This year , aluminium and PVCu manufacturer Northern Trade Windows celebrates 30 years of business , and at time of writing , Operations Manager Andy Brame was celebrating his first week in the new job . Here he explains how the company ’ s ‘ 1994 mentality ’ is perfect for modern day industry – putting the customer front and centre and ‘ innovation ’ doesn ’ t automatically mean doing every digital .

“ A lot of companies will say that they put the customer first , but really it comes down to how they actually do that , that really makes the difference ,” begins Andy . “ When I started at Northern Trade Windows ( NTW ), I joined from an ecommerce company so we didn ’ t really have any human interaction . At NTW , it ’ s the complete opposite – we put people first , whether on the shop floor , at the other end of a phone , or the installer and end user .

“ John Cosgrove opened the doors to Northern Trade Windows 30 years ago this year , when his son was still at school , but Elliot has grown with the company ; now at the head . NTW is a family-business in every sense of the word , from the father-son leadership to the team members who have been here since the beginning too . I met someone on my first day who has been here for 26 years ! I have since learnt that people have left in the past to try different roles but come back ; loyalty means a lot here and makes a difference to the customer too .

“ It ’ s really important in modern business to have a human touch . Online ordering and digital door designers are fantastic but we know that customers still like to pick up the phone and talk to us . Before I started , NTW ’ s website had a complete overhaul across a six-month project . While it ’ s essential to have that digital awareness

now , a lot of companies in our industry are still behind in that regard . But more than that , it helps gain enquiries too .

“ Adopting more ‘ modern ’ methods extends beyond our new online presence . It means linking new systems that work in different ways . We ’ re by no means behind the times , NTW is an extremely forward-thinking and innovative operation but we ’ ve made those steps without compromising on our core family values . In our opinion , not only is it possible to have both – it ’ s essential , in order to provide the level of service that sets a company apart from the competitors .

“ In this very magazine , Elliot has previously spoken about the difference in approaching trade jobs and commercial jobs . There isn ’ t one ! By that we mean , when you have decades of experience and expertise under your belt , and strong core values , you don ’ t change your approach depending on the size of the job , or the cost of the project or who the customer is – you have courage in your conviction .

“ The same ethos applies to the question of whether a business is traditional or

innovative . The two don ’ t have to be mutually exclusive . The very best brands can do both . And , as a new starter at NTW , I have that unique perspective of coming in and seeing what a difference that attitude has both internally and as a service proposition .

“ What was clear to me the moment I started is that people are put first . The focus is on getting things right first time , drawing on years of experience but always keeping our eyes forward , exploring new opportunities . A lot has changed in 30 years . We ’ ve adapted processes to reflect this , but we adapt to staff needs too – like if they need to do the school run , for instance .

“ Elliot will be the first to admit that NTW still conducts its business the same the way we did in 1994 . Because the more the industry changes and evolves , the more those core values are needed ; steady support , excellent service and someone at the end of the phone when you call .”

www . northerntradewindows . co . uk