Celebrating its 40th anniversary with a bold rebrand, Adamsons continues to thrive under managing director Rachel Moors. From fixed-price assurances to breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry, Moors reflects on the reasons for her enduring success…
As a fellow business that recently turned 40 and also went through a rebrand, it’s only right that kbbreview tips its proverbial hat to Adamsons – the Greater Manchester and Cheshire-based home improvement specialist.
Following in her parents’ Adamsons company-founding footsteps, managing director Rachel Moors retains the baton today, having benefitted from a familial ethos. “We were just construction originally – working at home out of a spare bedroom,” she says. “We then decided that if we can build a home’s extension, we could also do the kitchens and bathrooms that are installed inside.
“Eventually we built our own premises and a huge showroom on the first floor that had kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom displays. So, initially it was an add-on to our business.”
The route to managing director included stints in the business as a “Saturday Girl” and holiday shift worker whilst at college and university. After finishing her education and spending some time away working in marketing in London, Moors rejoined the business almost 20 years ago and soon worked her way up to lead the company once her father retired.
The marketing experience was put to good use when Adamsons went through a rebrand. “We’re well known in the area for our bright yellow vans. A few years ago we questioned the colour and had a new logo designed, but it wasn’t cohesive.”
Moors went back to the drawing board and rebranded from the bottom up – new uniforms, stationery, marketing materials, website, van graphics, as well as a new logo.
“Everything you see now, it matches and is more modern than we were before. We do trade on our reputation so it’s easy to let those things slip – we still have people coming to us organically. The branding is all the same message and geared towards what we’re trying to achieve.”
Adamsons today
In a male-dominated industry, it’s always encouraging to see a female leader thriving. Moors believes the installation side of the industry is still very male centric, but is seeing more females entering the sector.
“There are more females in the industry now and people are becoming more aware of it, but as a female managing director of a building company, there aren’t that many in my position. I’ve never had a female joiner apply for any job vacancy. In fact, it’s rare I get any trade CVs from women,” says Moors.
“It’s something we will look at the next time we advertise. We’re going to really look at how the advert is worded. Are we unintentionally putting females off applying? I don’t know.
“I do know a female plumber and an electrician who run their own businesses. Maybe it’s reflective of women in the trade in general. They can get a lot of stick from people onsite, so think ‘sod that’ and set up by themselves.”
As a leader in the industry, how does Moors allow herself a healthy work-life balance? “It’s tough and I don’t think there’s ever a natural balance,” she says. “You go through ups and downs – periods of being a good mum and not a good MD, and vice versa. There is still that gender role of women staying at home to look after the kids.
“Running your own business does offer a level of flexibility for things like school sports day, but you can’t always be there to do everything for your kids. The balancing act is how bad you can be at one role for long enough not to have too much of an impact on the other.”
After 40 years, Adamsons still thrives on its reputation and a key factor to its success is having a fixed price policy.
Moors explains: “We mean it when we say fixed price. It doesn’t matter how far we have to dig down in the foundations, that doesn’t change. And I think it’s a big reassurance for people in today’s market.”
Against a backdrop of race-to-the-bottom internet sales, Adamsons’ approach and strong personal service could serve the business well for the next 40 years.