?
We are excited about what we are bringing to market in 2025, and we think it will help you win new business and build your reputation.
Efficient business management is also a key element of remaining productive and profitable, which is why we launched EasyAdmin+.
A significant upgrade to our EasyAdmin software, EasyAdmin+ is a cloud-based program that helps you design professional quotes, track and manage leads, and have full control over the production and delivery process. This creates new business, reduces errors, and maximises profits.
Because it is completely online, you can access its full functionality wherever you have an internet connection, giving you full control over the order process, and provides industry leading tools such as professional quoting packages, helping you win more business.
Not only can you make sure that you respond to every lead that crosses your desk, but you are in control of your product ordering and supply process. And you have access to other features such as chasing outstanding quotes, and easily arranging surveys, installations and service calls.
More features will be launched in 2025, but at every step of the way, we remain positive and continually look at ways to help our customers thrive no matter what the prevailing conditions are.
If you want to succeed in 2025, don’t let the negativity of others rub off on you, and find business partners who are prepared to invest in your success.