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How’s business for BC Designs at the moment?

There is no point dressing it up: the market is not as buoyant as it has been. That said, there is still good business out there. Suppliers simply have to work harder for it and give retailers proper reasons to stay with them. Over the past few years, we have invested heavily in our service, supply chain, products and brands, and we are now seeing the benefit of that. For us, it is not about chasing every possible order. It is about winning the right business and looking after it properly.

How does the current environment compare with previous challenges you have faced?

Every downturn arrives wearing a slightly different outfit, but the basic challenge is usually the same: work out where demand still exists and make sure you have the right product and service for that customer. The mistake is assuming that one offer will suit every retailer. That’s why we have continued to invest in retailer-exclusive products and collections such as ColourKast. A softer market is not necessarily the time to stop developing products. It is actually the time to be much more selective about what you develop and why.

What investments have you made to protect your customers from disruption?

We now have around one million square feet of warehousing in the UK, allowing us to hold far more stock close to our customers. We also operate a fleet of more than 100 vehicles, supporting next-day delivery across the country. Owning more of the delivery process gives us greater control after the order has been placed. The less obvious investments matter too. Good systems, experienced stock teams and people who understand what retailers are selling all help to influence availability. 

Has market uncertainty changed how much your prioritise things like efficiency and resilience?

We now see resilience as simply part of an efficient service. Holding more stock or maintaining greater warehouse capacity may look less lean, but it can prevent a much more expensive problem further down the line. But crucially, that doesn’t mean filling warehouses for the sake of it. Stock still needs to be based on good information and real demand. We are simply less interested in running an operation that looks perfect on paper but cannot cope with a delayed container or a sudden spike in orders.

How do you keep customers informed and reassured when markets do become volatile?

The first rule is to tell customers what’s actually happening. Most retailers can manage a delay if they know about it early enough. What damages trust is allowing them to make promises to their own customer using information that is already out of date. We’ve invested heavily in our external sales team because we think communication is better when there is an established relationship. And those conversations also help us, too. They tell us what’s happening in showrooms, where demand is changing and which issues are beginning to cause frustration. Marketing has an important role in keeping customers informed through the channels they use, but it can’t replace a direct conversation when there is a problem. 

How important is BC Design’s legacy in building trust with customers?

Any business can describe itself as dependable, but serving customers through several decades and numerous changes in the market gives us much more weight. The recent return of BC Sanitan is a good example. The name has genuine history within the bathroom sector, but bringing it back is more than just an exercise in nostalgia. Retailers aren’t going to give floor space to a brand just because it reminds them of the past. It still has to offer the design and service that customers expect now. That trust isn’t something you can simply inherit and put in a presentation. It has been built through products arriving, problems being dealt with and promises being kept over time.

To find out more about BC Designs and its products, visit www.bcdesigns.co.uk.

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