National Companies Good For Smaller Businesses

Many in this industry at some point envisage a national company going bust, many would like to see them disappear altogether. And you can see why, if they go, then there would be more appointments for everyone else. But I think otherwise, and here's why...

Scenario: Mr & Mrs Jones are thinking about replacing their windows and doors and while watching TV they may see and Anglian or Everest advert. Mr Jones says: "hmm, why don't we get Anglian round to give us a quote?" Mrs Jones says: "Yeah go on then, but we may as well get a few other quotes too."

Nine times out of ten customers always get at least two or three quotes before making a decision. They get a national in, usually just because they know who they are and have seen them on TV, and the other 2/3 are made up of the regional ones and a local one. This is what I like to call the breeding effect. One TV advert from a national company can then lead to the customer looking around at other companies, without the other businesses spending a single penny on advertising to secure that lead, it was done for them by the TV advert kicking them into gear! If the nationals suddenly disappeared, then the advertising would go, then who would be there to peddle the public into getting quotes? At the moment smaller business feed off the consequential 'looking around' effect.

Another good reason why the nationals need to stay is for their sales tactics. They're absolutely dire. Safestyle, Anglian and Everest still use the old hat hard-sell tactics in a big way. The consumer is much more savvy to this sort of thing, so instead of falling in their traps, they are becoming annoyed and disgruntled and end up showing the rep the door out of pure frustration and anger! Lovely! So in comes the local company with the pressure free service, much more pleasant and relaxed, and 100 times more likely to win the order than the national company ever was.

You see, nationals have played a big part in our industry. They have helped other businesses attract leads without spending big money on advertising, and they've helped others win orders by pissing off the customers in their own home! So, long may they stay, they're doing all of us a great service!