INDUSTRYNEWS
What does
Covid-19 mean
for UK industry?
David Leng, Group Chief Executive
at Customade Group.
» NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED
the speed and intensity with which Covid-19
would spread. The pandemic has forced
every business to change how they operate,
with home-working now a necessity for most
people. One thing that we can be sure of is
that this pattern of usage will continue as
people spend more time in isolation to try to
slow the spread of the virus. With the online
landscape transforming in front of our eyes,
this industry has to be prepared to adapt to a
new future and a new digital age.
Internet usage has accelerated at a
phenomenal rate with Virgin Media reporting
that the Coronavirus lockdown doubled the
UK’s daytime internet usage. WhatsApp
revealed that the number of video calls
recorded across the platform has also doubled
during the crisis. Additionally, use of video
conferencing tools and apps like Skype,
Facetime, Zoom and Houseparty, have also
surged as people turn to them to stay in
touch with work colleagues, separated family
members and friendship groups.
Exhibitions and trade fairs now seem almost
prehistoric. Improvements in home delivery
driven by the likes of Amazon and Deliveroo
have changed the expectation of the consumer.
It currently seems inconceivable that the
British public will want to return to having
“direct sell strangers” visiting their homes
to sell them solar panels, double glazing or
kitchens.
Other once traditional sectors, like estate
agency for instance, have already largely
moved away from conventional offline
strategies and transformed the way they
operate with the help of digital technology.
Platforms such as Teachable and Udemy are
spawning a plethora of online courses in
garden design, yoga, photography and social
media management. The e-learning market is
booming. The value of the sector is estimated
to jump to $300bn (£252bn) by 2025, up
from $190bn in 2018, according to the
research firm Global Market Insights. It’s time
for the home improvement industry to catch
up.
Mike Cherry, the national chair of the
Federation of Small Businesses, says many
companies are finding new ways to be resilient
and generate income to help them survive.
“Small businesses are at the forefront of
adapting and are keen new-to-firm innovators.
Whether it be offering increased or new
delivery or collection services or offering
virtual guides to products or stores when
premises aren’t accessible to customers, small
businesses are trying to make this work,” he
says.
Installers must step up their online presence
and embrace all the digital tools that are out
there to help them through this challenging
time. With social distancing set to continue
for many months it will be some time before
they can visit customers’ homes to sell and
price windows, so they’ll need to think about
alternative ways to connect with prospects,
nurture those leads, and win business.
We know from our research that on average
consumers need to have around seven touch
points with a home improvement provider
before the consumer gains enough confidence
for the job to go ahead. We believe we can
harness AI to digitise and improve the first
five contacts leaving only the final detailed
survey and the install as actual site visits, thus
minimising unnecessary time in the customers
house.
At Customade Group, we’ve spent the
last two years investing in and developing
technology with our partners Winsoc Digital
to help installers boost their digital fitness to
engage with new customers and secure more
business. While it was never created for an
emergency such as this, our digital support
package and lead management app does give
installers a vital lifeline to promote themselves,
generate and nurture leads and even price
and order windows remotely during the
outbreak.
We will come through this crisis and when
we do, the world will be a different place.
Online usage will be ingrained in many more
people – from the young to the elderly – and
remote working, shopping and buying will be
widespread. telephone canvassing is already
dead and foot canvassing will now go the
same way. Those installers that are ready for
this new era, will be the ones to succeed when
things return to the new “normal”.
We strongly recommend that home
improvement companies use these weeks
to improve their digital fitness so they are
ready for the pent-up demand that will surely
follow.
www.customade.co.uk
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » M AY 2020 » 5