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DOORS & COMMERCIAL ENTRANCES
Product knowledge, is power
GGP Magazine talks to Apeer’s sales manager, Alex Moore, about the benets of the
manufacturer’s bespoke training packages, and how they are designed to support customers
and maximise sales opportunities in 2020 and beyond.
www.ggpmag.com January 2020
It is no great secret that consumers
are more prepared to do their
research when it comes to high
value purchases these days,
whether they are looking to buy
a new car, replace an expensive
electronic appliance or indeed, invest
in new windows and doors.
And with regards to the latter, it
is clear that homeowners have also
become more aware of the range of
design possibilities available to them
– hence the increasing demand for
stylish, contemporary or premium
heritage fenestration products – and
will spend a considerable amount of
time and effort looking at various
options before parting with their
money as a result.
All of which means that, while it
has always been important to know
about the item that you’re selling,
installers and salespeople should
now place an even higher value
on being able to fully articulate
all the advantages of their product
range. Ultimately, not only will
this help to deflect any interest in
competitor products but will win
over the confidence of even the most
discerning customer and gain more
sales in the process.
It is for these reasons that
Apeer places such an emphasis on
its training programmes, which
cater predominately for sales, but
also for installation if required.
The Northern Ireland based
manufacturer, which offers a market
leading range of composite doors –
including the recently introduced
aluminium alternative Silka door,
plus the ultra-contemporary Lumi
system – offers in-house training
for its entire product portfolio. This
includes entirely bespoke training
if requested, in order to provide
the best support for its customers,
where they feel they need it the
most – the direct opposite to the
kind of ‘cookie-cutter’ training often
found elsewhere in the industry,
as the company’s sales manager,
Alex Moore, explains: “There are
numerous benefits to running all
our installer training in-house,” he
says. “One of the main advantages
is that we have complete control
over the process, which ensures
that we are able to provide the latest
information and the most accurate
advice. As a result, we are able to
deliver our training more efficiently,
both in terms of cost and time,
than if we were to simply rely on
outsourcing through an agency for
instance.
“It means that everything we do
is 100% accurate, whilst affording
us the flexibility to offer a tailormade
training package for individual
customers, so they can be sure that
they will get support where they
need it most.
“Training is therefore provided
as required by our customers,
as all have differing needs,” he
continued. “There is obviously a
core set of criteria that we cover at
initial training sessions, typically
for brand new trade partners or
those customers who might have
experience with our composite
offering but want to add Lumi to
their portfolio for instance. After
that, we can tailor each session,
so it could focus just on Lumi for
example, or the Apeer composite
doors, or both – and if that means
spending two hours getting up to
speed on a new product, or a day
in the factory in order to become
familiar with the entire range, then
we are happy to oblige.”
Apeer reported a significant
increase in the amount of training
it provided throughout 2019, partly
due to an increased awareness in the
service it was offering, but also as a
direct result of customers requesting
more information on new product
launches such as Lumi2 and the
smooth-skinned Silka composite.
Lumi2, a development of the
original G-Award winning Lumi
system, offers the same frameless,
‘edge-to-edge’ glazing aesthetics but
with double glazing instead of triple,
and in a format more suitable to
extensions and replacements. Silka,
which also features design elements
inspired by Lumi, is the latest
addition to Apeer’s composite range,
and boasts the premium aesthetics
of an aluminium door, but at a more
competitive price point.
“Whether it’s product training,
advice on fitting, or even marketing
and social media training, we are
perfectly equipped to assist both
new and existing customers make
the most of our product ranges,”
continued Alex.
“We’ve had incredible feedback
from those who have already taken
advantage of our training service,
including those who have returned
to ensure they are up to speed on
our latest products such as Lumi2
and Silka, simply because other
manufacturers do not offer this
kind of service – and if they do,
it’s certainly not as flexible, or as
bespoke as what we can provide at
Apeer.
“Training continues to be a key
focus for us going forward, we now
offer an Approved Apeer Supplier
certificate, and we want our trade
partners to be in a position where
they can make the most of the
growing demand for premium
products into 2020 and beyond,”
concluded Alex. “We would
encourage all our customers to
make the effort to visit us, and while
this might require travelling over
from the UK mainland, we would
suggest staying overnight – or even
extending a trip into the weekend
– so that the experience can be
as worthwhile, constructive and
informative as possible.”
“Whether it’s product training, advice on
tting, or even marketing and social media
training, we are perfectly equipped to assist
both new and existing customers”
Alex Moore
/www.ggpmag.com
