'Proper Prices' launch results in proper results for EH Smith with customer visits up by 30%
The introduction of fixed prices at EH Smith - for the first time in the company’s ninety-year history - has been rewarded with a 30% increase in customer visits across the group’s eight branches.
EH Smith's new ‘Proper Prices’ campaign, launched as part of a wider £400,000 redevelopment of the firm’s Shirley, Solihull site and then rolled out across the group, saw 13,000 of EH Smith’s most popular items reduced in price from May 2013 onwards.
The campaign has also resulted in a 29% increase in revenue from smaller building firms and other trades - a key target market for EH Smith.
The Shirley site redevelopment, a blueprint for a new strategic direction for EH Smith, increased the customer sales area from 400m2 to over 3000m2; doubled the number of product lines; introduced Good, Better and Best product options; introduced fixed collected prices for the first time in EH Smith’s 90-year history (price-matched to equal/beat competitors) and emphasised one of EH Smith’s USPs: its highly knowledgeable and experienced employees.
John Parker, Chief Executive of EH Smith said: “This was a bold move and marked a genuine culture change within the business.
“We carried out research with our customers into what they wanted from their builders’ merchant. We responded to their feedback by giving them more choice; price-matching against our competitors and opening up the whole of the six acre site in Solihull to allow customers to browse and collect their materials whenever they need to. The investment is already paying dividends.”
Communication was also a key focus for the company as Mark Mallinder, EH Smith’s Marketing Director, added:
“Many customers associate EH Smith with our extensive brick selection and supply. However there is so much more to the business and so the marketing campaign objectives also focused on highlighting EH Smith’s expertise in other areas such as timber, civils, paint and landscaping. We used social media, PR, advertising and direct marketing to communicate with customers and are already seeing the product range purchased by target customers up by as much as 38% in some branches.“
A redevelopment of the Leicester branch is now underway to build on the success of the Solihull launch with plans for more branch investment in discussion for 2014.
Deborah Smith
Wordsmith Communication UK ltd
07881 500557
ds@wordsmith-communication.co.uk
EH Smith Builders Merchants is one of the largest independent builders merchants and timber merchants in the UK, stocking a comprehensive range of building supplies and trade products. Traditionally a specialist in heavyside building materials, EH Smith has explored more diverse markets and have expanded their paving & landscaping product ranges as well as the timber merchant side of the business.
The current main trading sectors of the company are:
Bricks & Specialist Masonry
Paving & Landscaping Products
Garden Landscaping Products
Timber
Civil Engineering Solutions
Selfbuild Project Services
Sustainable building products
General Building Supplies
Established in Birmingham in 1922, the company has 8 conveniently located trading locations throughout the Midlands and South East which have been serving local trade professionals and the general public for many years.
EH Smith Builders Merchants believes strongly in the needs of the tradesman. Through the expansion of stock holdings on quality brands, competitive pricing and an unrivalled onsite delivery service, EH Smith have developed their core business in order to meet these needs.
EH Smith Builders Merchants are well known in the construction industry for their ability to source specialist materials and solutions to the customer's requirements. The company values its 450 strong work force, ensuring that staff are employed and trained to provide the very highest levels of customer service in the industry. The wide range of stock and expertise, ranging from bricks and masonry through to timber, civils, tools and landscaping, makes EH Smith the one-stop-shop for the true trade professional.
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