Customers Don't Want To Slow Down Just Yet

With only a few trading weeks left we are still finding business flowing at a brisk pace. This was in complete contrast to this time last year. We have only a few fitting dates left before we close for Christmas and at the rate we are doing business this week we may have all those filled by Friday! Usually by now things have really ground to a bit of a halt. Lead numbers are usually down, sales numbers are down and the general buzz about the office is slowly fizzling out. But we have found the opposite. While lead numbers have decreased in the usual manner, turnover has remained at a good level; it hasn't dropped away in its annually dramatic way. And we still have that buzz which comes from being busy and productive. This mini-trend over the past couple of weeks will see us well into the New Year, sheltering us from the danger the winter period can bring to double glazing firms.

Other bits of good news today; the Bank of England has altered its outlook about the strength of recovery for the British economy over the next couple of years. It has raised its forecast of economic growth in 2011 from 3% to 4%. Though how much of this will transfer to the double glazing industry will remain to be seen.

The rise in unemployment in the third quarter was less than expected, showing that the rate of job losses is slowing. More evidence that the UK economy is finding its feet again.