Well, I’ve reached another landmark number! This time I’m at number 750. This post here is my 750th! And to mark the occasion I have handed the reigns over to Nick, author of the fantastic Aluminium Trade Supply website. His guest post goes through the various opportunities aluminium windows and doors can bring to a company that just focuses on PVCu. This makes for a good read, I hope you enjoy!
I have had several discussions recently with various window companies who simply do not supply aluminium doors and windows.
If you do not currently offer aluminium within your product range, you are missing out on valuable new business.
When we ask the question of why, the most frequent two answers are “we don’t understand the product” or “aluminium is too expensive” or “we just don’t offer it”
Naturally there are many businesses in the retail markets who do very nicely out of not selling aluminium windows and doors. There is also the argument that you cannot be all things to all people. Commercially it is pretty much the given that these installations will be in aluminium so let’s concentrate on the retail market.
In response to “we do not understand the product” there is really very little to understand. On the one hand, a window is a window is a window, it will have the same hardware your plastic window will, it will come with similar accessories, cills, glazing options etc. A good trade supplier should be able to give you all the training and understanding needed to sell aluminium products to your customers.
“Aluminium is too expensive”. Price is subjective and you get what you pay for. Aluminium is a more expensive commodity over plastic, the manufacturing takes longer and the assembly is still by hand as opposed to welding. There is not much that can be done about the price of a more expensive material. Furthermore if a customer or their property wants aluminium they should already be prepared to pay for it?
However the real issue is the market you are missing out on. If you operate in a hugely competitive retail market with your competitors slashing prices and largely offering the same product as you – White Plastic Windows and Doors, surely it is time to adapt your business and look at offering your customer something more?
Whilst we are not here to criticise pvc and never will. However, any open minded customer will see the many advantages aluminium has over pvc if it is offered to them as well.
The slim sight lines, strength, more natural light, choice of colour, wider choice of hardware and much more.
There are also countless opportunities you are missing out on to do architecturally designed homes, commercial aluminium work, to offer steel replacement or wood effect aluminium windows, to offer a wider range of entrance doors, secondary glazing and much more.
If you currently do not offer aluminium windows and doors within your product range you really are missing out on valuable market share. You should also consider that there are many properties which simply do not lend themselves to pvc windows. Art-Deco homes, period buildings, conservation areas where many councils have simply banned the use of pvc. Are you not missing out on valuable business?
Aluminium Doors and Windows are not complicated, they will offer a valuable extension to your product range and if you currently do not offer aluminium windows and wish to discuss the variety of products available to you, please contact us. We can help you with product range, training, excellent sources of supply and much much more. For Free!
If that post stirred the aluminium juices in you, or you have been thinking of adding aluminium windows and doors to your portfolio, contact Nick @ info@alumtradesupply.co.uk for more information.
I’d also like to quickly thank everyone for their continued reading and support of this blog. It really does mean a great deal! I hope you’ll carry on reading until I get to post 1000! Many thanks!
Firstly congratulations on your 750th post!
Secondly we sell aluminium windows and doors, they is no reason not to offer such a good product. we have some ali bi-folds at our show room and people really like them. yes they do cost more but people often know this before the quote is given. There will always be a market for PVC windows but there is definitely room for aluminium. well done Nick on a great post.
Whilst we do not manufacture Ali in our company at present, we can always offer it as an alternative. The need for ali (especially in bi-fold doors) is still there and our commercial customers require it more often than PVC. We try to source any product customers require as, in the present economic climate versatlilty is a neccessity. If a commercial customer has a company that they can come to for any of their needs, it stops them looking elsewhere!