Window Ware in prime position for 2022

With all market indicators suggesting that demand will continue into next year, Window Ware reveals why it’s in prime position to continue helping fabricators get what they need when they want it in 2022.

The new measures and processes implemented across the whole business over the past 18 months have helped us achieve an unprecedented number of record sales months, though our Managing Director Sam Nuckey maintains, “It was only possible with the strong teamwork and commitment we have in the business every single day.”

Sam goes on to say, “With the global supply chain under immense strain due to demand regularly outstripping supply, shipping delays, raw material shortages and manufacturing backlogs, 2021 was challenging to say the least!”

“But we reacted positively as a business and as individuals to make sure we were there for our customers as best as we could and, as a result, we now have everything in place to ensure the current volumes are sustainable and we can continue supplying customers with the right level of service and the product volumes they need to keep their lines full.”

“It has been a tough year, and everyone has had a lot to contend with. Never before has there been so much change in the business as well as increased stresses at home.  I am sure everyone across our industry is ready for a bit of a ‘recharge’ and feels like the Christmas break just can’t come soon enough!”

A better offering

To make sure the products supplied met changing customer specifications and production demands throughout the year, Window Ware made the decision to invest heavily in its inventory to support customers with warehouse shelves that were well stocked and ready to fulfil orders.

“Making sure our customers were able to get the products they needed, setting realistic expectations for them on lead-times, and sourcing alternative solutions when needed, was the name of the game. Our fabricators and installers had so much going on in their own businesses that it was important we could provide simple solutions and relieve some of their headaches,” explained Sam.

“We are fortunate that we have excellent relationships with our suppliers, and these have only grown stronger this past year. We’ve been careful to invest in stock early and place our orders well in advance to help our suppliers with their production planning and ensure we always had our customers’ needs covered.”

We also increased our product offering, launching the Yale Quartus window handle and the upgraded Regal Hardware heritage handle.

“We didn’t let the turbulent year stand in the way of launching a highly anticipated heritage hardware range or forging a new distribution partnership with the Residence Collection and Window Widgets,” explains Sam.

Unbeatable service

While we are well known for our unrivalled product offering, it’s the superior service we provide that truly sets us apart. And, despite the challenges, our team has managed to keep those service levels consistently high.

Strengthening the warehouse team, as well as introducing more packing benches, banding machines and new racking have helped to increase capacity and achieve quick turnarounds despite picking on average over 1000 product lines each day – an increase of +30% compared to 2019!

And Window Ware’s OTIF is now well on the road to recovery. At 94.7% and higher for the last 7 months, it is considerably closer to the company’s pre-COVID delivery service level of +97%.

Customer calls were answered within four rings and emails responded to the same day with the help of a new shared mailbox. We also upgraded our website to cater for the growing number of customers now ordering online, resulting in record web sales.

Sam said: “Each department managed to still meet and even exceed its targets, with the warehouse team regularly turning around inbound deliveries and shipping them straight out to customers the very same day. Our team’s efforts over the last year have ensured our customer happiness factor has remained high.”

A fine end to the year

Window Ware recently received four G-Award nominations, with our Credit Control Manager Sharon Fowler proudly taking home the Unsung Hero Award 2021.

“We were thrilled to receive four G21 award nominations and Sharon was a worthy winner; we were absolutely delighted for her,” added Sam. “The G-Award was the perfect way to round off the year and we’re looking forward to hitting the ground running in 2022”.

“Thanks to the measures we have put in place, we not only retained almost all our customers last year but gained some new ones too, and we are confident that we have a solid foundation in place to provide our customers with more of the same dependably high service and essential hardware they’ve come to expect from Window Ware.”