To bath or shower? Which do Brits prefer and why...

More than 50% of Brits are seeking refuge in the bathroom to get away from their loved ones, according to a survey by Bathrooms.com. After a long hard day at work or looking after the family, it is pure bliss to take a refreshing shower or to slide into a nice hot relaxing bath, then close your eyes and remove yourself from the stresses of your day or the chaos going on downstairs! 

Being being calm, quiet and feeling serene in your own private sanctuary has become one of our favourite past times and is one of the factors in the growth of the bathroom industry in recent times. But which do us Brits prefer...the bath or the shower?

The research revealed that for 51% soaking in the bath 'is a relaxing experience that helps to wash away stress caused by their loved ones'.

In addition, 19% use the bathroom to unwind from work pressures and social plans, 14% read a book, and 6% enjoy relaxing with a glass of wine.

However, the research found that only one in five Brits run a bath every day, with 72% saying they prefer to shower. When asked why, nearly half said it was 'more refreshing' and 'helped them to wake up', 41% prefer it because it’s quicker, and 10% said it was easier to clean. Over half – 52% - said they would still prefer to shower, even if they had more time.


Bathrooms.com CEO Ian Monk said: “Whether you prefer to shower or bath, the bathroom has always been a room in the home that allows one to have personal space, whether that’s away from day-to-day stress, or for some people their other half! It is therefore not surprising that year-on-year sales of showers at Bathrooms.com are up 80%, while bath sales are relatively flat.”

If you want to be part of the fantastic KBB industry, contact us to discuss your options - 01480 405225 or visit our website.

Pinnacle Consulting and Ridgeons come together to support GOSH.

RUNNING TO KEEP THE BADGER WARD AT GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL RUNNING!

Pinnacle Consulting and Ridgeons are joining forces at the Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon on 8th March 2015 to raise vital funds for the Badger Ward at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. 

Chris Atkinson of Pinnacle Consulting is determined to complete the half marathon and not let the early morning training, aching limbs, and blisters stop him! Ridgeons are helping him look professional by sponsoring his running kit. 

Steve Rogan, Managing Director of Pinnacle Consulting, is a keen supporter of Great Ormond Street Hospital. His nephew Tom suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and receives amazing care there.

DONATE HERE

Chris Atkinson, who is responsible for Pinnacle’s marketing, hopes to draw attention to the cause by enduring just a small fraction of the pain and effort that is endured by the young people who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis and other debilitating respiratory illnesses. He also wants to emphasise how brave those suffering with the disease are and how much time and energy they and their families expend on a daily basis.  

Steve's nephew, Tom, receives incredible care at GOSH and spends much of his time in the Badger Ward. Currently, Badger Ward (the respiratory ward) has thirteen beds which are dedicated to the care of children and young people with complex respiratory conditions.

The Badger Ward has witnessed amazing changes in the care of these patients – many would not have survived 10 years ago; medical advancements have saved and improved the quality of many of their lives. Many children spend a significant number of months on the ward and come back repeatedly throughout their lives – for them it is crucial to have an up-to-date clinical environment. The Badger Ward, which was fine 10 years ago, is now in need of renovation.

More and more technology is being used to keep children like Tom alive - but this new equipment needs to be operated properly and given adequate storage space. Parents also need space to be able to sleep with their children; presently there is not enough room for them to be able to do this.

All monies raised will be going towards the funding of the new respiratory ward. To make a donation and to find out more about the event go to: www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk 

Steve Rogan of Pinnacle Consulting said: “It is great to work together with a respected and fellow Cambridgeshire-based company like Ridgeons, to support this cause in our local half-marathon. All monies raised by Chris will be going towards the funding of the new respiratory ward and I know that I speak for all the parents and patients when I say a huge thank you for any funds raised.”


Ann Corbyn, Group HR Director at Ridgeons said: “‘we’re really pleased to be able to support Chris in this half marathon – as a local employer throughout the East of England, we take our role within the local community seriously – we have a charity committee made up of employees and they make the decisions about what types of events to support – we were all keen to help with this challenge as we are aware of the numbers of children within our region that benefit from the expertise at GOSH.”

Laura Savory, Senior Fundraising Manager at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity commented on the partnership: “We’re so grateful to Pinnacle Consulting and Ridgeons for their generosity and support. The money raised will help to make a huge difference to young patients and families from across the UK who are treated in the Badger Ward.”

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity raises money to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, provide vital up-to-date equipment and fund research into better treatments for the children.  Find out more at www.gosh.org

Pinnacle Consulting is the one of the UK’s most respected sales and marketing recruitment agencies for manufacturers, distributors and merchants of building products. 01480 405225 www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Ridgeons is one of the UK’s largest independent Timber and Builders Merchants with 26 locations across the East of England. www.ridgeons.co.uk

Achieving a positive environment in the workplace

When there is a positive and confident outlook running throughout a company it can have dramatic effect on its fortunes, and will help everyone to perform at a much higher level.

It underlines how our personal outlook and the general environment in which we work can inspire and help us reach our true potential, especially when we are part of a team. The alternative - and it is a fine line between the two - is a negative environment with ponderous decision-making and missed opportunities.

So what are the benefits of confidence and having a positive outlook?

People act on instinct and seize opportunity
People have faith in their own ability and are encouraged to act with natural instinct. It means you can set yourself apart from others and achieve heights that were previously unattainable. The bigger deals are there for the taking, if you put yourself in the position to be a contender.

Plan and think hard about your actions but don’t procrastinate and allow opportunities for success to be missed.

Encourages proactive behaviour
Employees and companies no longer just react to situations, or believe what they want is not possible. Instead there is a proactive culture with the belief that goals can be achieved before the full-time whistle is blown and openings are closed for good.

When confidence is tangible people have belief, and if an objective suddenly seems a reality, rather than a dream, you work that much harder to ensure you achieve it. 

Look forward to how you can develop; this is much better than just looking at what went wrong in the past – that is reactive and not a healthy environment for success.

Better decision-making
People make better decisions, which are not clouded with self-doubt or a negative outlook.

Try and stop an attitude of “What if it goes wrong?” and then take the safe option and therefore sometimes the wrong one. Have the confidence to do what is right and not allow self-doubt to cloud decision-making.

Improved teamwork and atmosphere
If people work together as a happy team, rather than against each other, the team or company can move forward together, supporting and learning from each other. A happy team creates a positive atmosphere. If people look forward to going to work, their work ethic, attitude and ability to succeed is always going to be better. Believe you can’t lose but don’t be arrogant.

You attract success
Others view you as successful and react to your confidence, want to deal with you and be part of that environment. The law of attraction is very powerful and should not be underestimated. If customers want to deal with you and people want to work for you, then you are well on your way to success.

Much of this is based on the mixture of the management of the company and the quality and attitude of their employees. Good people are hard to find.

However, making this happen is a little more difficult, but there are five simple things that can senior management can do to help achieve this:

The attitude of the boss
It’s simple really, but if a boss listens, has a open and happy demeanor and is helpful, as well as encouraging and praising their team, it can do wonders for everyone concerned.

People are given the environment where they have a voice that will be listened to and will not keep their ideas to themselves, fearing ridicule, but will be allowed to share their ideas and thrive.

Get the right balance between confidence and arrogance
This is important for an individual and a company. Arrogance can be off-putting for colleagues and customers and it does not encourage positive teamwork and cooperation, in fact, it alienates others.

Someone who is truly confident has faith in their knowledge and ability, and realises that they can support colleagues and help them grow, without fearing they are making their own position vulnerable. They are also honest enough to ask for support themselves and listen to others’ opinions – a great sign of someone who is confident. This creates a pleasant but challenging environment, where everyone becomes more confident.

Focus on the positives, rather than dwell on the negatives 
A boss should avoid creating a negative environment either about the company or on aspects of people’s jobs. If there is too much of this, people will not believe they can succeed. Those in charge should make a point of communicating success stories to their team.

A team needs support and encouragement to inspire them to achieve more. This could mean greater sales, resulting in more commission or promotion. Remember the words that for any human being - there is nothing better than hearing ‘well done’. Those are the two best words ever invented and are simple to say.

Find a catalyst to change the atmosphere of the workplace 
As Bruce Springsteen once sang, “You can’t start a fire without a spark” and sometimes you need to do something to inspire and change people’s mindset. Try and do something that sends out a positive message to the whole company, and also to your competitors.

This is something that can be done as a company, as a team or as an individual. It is possible through one action to totally change the atmosphere in a very short period of time.

Make people feel like they can succeed and get promoted
Self-confidence is very important and is a key component of a successful person who wants to grow and advance their career. Projecting confidence in the workplace may be the difference between success and failure.

However, those in charge need to ensure these people stay with the company and know their aspirations can be fulfilled. If this is the case, they will work harder and give more to the company. As a boss it is vital to show strength and command respect from your team and colleagues. If members of your team develop and succeed it will mean you and your company will too. You will also maximise your team’s potential and your colleagues will respond accordingly and up their game.

Creating confidence and a positive air is hard to put your finger on - it’s almost not real, but can make or break bigger entities than an individual or company, it can do damage to a whole country and its economy.

There is great confidence in the building and construction industry at the moment and has been for the last 12 months or so, but what has really changed that feeling? Perhaps, people have finally got fed up with the negative news and decided to be positive and focus on the good. It could be that simple. Try it in your job or company.

At Pinnacle Consulting, it is our aim is to find the right people for your company, with the right attitude and ethos to be positive and work together as a team. 

If you are looking for confident building product sector sales and marketing professionals to help grow your business, or have the confidence to take that next step in your career development, then contact us to discuss your options.

Contact us on 01480 405225 or take a look at out website here.

Housebuilder Product Awards 2015

The Housebuilder Product Awards 2015 are now open for entries and are looking to reward excellence and innovation for products and systems which aid new home development in the UK. 

Building product manufacturers who launched new products in the last year or so, should give themselves a pat of the back and shout about it. 

It can be a very expensive and time-consuming process and Product Development Teams, Marketing, Internal and Field Sales, Production and Operations, as well as, Senior Management, all play a vital part in any new product launch. So if this sounds like you, consider entering these prestigious awards. Entry deadline 25th February 2015

Categories include:

• Best building fabric product
• Best internal / interior product
• Best services product
• Best kitchens and bathrooms product
• Best external product
• Best site product
• Best health and safety product
• Best business product
• Best brand new product

Your entry must include the following:

• Completed entry form
• One copy of additional materials including DVD's, product samples and images
• One electronic high res jpeg image of product
• Payment of £115+VAT per entry
• 500 word submission (7 copies)

2015 Presentation
Winners will be announced at a gala lunch at Edgbaston Stadium in the Summer, details of the event and the opportunity to book tickets will be released with the finalists in March 2015.  
  
Download the Housebuilder Product Awards 2015 Entry Form and post the full entry by Friday 13 February.  (please note that emailed entries will not be accepted) 

Housebuilder Product Awards 2015 Judges

• Michael Black, group development director - Bovis

• Peter L. Caplehorn, deputy chief executive & policy director - Construction Products Association
Claire Curtis Thomas, ceo - BBA
• 
Dave Mitchell, technical director - HBF

• Rob Pannell, director - Zero Carbon Hub

• Dale Saunders, uk associate technical director - Taylor Wimpey

• Neil Smith, head of research and innovation - NHBC

• John Tebbit, managing director - Robust Details
• 
Steve Wielebski, divisional development director - Miller Homes

If you are looking to recruit sales professionals to help sell your new product, we can help. Contact us on 01480 405225. We are experienced specialists in sales and marketing recruitment for the building products sector. Visit our website at www.pinnacelconsulting.co.uk

2014 was the best year for UK builders for 17 years!

The latest Markit/CIPS data showed that the UK's property market helped end 2014 as the best year for British builders since 1997. An amazing turnaround when you consider the doom and gloom of only 18 months or so ago, and the good news is expected to continue into 2015!

Housebuilding was the strongest performing part of the construction industry, in the  purchasing managers index from Markit, although the increase slowed for the third month running in December.

The Markit/CIPS construction PMI eased to 57.6 from 59.4 in November, although the festive season is a factor in this, but with any reading above 50 representing growth in the sector, it is still fantastic news for the industry.

Of the three measured sub-categories, civil engineering was the only one to report a contraction with output falling for the first time in 17 months.

Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit, said: "Over the course of 2014, UK construction firms recorded the strongest calendar year of residential building since the survey began in 1997."

The good news is expected to continue into 2015, with industry insiders anticipating that the UK's property market will be a key area of growth over the next 12 months.

Mr Moore said: "Four times as many construction companies anticipate an upturn in output over the year ahead as those that expect a reduction."

Firms did, however, express concern that the upcoming general election could dampen confidence. May could be an interesting time for the industry.

If you are a manufacturer or distributor of building products and are looking to recruit, please  contact us on 01480 405225 or visit our website www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

62% of small firms 'expect to grow' during the New Year and recruit

Small companies in the construction, building, KBB and DIY industry - like independent builders' merchants and bathroom and kitchen retailers and showrooms - are among the 62% of small businesses expecting to grow and take on more staff during Q1 2014, says the latest research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). 

However, they still need support from the government to alleviate some of the barriers still apparent.

The FSB’s Small Business Index revealed that firms are expecting to increase their staff count, increase exports and grow in the first quarter of 2015.

The index showed that productivity among small firms was up by 1.1% year-on-year in Q4 2014, while 16% of small businesses hired more staff.

However, with almost a quarter of businesses – 22% – saying the cost of finance was 'a barrier to growth' – up from 10% in Q4 2013, FSB national chairman John Allan said “certainty in the domestic economy, including interest rates” was needed.

The FSB revealed that just 11% of small firms without employees found new credit 'affordable', compared with 44% of businesses that employ 51 or more staff.

Allan added: “The perception of increasing cost of finance, and further warnings of a downturn on the continent, demonstrate that ministers need to continue to do all they can to support small firms. Building on extensions to schemes like Funding for Lending, the Employment Allowance, and recently improved business support programmes are crucial to this.”

If you are looking to recruit, contact us on 01480 405225. Pinnacle Consulting: sales and marketing recruitment for the building products sector. www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

At Pinnacle Consulting, we understand the importance of the smaller companies within the building and construction industry. In the overall sales and marketing strategy of a building products’ manufacturer or stockist, these trades may not appear to be that important. As a collective, however, they are a vital audience to reach.

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? What is the best way to communicate with them? How can you maximise their effectiveness as part of your sales strategy? 

To get some answers, we have gone straight to the people who know: the tradespeople themselves.

• Find out more on selling and marketing to small independent builders
• Find out more on selling and marketing to the independent plastering companies
• Find out more on selling and marketing to independent bathroom showrooms

www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Job in Focus for January 2015: KBB Sales Management Job for Projects Division

Our latest Job in Focus is an excellent opportunity with a respected and high quality supplier of KBB products. The role is to take control of their projects division and build long-term relationships with upmarket housebuilders, developers, architects & specifiers. Based in the South East region.

Each month our Construction and Building Industry Job in Focus feature takes a detailed look at some of the fantastic sales and marketing 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: Commercial Manager

Job Ref: J4683

Product: Kitchens

Location: London & South East

Salary: £60k

EMPLOYER: Our Client are a market leading manufacturer of supremely high quality KBB products with an outstanding reputation in their market sector. 

JOB DESCRIPTION: They are now looking to recruit a new Commercial Manager to take control of their Projects Division. This person will be responsible for building long term relationships with upmarket Housebuilders, Developers, Architects & Specifiers. They will also have responsibility for managing a BDM who will be working closely alongside them plus an internal projects support coordinator. This is a key appointment for a high quality brand who are looking for an equally high quality individual who can help further develop their profile within the projects sector. 

LOCATION: South East - ideally living within easy access of London, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Kent, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Hampshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk etc 

CANDIDATE: We are looking for extremely high calibre candidates with a proven track record of success selling into the Architectural / Contract / Projects sector with excellent contacts - ideally with a successful background in a related product sector eg Bathrooms, Kitchens, Ceramics etc although credible candidates from any building product background will be considered. 

PACKAGE: On offer is a basic salary likely to be between £50k - £60k plus excellent commission scheme, quality car, superb company benefits and the chance to join a truely prestigious brand. 

For further information or to discuss your career options contact Colin Hoy on 01480 405225 or apply online colin@pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Construction and Building Industry Sales Career Development Clinics - January 2015

New year, new beginnings, and if it is a new sales or marketing job in the construction industry you'd like, why not start this process with an independent evaluation of your career. If this is the case, you should arrange to attend our FREE PinBuild Career Development Clinics this January.

PinBuild Clinics are for sales and marketing professionals in the construction and building products sector, providing specialist career advice and a match to the latest construction sales vacancies.

Call us and arrange to meet one of our expert construction industry consultants on 01480 405225 or contact us via to secure your booking e-mail recruit@pinnacleconsulting.co.uk

Next clinic dates

• Wednesday 14th January, Dartford
• Wednesday 21st January, Birmingham
• Wednesday 28th January, Bristol

Our current jobs: You might find one you'd like to discuss: Search for building and construction 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.'

Addressing skills gap and improving industry image will be key for construction in 2015

It is a new year and a vital one for the construction industry, especially if it is to build on the great improvements seen during 2014. 

Two key areas have been identified by Richard Threlfall, KPMG’s head of infrastructure, building and construction: 1. the industry will need to take further steps to improve its image and 2. it must address the widening skills gap. 

Addressing these issues should help create a very bright future for the construction industry.

Here is Richard's full statement on the subject:

“Many in the industry are nervous about what the General Election will mean for construction, but I am confident we will not see a repeat of the mass cancellation of schemes that took place in 2010,” he said.

“Our main political parties understand the importance of infrastructure investment for driving the UK’s future competitiveness. We estimate that by 2016, the country will be investing £45bn per annum in infrastructure, and the government’s construction pipeline now shows a total of £116bn of spend over nearly 2,000 projects. But that does not mean the industry can relax. It has plenty of challenges, but they are more subtle than five years ago, and more for the industry itself to address.

“As early as April 2015, the delivery of the UK construction pipeline will hit a constraint imposed not by lack of political will or funding but for lack of a sufficiently large and trained workforce. We estimate that by that 150,000 more workers will be needed on site to deliver major projects in London and the South East. The industry is failing to hire sufficiently fast, and is failing to train the workforce it needs in sufficient volume.

“The construction industry continues to struggle to attract both the calibre and the diversity of individuals it needs. Careers advice from schools, parents and peers is too often a cocktail of prejudice and ignorance. But the industry bears much of the blame for failing to proactively sell itself, and project a modern, exciting, fulfilling image of what life in construction involves. Why does this matter? Very simply our country cannot afford to fail to bring more talent into our construction and engineering industries. In 2015, the industry needs to work hard to change this image.”

He concluded: “As we head into next year, we will have a much more buoyant and competitive market across infrastructure and construction, with a strong pipeline of projects. If the industry can address some of its own weaknesses, the prospects for the year ahead are very bright.”

www.pinnacleconsulting.co.uk sales and marketing recruitment for the building and construction industry.