Name: Colin Wilson
Age: 54
Company: John Palmer Carpets
Position: Managing Director
To start things off, can you tell us how you got started in the flooring industry?
I first started in the industry about 30 years ago. My first job was in distribution; I was a sales rep. There was a job on offer at Hicksons, so I took it. I then accepted an offer from Volante Ltd, working my way up to become Sales Director, which I was for 11 years, and now I’m Managing Director at John Palmer Carpets.
30 years is a long time. How has the industry changed since you started?
One big difference is the fact that the industry is very much ‘on demand’ now. If customers call us up at 4pm, they can expect their products to be delivered the next morning. In the past, contractors would place an order and come and collect it when it was in stock.
What would you say the biggest challenges facing the industry were?
When trade gets quiet, pricing becomes a serious issue. Some of the larger distributors are also always going to be willing to take a lower margin than smaller distributors. But for companies like ours, that isn’t such a big issue. We’re known for the quality of our service, and we have a very loyal customer base.
Looking forward, what do you think will be the biggest challenge facing the industry in the next 10-20 years?
I’m not sure if the industry can really operate any faster than it does already, but things seem to be heading towards even greater speed.
Technology is going to continue to replace some of the functions of distributors. Everything from ordering to invoicing is being made easier with technology. This is definitely good for the trade, so it’s a move in the right direction, but it will have a huge impact on distributors.
What can manufacturers do to help you?
Decide on a route to market, either going through distribution or direct to customer. From our perspective, the best manufacturers, F. Ball included, are very focused on distribution, but they also market heavily to the end user.
So they create the demand by telling how good their products are, but they make the products available through wholesalers. It’s very good for the industry as a whole.