Clearview National September 2015 - Issue 166 | Page 40

doors&windows sponsored by [email protected] Hitting the Mark Online Emplas has announced that more than half of all of the orders it now receives are placed online through its Customer Portal. »»The figure, based on orders for the first half of this year, also reveal that the majority of those placing orders online do so at the end of the working day or into the evening. Jody Vincent, National Sales Manager, Emplas said: “There is always still someone at the end of a phone line for anyone who wants to chat their order through or to place an order, but we have seen phenomenal growth from online ordering in the past six months. “It delivers new flexibility outside of ‘normal’ office hours, giving our customers time to focus on sales, without having to get back to the office to make sure they get their order in before the close of the day, now they can order 24/7.” Emplas launched its online ordering system and Window Designer in 2013 and its new Door Designer earlier this year. Installers are able to accessed their accounts via the Online Portal and simply log-on from any web enabled device, accessing a secure quoting and order processing system. This gives them instant access to an online ordering portal which allows them to input a specification, choose glass, hardware and furniture and then automatically applies their discounts, to provide an instant quote. Where an order is placed installers get an immediate ‘Order Acknowledgement’. Jody continued: “Rapid turnaround is part and parcel of our business now, installers need that flexibility because as we all know competition out there is fierce. This system gives installers an element of control back supporting quick turnarounds but 40 » SE P 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M also giving them the visibility that they need to operate effectively and efficiently.” It also gives installers ordering online full visibility of the product progress through the factory. This extends to Emplas own customer service team, which can access the same work-flow tool to offer real time updates against customer deliveries regardless of whether they are ordering on or offline. Jody continued: “The whole work-flow is fully integrated which means that the manufac turing process has becomes seamless. We can report back to our customers with absolute accuracy throughout the ordering process and depending on where that order is, amend or adapt it through a single system.” Door designer’s additional functionality, which allows it to be used as an own-branded retail sales tool, qualifying members of the Emplas Installer Partnership also get the option to embed their offer in the community that ‘driving new flexibility in the service we offer’ they serve by renaming products after the local areas in which they work. Jody concluded: “The way that we interface with our customers has changed and its driving new flexibility in the service we offer to them. “Through the insight we have gained through our own retail business, T&K, we are always looking at how we can enhance the way our customers engage with the end-user and there are projects on the horizon that we genuinely believe will revolutionise the way that the industry sells.” To find our more follow us on twitter #InstallerPartnership or @emplaswindows. For more information visit www.emplas. co.uk, email [email protected] or call 01933 674880