We reached out to nearly 18,000 of them in the summer with a survey and it seems a huge majority think we do, with over 80% of respondents scoring us 8/10 or above for service, and a third of them giving us full 10/10 marks.

It’s a great testament to how we run the business, with many highlighting that these high scores were down to three key ingredients. As John McCaffrey, from Starbank Panel Products Limited, puts it: “We choose to trade with James Latham because of the product range, the people, and the trust we have built over 40 years. They are an integral part of our supply chain and a partner to our business.”

Whilst it’s true that we do possess one of the widest and largest ranges of timber, panels and decorative materials in the marketplace, it’s these other two things which set us apart from the rest. Some were kind enough to go into greater detail.

For example, Andy Hall, from Retail Furniture Ltd said, “James Latham’s knowledge of products is second to none. They’re always happy to help, excelling on accuracy and positivity, and going the extra mile to find and transfer products from other branches when they’re not immediately available.” Matt Kelly, from specialist joiner Plaey, added: “I love how passionate and engaged the staff are. It never feels like a sales pitch, more like a collaboration.”

These comments show just how important the ‘human’ element is towards great customer experiences. Our talented and skilled team of materials and logistics professionals have considerable product knowledge, dedicated to assisting everyone and helping them make the right choices, from the longest-standing client to the newest customer. They will always go above and beyond to provide exceptional service.

The high levels of trust, which our customers have consistently flagged, arise from our robust and reliable supply chain which always keeps up with demand. Our facilities hold over 75,000m3 of stock, and our fleet moves what’s needed when it’s needed day and night from our 13 strategically positioned UK and Irish depots. This means we can guarantee daily deliveries nationwide and, crucially, respond quickly to short-lead requests.

As Matt Cox from SJC Bespoke Joinery Ltd confirms, “I would highly recommend James Latham to anyone. There are quick response times to emails for quotes and, if you have any queries about your orders, they’ll help you in any way they can. Delivery is always prompt too, and they will always help you go the extra mile for unloading, once unloading all the stock for me, in the pouring rain and covering it too.”

It’s this combination that has resulted in such positive feedback. However, we will not be resting on our laurels. Achieving this level of customer satisfaction is not something that’s happened overnight, and is not taken for granted.

We’ve been in business for over 265 years and have invested considerable resources in these three areas. From the solo joiners to the largest contract furniture manufacturers, we value each and every client equally, helping them meet and surpass their needs, and constantly innovating to meet their evolving requirements.

To help us live up to our hard-won reputation and provide the best customer experience we can, we’ve gone further, embedding a 24-point ‘Lignum Charter’ at all of our depots to ensure our customers’ needs are consistently met.

From next-day deliveries, to agreed response times for enquiries, increased operating hours, and enhanced expertise at depots with dedicated product champions, our charter is intended to deliver increased accuracy, best-in-class logistics, and continued customer satisfaction.

Ultimately, it’s all very well thinking you know what great customer service is, yet during these uncertain times it’s important to actually experience it.
Is your distributor living up to your expectations? Why not let us show you how we do things, so you can see if you’re missing out?

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