Origin Global are one of the UK’s biggest and best-known bifolding door businesses also providing aluminium windows, residential front doors and even garage doors. The company has grown to a multi-million-pound turnover business with a network of high-quality Origin Dealers all over the UK. These Origin dealers are also highly professional window companies in their own right. But do Origin install products themselves?
Will Origin install bifolding doors?
Origin is currently advertising for Bifolding Door Installers and Service Engineers and like any professional and sizeable business has a careers section on their website. The responses from a small number of business owners some of which are also Origin approved dealers and installers were to question whether Origin is now looking to serve the end-user customer directly. Is Origin now actually competing with its dealers? The answer is no. And there are many good reasons why.
We have often written about how Origin is one of the few aluminium systems companies in the UK that actively engages with end-user customers on a direct level. The aluminium supply chain is such that other systems companies leave the residential installations to their network of fabricators or installers – they do not like to get involved with installations or end users. However, there are reasons why systems companies and trade suppliers have installers and Service Engineers. So why would a systems company and especially Origin look to recruit installation staff?
Origin Global needs to recruit door and window fitters.
If you are a consumer interested in buying an Origin Door and have been to the Origin showroom in High Wycombe and the new Origin Showroom in Warrington, you may have visited the company expecting them to fit the product and not refer you to one of their dealers.
If you are one of the Origin Dealers wondering why Origin are recruiting for fitters, we are not suggesting that you do not understand how your supplier works. The first reaction is to think it could be direct competition. What you may not have considered is the wider picture. Here is why Origin would look to recruit.
The Origin Dealer Support is one of the best in the business.
The marketing and dealer support offered by Origin is arguably the best in the fenestration sector. From marketing materials, showroom samples, showroom design, literature and even sign-writing a vehicle, Origin help like no other systems company. One of the additional services offered is the site support through trained and expert Origin Service Engineers and specialist training. This is the Origin Technical Team.
What is the Origin Technical Team?
As an expert aluminium company, Origin Global have in place a Technical team for which trained installers play a vital role. Origin dealers have benefitted from the Origin Technical Team in many ways.
Training Days and Courses.
New and existing Origin door and window installers have the chance to train their fitting teams by taking advantage of quality training provided free by Origin. It is these trained installers and engineers that Origin rely on to provide training days that give value, education, best working practices and how to get the most out of an Origin window or bifolding door.
For Origin dealers with individual requirements, Origin offers their Service Course. This course enables Origin to resolve product, technical or installation issues their dealer may have experienced in the past. Vitally, it gives the Origin dealer an excellent opportunity to customise their training to suit their needs. We have been on many training courses for windows and doors. Often these are structured to cater for general rather than individual needs.
The Origin Assisted Fit Service.
If you are a homeowner reading this article and have recently had new windows and doors, what are the chances that your exceptional installation was in fact, the first time your window company had ever fitted your new windows or bifolding doors?
New Origin Dealers can take full advantage of the Assisted Fit service, designed to ensure that critical first installation of a new product goes smoothly. A trained Origin Engineer is there on site to assist in fitting the doors with the installation Company making the whole installation smooth and efficient for everyone concerned.
The number of Origin Dealers is growing. Therefore, it is logical that Origin needs to recruit more staff to help these new dealers. This enormous investment Origin makes in their Technical Team means their dealers can sell Origin windows, bifolding doors and residential entrance doors with confidence. They are also safe in the knowledge that should help or an effective aftercare service is needed, it is there.
Other Important Reasons why Origin needs installers.
Window Company owners listen to their installers. If a fitter comes back and reports that a product is faulty, hard to fit, hard to glaze, difficult to adjust and they do not like it, there’s a risk of them not selling that brand of aluminium. Importantly, systems companies want to know as well. Fitters are one of the most valuable sources of feedback for product innovation and improvements.
Most systems companies have a Design Department with staff that are designers or technicians but not installers. Origin uses feedback from theirs and their customer’s fitters to make their products better and help them with future development. These installers also help when products undergo testing, putting a real world perspective on the product.
Origin is a strong bifolding door brand the company wants to protect.
The reality of door and window world is that installations, on rare occasions, do not go as planned. Any professional bifolding door company may have been in the situation where they have a dispute with the homeowner that cannot be resolved easily or even amicably. Where these issues relate to the product or the installation, the next step is to get the company involved that designed and manufactured the product.
We can see a situation where Origin can step in to help resolve potential disputes with trained installers. Not only does this provide a valuable customer service to the buyer of Origin doors but also protect the reliable and reputable Origin brand.
Service Engineers are also installers.
A service engineer is called upon to provide a valuable service to a systems company like Origin with many other aluminium systems companies also having a team of site support staff. It is evident that anyone who is employed as a Service Engineer must possess knowledge of fitting bifolding doors and windows. Therefore to recruit Installers is logical as these can also be service engineers.
What you may not know is that fitters can also be the best salesmen. Origin’s installers take an active role in the many trade and homeowner exhibitions where Origin has a presence . They are the best people to discuss with potential customers frequent bifolding door questions such as level thresholds, access leaves, configuration and installation. Internally these trained installers also assist the Customer Service Team when they are handling customer enquiries about Origin windows and doors.
Origin as a business is growing.
October 1st, saw the launch of the new Origin Residential front door that we understand is selling very well into its second month. Further new products are likely to be launched in the future as part of Origin’s growth strategy. Logical therefore to assume that the Company may be putting its team in place to support new and forthcoming products.
Origin Dealers have little to fear.
Origin dealers know why they love Origin products and selling them. With this recruitment drive, Origin is simply finding great people for their Solutions and Technical team. These positions require people that know how to fit windows and doors. Good news for Origin dealers and great news for the homeowner.
