Wholesale Glass (WGL) claims it is taking service standards in its sector to a new level after unveiling what it believes is the industry’s first customer charter.
The organisation, which is based in Wakefield, is one of the UK’s leading providers of Lacobel glass and mirrors for wardrobes and the largest UK supplier for Glasen, a unique interior film laminated onto the back of glass.
It has published the customer charter on its website and is also making printed copies available, free of charge, to anyone requesting them. Called “Reflecting our Commitment to You”, the document contains various customer service standards the organisation pledges to maintain.
Among the charter’s promises is the commitment never to implement the European Energy Surcharge and always offer a full 12-month guarantee on the products it sells. In addition, the document specifies how the organisation will always use the latest cutting technology, ensure the products it sells are tested to the most demanding appropriate British standards, carry a minimum range of colour options and provide reliable quotes within 48 hours of receiving requests, for example.
Tony Garritt (pictured), WGL managing director, said: “To a great extent, the charter merely formalises policies we’ve implemented for a long time and demonstrates how we want to lead the way for the industry. For example, we’ve avoided the European Energy Surcharge, charged by many of our competitors, for the last five years, to make our pricing policy simple and costs less volatile for customers. The latter problem arises as the surcharge is based on oil prices and currency movements.
“If you look at the surcharge per kilo since the beginning of 2008, it’s changed by as much as 48 per cent between one quarter and another. Only once has it stayed unchanged for six months, with the average adjustment between one quarter and another being a whopping 23 per cent. This must make budgeting for businesses, especially smaller enterprises, very difficult.”
WGL has also launched the 25th shade, aubergine, in its Lacolabel range, which features a float glass characterised by a bright look with a high-quality coating on the back giving it an opaque appearance. The range is popular for residential locations such as kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms and is widely-used in commercial premises, such as offices, restaurants and shops.
The 4mm safety-backed glass is mainly intended to be used with furniture such as tables, shelving units, standard and sliding doors on cupboards and wardrobes, glass display cases and bases. It can also be used for splashback panels as well as a wall covering.
“We’re introducing the aubergine colour in response to public demand,” Garritt said.
“Feedback from our customers suggests strongly the new shade will be a popular one with end-users, such as the many owner-occupiers choosing to improve their homes rather than move in the current climate, and this is being reflected in the size of orders we are placing – around 2,300 square metres each time, which also enables us to be competitive.”
