Owners and directors of installation companies from Aberdeen to the Isle of Wight were united by Conservatory Outlet at the Waterton Park Hotel, Walton, almost a year to the day since the 2011 event which was attended by a then full complement of fourteen dealers.

The audience of over sixty people were repaid for their efforts to get to the venue for a 10am start with ten separate presentations designed to help Conservatory Outlet Dealers continue to defy market trends – a trend in itself which was alluded to in Sales Director Greg Kane’s ‘Review of the Market’ at the beginning of the day.

Equally topical presentations followed from guest speakers such as Brian Smith, Glass and Glazing Federation Home Improvement Manager, who outlined the intricacies of the Green Deal, and Conservatory Outlet’s Operations Director Michael Giscombe who spoke about the recent product improvements and introductions made by the Wakefield-based fabricator.

Delegates were also treated to a unique presentation from the principal organiser of the window industry’s brand new and only trade exhibition; FIT Show’s Matthew Glover, also very well known as the Managing Director of Conservatory Outlet. True to form Matthew stole the show by airing the exclusive viewing of a promotional video for the exhibition which takes place from April 16^th – 18^th 2013.

If anyone could adequately follow Matthew’s impassioned presentation it was Dan Gill of Eclectic Systems who showcased his new Residence 9 window, having presented at the 2011 conference when the product was still at development stage. Armed with full window samples and promotional literature – and with Conservatory Outlet now ready to fabricate the Residence 9 system - Dan’s presentation proved to be one of the most popular of the day, receiving unanimous praise from the floor.

Formal proceedings were concluded by David Leng, CEO of Synseal Extrusions; Conservatory Outlet’s UPVC profile supplier. David explained how he was delighted to be invited to such an event and understand more about how Conservatory Outlet has grown to become one of Synseal’s biggest Synerjy fabricators, and fastest growing installer networks.

‘After a hugely successful Dealer Conference last year we had no problem convincing our dealers to attend this year’s event, nor did we have a shortage of high-profile guest speakers who really add value to the day,’ said Greg Kane.

‘Since the 2011 Dealer Conference eight reputable and already successful installers have joined the Conservatory Outlet Network, but from those who have been fortunate enough to attend both the 2011 and 2012 conferences, many commented that we exceeded expectations once again on the 26^th April.’

More informal and light-hearted conversations followed in the evening over complimentary drinks and a three course meal, and Friday 27^th April saw a golf day, sponsored by Motionlab Marketing, take place during which fifteen guests competed against each other and the weather.

The two statistics are thought to be no coincidence by Conservatory Outlet Sales Director Greg Kane; ‘Clearly, a large proportion of the record number of leads we generated in January have been successfully converted into retail sales by Conservatory Outlet dealers who have, in turn, ordered more windows, doors and conservatories from us – it’s a perfect example of the mutually beneficial relationship that we have with our dealers.’

The main websites belonging to Conservatory Outlet generated a total of 1200 leads during the first month of 2012, with individual dealer websites – over 20 individual sites, all provided free of charge by Conservatory Outlet – generating in the region of 4,500 enquiries during the same period. The online leads generated by Conservatory Outlet are sent automatically to the regional dealer for that area within seconds of the enquiry being made, giving sales staff the best possible chance of arranging a sat appointment.

Many of the sales advisors from the Conservatory Outlet Network of Dealers are also currently undertaking a programme of retail sales training, run by Paul Clifton and funded by Conservatory Outlet, with the aim of further improving conversion rates at every stage of the sales process.

Following the record month for online enquiries in January, Conservatory Outlet processed an average of 275 frames every working day in March – edging closer to 300 frames per working day in April – not to mention orders for roofs and glass which all contributed to the company’s best ever month for order intake. The influx of orders came from existing and long standing Conservatory Outlet Dealers, as well as those installers who have joined the network in recent months, and it is estimated that the combined turnover of all Conservatory Outlet dealers exceeded £8m in March.

‘Installers do experience an early benefit when they join the Conservatory Outlet Network, but thanks to the regular introduction of new products and initiatives long-standing Conservatory Outlet dealers continue to prosper as well. Our record month in March was a result of the increased sales of installers who have been with us for anything from 5 months to over 5 years,’ said Greg.

The Secured by Design member company is also the only fabricator to have the accreditation on composite doors – Solidor and Door-Stop – with a Synseal Synerjy frame. Other certified products include; side-hung and top-hung casement windows, tilt & turn windows, residential doors and french doors.

This latest accreditation serves as timely recognition for Conservatory Outlet as it has recently expanded its factory and invested in an URBAN SV800 production line.  The Secured by Design and BSI Kitemarks will now join the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo in the marketing armoury of Conservatory Outlet and its network of dealers.

Conservatory Outlet’s operations director Michael Giscombe, who was instrumental throughout the testing and accreditation process, said: ‘Conservatory Outlet is well known for supporting its customers by way of marketing and lead generation, but we also boast an exceptionally high quality product.

‘Security is high on the agenda of end-users of replacement windows and doors which is why we sought to gain official accreditation for our product range. We felt that it was very important to achieve Secured by Design certification across the entire Synerjy range, and not just one or two products,’ he added.

Consistently manufacturing in the region of 1,200 frames per week, Conservatory Outlet is one of the largest Synseal fabricators in the country. It is therefore fitting that the Wakefield-based company is the first Synerjy fabricator to be awarded Secured by Design certification on such a range of windows and doors – an achievement which must also be attributed to the technical support offered by Synseal and the inherent quality of the Synerjy profile.

Commenting Synseal’s Chief Executive, David Leng, said: ‘Conservatory Outlet is a flagship Synseal fabricator and this latest success is indicative of the company’s desire to deliver nothing but the best to its customers – installers who, I am sure, will take full advantage of the Secured by Design product range that is now available to them.’

Jim sold his way to the 2011 Top Dog title for combined sales of windows, doors and conservatories and Nick was the 2011 Top Dog for window and door sales only. Each man took home a cash prize, the winner’s trophy and the accolade of being a Top Dog.

James Oliver Conservatories is the Lincoln-based Conservatory Outlet dealer which has been a member of the network since January last year, and Mid Wales Windows, Newtown, has been in partnership with Conservatory Outlet for over three years.

Top Dog is the annual sales competition run and funded by fabricator Conservatory Outlet, the supplier of uPVC windows, doors and conservatories to the Conservatory Outlet Network of Dealers. Sales representatives from throughout the Conservatory Outlet Network – which has an annual group turnover of £70m – took part in the competition which ran from January 2011 to January 2012.

Sales of replacement windows – double and triple glazed – accounted for approximately one half of total sales, with the rest coming from sales of conservatories and orangeries.

Monthly Red Letter Day prizes and trophies are also awarded by Conservatory Outlet and throughout the year numerous employees were rewarded for their efforts from the likes of Clearview Home Improvements, West Yorkshire Windows and 5 Star Windows & Conservatories.

‘Dealers really do embrace the competition and, for some, it even forms part of their monthly sales meeting,’ said Greg Kane, sales director of Conservatory Outlet.

‘ It’s great to see sales staff from new and established dealers alike all competing for the bragging rights of Top Dog, and the 2012 competition is set to be even better with sales staff attending a 7-day retail sales training course, funded by Conservatory Outlet.’

The Wakefield-based fabricator is keen to attract new installers from various regions of the UK to its network of customers and sees FIT Show as the perfect way to demonstrate its offering to potential Conservatory Outlet dealers.

In addition to its uPVC product range, which includes Energy Saving Trust Recommended windows, Secured by Design windows and doors, and luxury conservatories and orangeries, Conservatory Outlet will also promote the benefits of being part of its network of dealers. Members not only receive free sales leads, search optimised lead generating websites and bespoke marketing literature, but also the experience, advice and trade secrets of many other successful installers thanks to regular benchmarking exercises and network events.

Conservatory Outlet’s support of this new exhibition is unsurprising – managing director Matthew Glover is also the principle organiser of FIT Show and MD of FIT Events Ltd. – but as sales director Greg Kane explains, FIT Show will be an unmissable date in the 2013 calendar.

‘I’ve seen at first hand Matthew’s passion for delivering an exhibition that the industry can be proud of and that will get businesses talking, thinking and ultimately buying from one another. The marketing plan to attract trade visitors is genuinely exceptional and I don’t want Conservatory Outlet to miss out by not being there.’

Conservatory Outlet has recently welcomed new installers to its network from Aberdeen, Middlesex Gloucestershire and Hampshire, whereas key regions such as the North East, the Central Midlands and East Anglia do not currently have a local dealer.

‘FIT Show could play a crucial part in our efforts to achieve full UK coverage and ensure that every person in the country has a Conservatory Outlet Dealer in easy reach’ added Greg.

The seven-day course will be delivered by Paul Clifton of Masterclass Sales Training who sold on the frontline for over 10 years, achieving an 82% sit-to-sale conversion rate during this time. He consequently went on to set up his own training and consultancy business and is also the author of ‘What Master Salesmen Know That Average Salesmen Don’t!’

Paul has been commissioned by Conservatory Outlet to provide sales training to around 100 retail sales consultants employed by the various Conservatory Outlet dealers in England, Scotland and Wales.

The aim of thesales training is to help individual sales representatives and sales teams as a whole to increase their conversion rates, and is just one of the ways Conservatory Outlet supports its customers; many of the leads that these sales representatives appoint are in fact generated by the websites that Conservatory Outlet provides to its dealers, free of charge, when they join the network.

Sessions for northern-based Conservatory Outlet dealers will be held at the Warrington branch of network member, Clearview Home Improvements; Conservatory Outlet’s profile supplier, Synseal Extrusions, will host the sales training for dealers in and around the Midlands; and those in the South will attend sessions at Hazlemere Window Company, the Conservatory Outlet dealer in High Wycombe.

A one day introductory session will be followed by six masterclasses spread across six months. This will enable attendees to put into practice what they have learnt at each stage of the training programme. The content of the sessions is geared towards further improving the methods of experienced and already successful sales consultants and is therefore ideally suited to those working for a Conservatory Outlet dealer.

‘Creating a more skilled and motivated workforce will benefit the individual, the dealer that employs them and ultimately Conservatory Outlet,’ said Greg Kane, sales director of Conservatory Outlet.

Sales training is the perfect complement to the extensive lead generation support that we also provide and I’m delighted that we have been able to secure the services of Paul Clifton who is held in high regard throughout the industry.’

Factory staff and office staff from the Wakefield-based fabricator attended the one day seminar on the 5th January which was held at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats RLFC.

Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking is internationally renowned and endorsed by celebrities such as Richard Branson, and corporations such as Ford, Microsoft and Unilever. Conservatory Outlet decided to host their seminar after Sales Director Greg Kane successfully gave up smoking thanks to Easyway.

Thirty people from the company’s 75-strong workforce benefitted from the session which Greg Kane described as a way of rewarding staff in the short and long term. ‘A lot of people would like to stop smoking but doing so can be very difficult for a number of reasons, be it time, money or finding a method that works,’ said Greg. ‘I was nothing short of amazed at how effective the Easyway seminar was so we decided to fund a seminar, during working hours, that will hopefully benefit many of our staff for the rest of their lives.’

Since the seminar many of Conservatory Outlet’s staff have indeed stopped smoking, including Assistant Office Manager Phil Wilson: ‘I would have never thought about going on such an event had I not been encouraged to do so. I’m delighted that I did and I am very grateful for being given the opportunity by Conservatory Outlet.’

The Wakefield-based company was one of 11 prize winners on the night which was hosted by comedian Sean Lock. Merely being shortlisted in the list of four companies was an achievement in itself, but West Yorkshire Windows went all the way to secure the title which is no more than the company deserves after over 18 years continuous trading, during which it has completed thousands of high-quality window, door, conservatory and orangery installations.

West Yorkshire Windows faced stiff competition from the likes of Sherborne, Alumet and KJM Group. But after reading the Conservatory Outlet Dealer’s application, and visiting them for a full day on the 15^th November, the judges decided that West Yorkshire Windows was the more than deserved winner of the ‘Installer of the Year’ category.

Representatives from the company turned out in force with MD Andrew Glover, General Manager Colin McCabe and Sales Manager Jo-ann Bowles there to collect the award. Conservatory Outlet also showed its support, with MD Matthew Glover – the brother of Andrew – among those who applauded West Yorkshire Windows when the result was announced.

Keep an eye on this blog and the trade press for more on this story.

Based in Gillingham, Eden will now supply homeowners in ‘The Garden of England’ with Conservatory Outlet products; something which will be reflected in the company’s imminent showroom refurbishment. Supported by Conservatory Outlet, Eden have designed what is set to be one of the best showrooms in Kent and plan to open a second within the next twelve months.

Following the establishment of several dealers in and around London, the South East represented natural progression for Conservatory Outlet as the fabricator strives to achieve full UK coverage via its network of installer-customers.

Similarly Eden was the natural choice within this area because of its experience and success throughout Medway, Canterbury and Tonbridge. Indeed one of Eden’s first orders placed with Conservatory Outlet was for a conservatory with a retail value of £55,000. 

As a result of joining the Conservatory Outlet network, Eden will now be the sole recipient of the relevant leads generated by Conservatory Outlet’s main retail-facing website as well as those generated by its own brand new website, also provided by Conservatory Outlet.   

The installer will also benefit from provisions of high quality bespoke brochures, a 24/7 electronic quoting and ordering system, and the trade secrets of many other successful installers within the network.

‘I’ve always felt that a Conservatory Outlet dealer would prosper in Kent because of the style of properties and relatively affluent demographic in the area. I’m delighted that this dealer is Eden Windows.’ said Greg Kane, sales director of Conservatory Outlet.

Commenting on the partnership Paul Kelly, managing director of Eden Windows, said; ‘Conservatory Outlet dealers are among the best installers in the country and I wanted Eden Windows to be part of this elite network. What’s more, within days of our new website going live we started to receive leads which have now been converted into sales and finished installations.’

The man’s house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had been subject to continued vandalism by youths from the area. When the single glazed windows at the front of the house were smashed in 2010, the local victim support charity were only able to board the windows up, leaving the living room, main bedroom and bathroom with no natural light.

Following further vandalism at the property earlier this year, PC Chris Schofield of West Yorkshire Police decided to go beyond the call of duty by appealing to local businesses that could potentially help to repair the victim’s home and improve the quality of his life.

‘It seemed that the young people in the area thought it was ok to vandalise the property because it already looked in such a poor state – I felt that a new set of windows would go a long way towards preventing repeat vandalism, as well as vastly  improving the living conditions for the owner,’ said PC Schofield.

Wakefield-based West Yorkshire Windows was PC Shofield’s first port of call and the company showed no hesitation in offering its support by agreeing to supply and install the windows completely free of charge.

As a member of the Conservatory Outlet network of dealers, West Yorkshire Windows enjoys a close relationship with its main supplier and after hearing about these exceptional circumstances, Conservatory Outlet opted to manufacture and supply the frames at no cost. This generosity was matched by West Yorkshire Windows’ glass supplier, Custom Glass, who also donated the double glazed units.

Needless to say West Yorkshire Windows – shortlisted for the G11 Installer of the Year Award – covered the installation of the casement windows and even finished the job with a new pair of curtains in time for when the elderly man returned to his home, after a period in respite care. 

Jo-ann Bowles, sales manager at West Yorkshire Windows, said; ‘As a well-known and successful company, we found ourselves in a position to make a really big difference to a local man’s life and to reward the genuinely extraordinary work of PC Schofield – we simply couldn’t say no. A big thank you must also go to Conservatory Outlet and Custom Glass for contributing to this cause.’

A close friend of the elderly man who oversaw the installation praised West Yorkshire Police, PC Schofield and West Yorkshire Windows for their efforts.