Recommend a colleague for a sales job in the construction industry and you could receive £200

You may be looking for a new challenge and see a position that is ideal for someone you know. If you recommend a friend or colleague for a job to us you could receive £200 of vouchers.

Perhaps you know someone who would be perfect for one of these exciting opportunities?

• Area Specification Manager for Commercial Bathroom and Plumbing Products in South East
• National Accounts Manager for Bathroom and Heating Products Manufacturer to take ownership of a Major Merchant Group - ideally Midlands based
• Buisness Development Manager for Manufacturer Heating and Plumbing Products in South East
• Specification Sales Representative in the North selling Chemicals and Coatings

Or take a look at any of the jobs currently on our books covering the sales, marketing and management disciplines in the building and construction products sector here.

So, remember if you refer a friend or colleague that we go on to place we will reward you with £200 in gift vouchers of your choice. Find out how to recommend someone here.

www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk
Recruitment for the building products and construction sector

Selling to independent bathroom showrooms (Part 2)

In part two of our in-depth look at selling and marketing to the independent bathroom showrooms, we look at how manufacturers and suppliers of bathroom products should communicate and educate the bathroom showrooms to maximise potential sales.

You can catch up on Part 1 here, where we discuss the challenges the bathroom showrooms face and the importance of the showroom settings.

As a business owner and salesman, Keith needs to feel an affinity with the brands they sell and be inspired to push them, armed with the required product knowledge and enthusiasm.
This is very important to Keith, but it is his opinion that obtaining this feeling and knowledge is not as common as you’d think it would be from every company. 

“We love sales representatives and companies who are truly passionate and believe in their products. The enthusiasm is infectious and this rubs off on us and makes us more likely to sell and endorse their products. We are lucky that most of our brands are very supportive. 

“Dansani - who make fantastic bathroom furniture - is an example of one of our suppliers who do just this and it makes a real difference. They’re doing the right things and their selling model should be encouraged.

Product training should not be forgotten
“Another thing that Dansani do very well is training. When they have a new range available, we are invited to their showroom for training and a full launch presentation. We get to know the product benefits and enhancements and the key selling messages. This ensures we can sell the product effectively and energises all present to be very pro the product and brand. The evening is always enjoyable and it makes you feel that they really want you to succeed.”

Sales representatives can often get the balance of visits to their customers wrong - it is one of the hardest calls to make, especially when visiting small businesses whose time is very precious. It is Keith’s view that visits should always try to be purposeful and probably a minimum of 4-5 times a year.

“It is vital that we have up-to-date literature and information on new product launches, as well as which product lines are no longer available and checking that our displays are up-to-date. 

“We are a free advertising platform for them, so it is in their interests to make their brand seen and communicated in the best possible light. When you are an official dealer for a manufacturer, it is our responsibility to meet our obligations for being awarded that status, but it is vital that we get the support in return. The sales representative, to us, is the face of the company, so this relationship is paramount.

The showrooms are a fountain of knowledge
“We encourage sales visits and contact as it cements our relationship with our brands. It also allows us to give feedback from customers on their products, which will hopefully help their product development teams for future enhancements.”

Helping to shape the future of the industry is one area where Keith feels the experience and knowledge which the owners of bathroom showrooms have, is now very much overlooked.  

Keith has been in the industry for many years and, in the past, he and many other business owners were invited to sit on advisory panels to help future product development, but Keith says these do not seem to happen anymore.

“The panels were very beneficial to all involved and our experience is now being lost to the industry. It is something that I would actively encourage and should become more regular again.”  

With the increase of Internet selling, attracting people to visit a local bathroom showroom is more difficult. Being involved in the local community, having excellent service - promoted through word of mouth recommendation - and effective use of the Internet are all key factors. As Sue points out:

“We rely on being listed as official dealers on our suppliers’ websites, as people find out about us through them, as well as appearing in Google results for product and brand searches. We have also just redesigned our own website and associated social media and communication channels. This provides us with better tools to bring people into our showroom and inform people about new products, ideas and promotions.”

Price and promotions are key
Sue sees regular promotions as another area where manufacturers and distributors of bathroom products can really help support bathroom showrooms. The main benefit of promotions is that they really help to increase brand awareness and encourage people to commit to a purchase rather than procrastinating.

“It gives us a reason to contact our prospects or to promote in our locality. Promotions on ranges or brands always generate a lot of interest and people visiting the showroom - once they’re there they start to see what is available and what they could achieve in their home.”

The message is loud and clear for manufacturers and distributors of bathroom products: make sure you maximise the potential of the small bathroom showrooms, as they are one of the best sales tools in converting interest into sales for your products. The owners of such businesses care about the industry and are likely to be your most dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate supporters. So, look after their needs and you will be rewarded with sustained sales and reliable customers with whom you can develop a long-term relationship.

If you are looking to recruit sales and marketing professionals within the bathroom and wider KBB sector, or are looking for a sales job in the KBB sector, contact our specialist KBB team on 01480 405225 or via our website at www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk/kbb-jobs.aspx

Thank you to Keith and Sue Mathews for their insight into the industry. Charisma Bathrooms is a family-run, high-quality bathroom showroom and retailer. For more information, please visit www.charismabathrooms.co.uk

Independent Bathroom Showrooms: Their challenges and how manufacturers and distributors can support them (Part 1)

Distributors and manufacturers of bathroom products should view independent bathroom showrooms as key customers. If they adopt the right sales and marketing approach and provide the correct support, the rewards, for all, are significant.

With increasing competition from DIY sheds, large builders’ merchants and particularly the Internet, it’s important that the showrooms themselves adapt to the changing market and their place within it. 

In the final interview of our series: Selling and marketing to the small independent trades in the building industry, we discuss these issues with Keith and Sue Matthews, owners of Charisma Bathrooms, an independent bathroom showroom in Essex.

Why independent bathroom showrooms are different
Charisma Bathrooms has been in business for 25 years and many things have changed during that time. According to Keith Matthews, there are three key things that haven’t changed and these form the foundation of their whole business philosophy.  

“When people are planning to spend a significant amount of money, they want to physically see what they are buying before committing. They also like to deal with people who have experience and knowledge. Finally, people want excellent service and the personal touch, based on trust. These days the consumer is much more educated about bathroom design, which is in part due to the increase in home-improvement magazines and TV make-over programmes.”

It is Keith’s view that the alternative options for buying bathroom products do not fully cater for these three vital customer needs.

“The Internet doesn’t really allow for any of them and this is also the case with some merchants. It is particularly true for the sheds, as they just do not always have the specialist knowledge, consistency and longevity of staffing and supplier independence to truly adopt this philosophy. 

“When you buy from an independent business, you deal with the owners of the business and that makes a huge difference to the seller/customer relationship.” 

However, Keith and Sue are also very aware that some consumers and property developers are only really interested in low quality and purely functional bathrooms - this is where they can offer clear differentiation to potential customers. As Sue explains: 

“Although we do cater for all budgets, we focus on those looking for something extra in their bathroom refurbishment. Likewise, we also supply architects and developers with the industry knowledge and support they need to make a bathroom work effectively, especially space ultilisation and providing the know-how on which products can help realise their plans.”

As an independent luxury bathroom showroom, Charisma has to go that extra mile to look after their customers’ needs. They achieve this by offering a full and personal service for their project - from conception to completion and beyond. So Charisma offers a free design service and can arrange all aspects of product selection and purchase, plus installation and after-care support. Keith commented: 

“Although it is a bit of a cliché, our best form of promotion is recommendation through word of mouth. This can only be achieved by making it our primary concern to take care of the customer and give them the inspiration, service and end result they dream of, but we do need the resources and support from suppliers to help us achieve this. We are affected by heavy on-line discounting, so we have to provide an overall experience which has added value.”

Support from the bathroom manufacturers is key for survival
So what support is required to help a small bathroom showroom and why should the bathroom manufacturers invest in the required support? 

A bathroom showroom is one of the best sales tools there is for a manufacturer or supplier of bathroom products. They are like a permanent exhibition - products are taken to the public and brought to life from the pages of a brochure or the Internet.

We have already established that physically seeing a product is key in turning interest into a sale. A lovingly created bathroom setting helps the homeowner visualise exactly what they could have in their home and gives them the confidence to commit to the purchase. It also allows them to consider other options and add-ons, which they may never have even considered before seeing them in-situ in a showroom. This is a classic example of up-selling - but where the customer is entirely comfortable with their decision.

Charisma Bathrooms would not survive if it were not for their showrooms. As Sue points out:

“We our very proud of showrooms, we put a lot of love and effort into creating settings that will suit all tastes and budgets, whether it is for a new house, a refurbishment or just adding or replacing items in an existing bathroom. 

"These settings are our main vehicle in attracting customers, as they help visitors decide what they really want. However, we couldn’t create them without the support of our suppliers. They provide us with heavily discounted products for display and informative and striking point of sale materials and literature to help inform the potential customers.”

It is obvious that the high quality products which are on display will generate more interest than those not displayed and, of course, better sales. Therefore, as well as their own knowledge and instinct, Charisma relies on the advice of their suppliers to ensure that the latest trends and most popular products are displayed and changed when necessary.

However, it is not just up-to-date product displays that are important.  In part two, we discuss the level and nature of communication required from sales representatives and the companies themselves.

If you are looking to recruit for sales and marketing professionals within the bathroom and wider KBB sector or are looking for a sales job in the KBB sector, contact our specialist KBB team on 01480 405225 or via our website at www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk/kbb-jobs.aspx

Thank you to Keith and Sue Mathews for their insight into the industry. Charisma Bathrooms is a family- run, high-quality bathroom showroom and retailer. For more information, please visit www.charismabathrooms.co.uk

Construction Products Industry Job in Focus for June

Our Construction Products Industry Job in Focus for June is a great opportunity to work for a manufacturer of sustainable building products. As Sales Director you would develop specification sales strategy to team of twelve and also sales with merchant and contractor channels.

Each month our Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic construction and building materials job vacancies currently on our books. Job in Focus is also promoted on our website.Visit www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 


Job Title: Sales Director
Job Ref: J4351
Product: Roofing Pitched
Location: National
Salary: £60k plus great package

EMPLOYER: Our client are an industry leading independent manufacturer of sustainable building products 

JOB DESCRIPTION: Sales Director - A unique and exciting opportunity has arisen for a high calibre senior sales management professional to inherit responsibility for the strategic direction, development and management of the sales function of a market leading manufacturer in the Building Product Sector. The role will incorporate leading and managing a sales force of 12, developing the companies approach to specification selling whilst maximising profitable sales volume through existing Merchant and Contractor focused channels. 

LOCATION: National, candidates will ideally be located in Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and surrounding areas. 

CANDIDATE: Our client are seeking a high calibre proven sales management professional with experience in management of sales strategy and activity. The successful candidate will have proven success in managing and developing a field based sales team as well as multidiscipline experience across Specification and Building Product Distribution Channels. 

PACKAGE: Basic Salary to £60,000 with realistic OTE of £75,000 + Excellent management package and benefits. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Steve Brennan on 01480 405225 or apply online.

Sales Career Advice: Selling and marketing to the independent trades

Next week, we will be discussing how the KBB industry should be supporting the independent bathroom showrooms. In advance of this feature, you might be interested in catching up on our previous interviews published as part of a series on selling to the independent trades within the building industry.

In the overall sales and marketing strategy of a building products’ manufacturer or stockist, small independent builders and tradespeople may not appear to be that important. As a collective, however, they are a vital audience to reach and should form a key part of most companies’ strategy. 

So, what makes them stay loyal? How do they become aware of a new product or a change in legislation? What support and information do they need to help them in their jobs? What is the best way to communicate with them?  How can you maximise their effectiveness as part of your sales strategy?

These and many other questions should be asked by manufacturers, distributors and merchants of building products when they are developing their sales and marketing plans. 

To get some answers, we have gone straight to the people who know - the small tradespeople themselves. Find out what they said.

• The Independent Building and Construction Company 
• The Independent Plastering Company

Construction sector is now experiencing its longest period of job creation for six years

The latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) has revealed that the construction sector is in its longest period of job creation for six years. It also showed another steep increase in demand for construction materials, with input buying rising at the fastest pace for three months - building and construction products manufacturers and suppliers should be highly encouraged, but also concerned that their lead times continue to lengthen. 

The industry is in its thirteenth consecutive month of expansion, although at a slower rate than April, the index, which measures building activity was rated at 60 in May from 60.8, mainly reflecting slowing growth in commercial space such as offices, shops and warehouses. However, it was still well above the 50 mark which separates expansion from contraction.

House building remained the strongest performing area of activity, while civil engineering output increased at a robust rate that was faster than in April. 

As mentioned supplier lead times lengthened in May, with survey respondents widely noting shortages of stock and supply-chain bottlenecks. 

Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit and author of the Markit/CIPS Construction PMI, said: 

"Output growth hit a seven-month low in May, but the UK construction sector is enjoying its strongest overall phase of expansion since the summer of 2007. Residential building remains a key engine of growth, with survey respondents citing another surge in new house building starts during May. 

"The latest survey highlights that the construction sector is now experiencing its longest period of job creation for six years. Strengthening demand for construction staff arrived amidst the fastest drop in sub-contractor availability since August 1997, which in turn contributed to a survey-record rise in sub-contractor charges in May. 

"UK construction output is still around 10% lower than its pre-crisis peak, but there were further indications of capacity strains in May as companies reported sharply lengthening delivery times for raw materials as well as the steepest drop in the availability of sub-contractors for almost 17 years." 

For UK Construction Sales Job and Recruitment contact Pinnacle Consulting on 01480 405225.

Image thanks to "Metal Structure Of House Roof In Home Construction Site And Sun" by khunaspix http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

NHBC is the latest in the building industry to have a significant recruitment drive

To underline the increase in production of new houses and the real urgency for these projects to be completed as quickly as possible, the need to have both quality and quantity in staff and workers throughout all areas of the industry is a primary concern. The NHBC has acted to try and address this issue.

We are already aware of the lack of contractors available in the industry and also the fact that many manufacturers of building products cannot produce the supply to meet the demand. There has also been a noticeable increase in more jobs for construction and building products sales professionals, as companies look to recruit to exploit the upturn in the market. And now we learn that the NHBC (National Housebuilders Council) has launched its biggest recruitment campaign in 30 years.

The UK warranty and insurance provider for new homes will create more than 100 frontline technical jobs to help support housebuilders as they increase volumes in response to the improving market.

The recruitment drive will see NHBC recruit 80 new building inspectors and create new management roles, as well as take on more surveyors, engineers and special project managers.

NHBC will also assemble a Mobile Quality team for housebuilders who need extra inspection assistance. The team will cover areas of high demand and those with more complex projects.

“As production ramps up across the country, the industry is faced with a new set of challenges,” said NHBC’s operations director Ian Davis. “Builders up and down the country have told NHBC what they need to move forward and we have responded by launching one of the biggest recruitment drives in our history.

“By upscaling our technical and inspection services we will be able to provide extra support to the industry and builder customers at this crucial time.”

It is encouraging news that companies and organisations are realising the market is in sustained growth and it must not be allowed to collapse for reasons which are controllable.  

If you are a manufacturer or supplier of building products looking to recruit for sales or marketing staff, contact Pinnacle Consulting, specialist in recruitment for the sector. Call 01480 405225 or visit www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

The World Cup: Is it a threat or an opportunity for the building industry this summer?

In a few days time - yet again - most of the country will be rooted in front of their television sets or down their local pub, enjoying the fiesta of football known as the FIFA World Cup. 

It will consume much of our lives this summer and as football is such an emotional sport, much of the talk in the builders’ merchants, production lines, sales offices and building sites will be about the previous night’s match or the next one. So will all this pre-occupation have an adverse affect on the building industry?

It’s possible that many sales representatives will decide to stay close to home, ensuring that they’re back home in time for the match and perhaps the many night games from Brazil will result in a few late starts or a sudden rise in those phoning in sick!

It’s also possible that many people will be planning to take their main holiday during this period and manufacturers and stockists will be left with a lack of people in the offices, on the road, behind the trade counters, in the warehouses or on the production lines.

Just as the industry needs to address the shortage of some building materials such as bricks and blocks (which is still an major issue) and the increasing demand for houses, will building sites slow down? Will this also result in much quieter merchants and distributors across the country?

It is likely that many homeowners will delay their refurbishment plans, as they will not want the disruption of DIY and tradespeople in their houses at this time.

On the other side of the coin, it is possible that the mood of the country will be boosted and the feel good factor will start to encourage more spending.  The same is true for a possible increase in the morale and work rate of all concerned - when people are happy, motivation and productivity levels usually increase.

Manufacturers might use the less chaotic time to plan and focus on their future strategies. Or perhaps the corporate and promotional opportunities available might see an increase in deals being closed for manufacturers, distributors and contractors.

Merchants and distributors will no doubt be having many World Cup based promotions and merchandise to boost sales and develop customer relations.

There are just as many positives as there are negatives and when that crucial penalty is missed, no doubt we will all be wondering why we bothered to commit so much energy to the event.  However, that never stopped me dreaming….

If you are ready to seize the opportunity and achieve your dream career goal? 

SEARCH FOR THE LATEST CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SALES JOBS

Construction Sales Professionals Recruitment Clinics June 2014

If you're ready for your next career move in construction products sales and you would like an independent evaluation of your career? Why not arrange to attend one of our FREE PinBuild Career Development Clinics this June.

PinBuild Clinics are for sales professionals in the construction and building products sector. They provide specialist career advice & a match to our latest construction sales vacancies.

Call to arrange to meet one of our Consultants 01480 405225 or e-mail recruit@pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Next clinic dates

• Wednesday 11th June - BRISTOL
• Wednesday 18th June - BIRMINGHAM
• Wednesday 25th June - LEEDS

Our current jobs: You might find one you'd like to discuss: Search for building products sales jobs

PinBuild Clinics will evaluate the job seeker’s career to date and identify the best opportunities available. The clinics provide professionals with expert advice on how to progress their career by discussing the industry sectors that have potential for growth, the skills and focus needed to ensure that they develop with the changing nature of the market and how to ensure that their career continues to progress rather than stagnating.

The clinics will also assist those that attend to map out a realistic and achievable career path, including any potential training requirements. Assistance will also be given to evaluate their CV and also their interview technique and where they should focus to ensure they realise their true potential in the building and construction industry.

We specialise in external and internal sales positions, marketing and management roles and director and board appointments with manufacturers, merchants or distributors across the whole building, construction and interiors product spectrum.

Take some time out to read about CRASH the construction industry's charity for homeless people people and one of our industry partners for our charity initiative 'Helping others as you recruit.'