When I first started at Whitfield Wylie 13 years ago (obviously barely out of school….) the administration of sales was a good deal different to the present day. Although I started with the company just before the dawn of the new Millennium, I could almost have walked onto the set of “Life on Mars”.
Orders for shoecare products and materials were written out by hand. In fact, I got the position because of the neatness of my handwriting, plus, I was later told, the others who had applied were overqualified and therefore “too good” for the job. We had a couple of big box computers in the office, but these were used to look item codes up and raise sales paperwork, where the handwritten order was re-typed on to the system. The day had not quite passed where the sound of the typewriter was still the main background noise of the office.
Hours per week were given up to manually filing away copies of customer orders, and if someone queried an item we often had to go to the filing cabinets and trawl back through tons of paperwork to get answers.
When talking about email and the internet back then you might just have well have been discussing teleportation and time travel.
We had a whole team of representatives driving up and down motorways, dropping in on customers and phoning the office to record sales or generate quotations.
These conditions remained pretty much the same as we entered the 21st century under the new banner of Standard Engineering Ltd.
Just a few short years later things have changed out of all recognition. Standard’s computer operating system links every facet of the quotation, sales, servicing and invoicing procedure. We can trace quotation, order or invoice histories with a few keystrokes. If a customer ordered an item three years ago and wanted the same again – no problem, the information is all there. You want your invoice or statement via email? – there you go!
The main change with the advent of newer technology is the rationalization of the sales staff at Standard. From over a dozen salesmen and support staff of a decade ago we now operate a more efficient operation with a staff of two. Or three, if you count our “Salesman of the Year” – our website.
In the last few years Standard has invested heavily in its website, to the extent that it invariably plays an important role in every machinery sale we achieve. The site contains full machinery specifications as well as downloadable brochures and some video footage. By the time a potential customer contacts us they have a good, informed idea about the machinery they are interested in.
The regularly updated website is also accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere on the planet. Given that most repairers have daily access to the internet via computerised engraving machines, most customers can access the site at will. This is somewhat better than the old days of waiting for the rep to turn up (if he’s not been held up in traffic), who perhaps doesn’t have all the required information with him, and then arrives during your busiest period and drinks all your coffee!
Mailshots used to be a dreaded time in the office, and you did your best to be conveniently elsewhere rather than fold, lick and seal hundreds of envelopes. . An e-shot done today can carry far more information, be completed in minutes, and, if done properly, uses far less saliva!
Standard’s use of the internet and online connection with their customers extends beyond their own website. Keith Malyon, the Sales Director of Standard instantly understood the potential of the Shoerepairer.info website to bring together repairers and suppliers in a truly interactive way for the first time. There were many that doubted the worth of such a venture in the beginning – but there are a good deal fewer now! Lee Ffrench’s site now has in excess of 1700 members and continues to grow and support the industry.
Standard were the first sponsors of the site, and have remained fervent supporters ever since. The only reason Keith is member no.2 is because Lee is member no.1!
Gary Lewis