Ultraframe targets the features and benefits of its products at two key target audiences. Firstly, there are the consumers who buy a conservatory, the roof being only one part of the final product. In 2007 Ultraframe launched a retail DVD, the sole purpose of which was to ensure consumers had the right information at the moment they signed on the dotted line.
The second key audience is installation companies themselves. When aiming key features and benefits messages or sales propositions at installation companies, it is helpful to think of them as having multiple audiences under the same roof. As a marketer, are the requirements of the owner/director, surveyor, roof specifier, fitter and retail sales person the same? Of course not, and quite often there can be conflicting objectives/requirements – an obvious hypothetical one being the requirement to buy the lowest priced product whilst at the same time having zero defects/callbacks, clearly this would be difficult to reconcile.
Is it possible that one roof system can satisfy the needs of these various individuals? Can their individual needs and desires be reconciled, met or expectations even exceeded? Can one roof system offer good value, be easy to fit and readily configurable to meet the demands of increasingly sophisticated second and third time buyers?
Ultraframe thinks that its Classic roof can be all things to all men and women. Every idea that comes from its 25 strong Research and Development Centre (see photograph alongside of the most recent recruits who have joined its ranks) is carefully sifted and analysed by the commercial team to ensure that there are clearly distinguishable benefits for one of the key target audiences. As mentioned earlier, the retail DVD launched in November 07 has provided a fantastic tool to ensure even better conversion and higher average sales values for loyal users of the Ultraframe Classic roof system, so it felt natural to concentrate our next stream of benefits at the installation manager and fitter.
This desire to satisfy the needs of fitters and maintain a link that has been strong right throughout our history should come as no surprise. Ultraframe`s reputation is inextricably linked with the rise of the modern pvc conservatory market and many of its innovations have been central to the sector keeping pace with the demand from consumers. In the first six months of 2008 with the new ridge end development, it is our intention to 1) reduce the amount of time spent fitting the roof, 2) improve the `integrity’ of the installation and 3) further facilitate `right first time’ quality.
The driver for this project was the long held desire to have true geometric symmetry around the ridge end where the bars terminate – to align all the glazing planes, irrespective of pitch or bar configuration such as when jacks or splayed bars are used. Aligning the glazing planes is the first step in unleashing a new `black box` configurator – software that the installation company has no interaction with but yet which is critical to Ultraframe as it allows us to design/specify/prep/build roofs in the most efficient way, keeping lead times down to the minimum.
This new configurator, which runs seamlessly and silently in the background, further accelerates the introduction of new products by allowing us to consider improvements that we could only dream of previously. Its too early to reveal what these developments are at this stage – all that can be revealed is that the Ultraframe Classic system will be available later this year with some blistering `value added’ opportunities for the ambitious go-ahead retailer.
In detail, the changes to the ridge include a new die cast aluminium ridge end that facilitates glazing bar attachment by way of second generation boltless Speedloks that `click` into place and a new `soft touch’ moulded weathering shield.
What are the benefits of this new ridge end to fitting teams?
· Ridge end glazing bars are simply `clicked` into position – no tools are needed.
· Each glazing bar position is factory set - no requirement for site adjustment.
· A new three dimensionally shaped `soft touch` weathering shield which fits snugly over the die cast end and underneath the ridge body end cap, filling any void - it provides secondary drainage in the unlikely event of water ingress at the joint between pvc ridge top capping and external radius end cap.
In recognition of this major change to the Classic roof system, we have taken the opportunity to re-publish the installation guide in a completely new format. This is A4 in size and features larger computer graphics, which clearly explain how the system goes together.
The first roofs to feature the new ridge end details will start to appear in January – simple Georgian and Victorian styles will be completed first and then we will work our way through the remainder of the styles over a couple of months. Those Ultraframe Classic users who choose to buy from fabricators will start to see the product featured in your roofs from the middle of the year, when the technology is well established.
So, following on from other smaller but incremental changes to the system like the use of twin bolts on slide along carriers and the specification of anti slip clips for top cap retention and a new style sealed unit retainer, 2008 looks like another year full of interesting product developments. Those who were thinking that the pace of change would slow at the same time as the market falters will be disappointed – it is Ultraframe’s intention to keep on innovating, reinforcing and further building its Classic roof system brand profile.
