Who is Today's Conservatory Buyer?

Although a business-to-business supplier, Ultraframe takes great pride in its desire to understand what the ultimate buyer (i.e. the consumer) thinks of its products in particular and their conservatories in general. This desire to understand conservatory buyer behaviour has helped Ultraframe to shape its product range and marketing support offering over the years, ensuring that the needs of the consumer, as well as their trade customers are always met.

 

However, as a business-to-business company, how does Ultraframe interact with the conservatory buying public to gather this crucial information? We do this in a number of ways:

 

We undertake regular bouts of consumer research, usually through focus groups. Independent market research companies are used to recruit consumers to the groups and they provide independent moderators to ensure the groups are objective. The results of such research help us to shape the products of the future, whilst also gaining valuable insight into consumer’s perceptions and experiences of the conservatory products already available. Respondents to conservatory research carried out by Ultraframe during 2008 were overall very positive. Such positive associations included the words; light, summer, relaxing, add value, link to garden, cheaper/easier than moving home, less stressful than an extension.

 

In addition to focus groups, one-to-one depth interviews are also conducted to gather further insight and understanding. Consumer research is a vital part of our New Product Introduction process with two main aims:
1. Helping us ‘sell’ our product to the retailer if we know what the consumer thinks of the innovation, pricing levels etc
2. Feedback from the consumer shapes the development of the innovation, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction levels.

 

 

Secondly, all Ultraframe roofs sent out to site contain a registration form for the Ultraframe roof Certificate of Authenticity which we actively encourage conservatory builders/fitters to pass to the consumer. Its main purpose is to reassure the consumer that they did receive an Ultraframe roof on their conservatory (i.e. no passing-off of inferior competitor product). However, in completing the form to register their roof, the consumer is encouraged to give us supplementary data which again helps us to understand what consumers think of our products and their experience of the route to market. Examples of the information collected and analysed includes:
• Asking them to rate the installation and the retailer
• How long they had considered buying before they did buy
• How did they research their purchase
• Had they owned a conservatory before
• Would they recommend a conservatory to friends/family

 

Recent findings from the Certificate of Authenticity research show that almost 40% of conservatory buyers have owned a conservatory before, meaning that installers are often now dealing with consumers who have some experience of conservatories, and may require more detailed information and request input into the design and specification of their new conservatory. Other interesting information gathered from the Certificate of Authenticity data indicates that a strong local reputation is as important as ever, with 64% of respondents having found their conservatory installer via a recommendation from friends or family.

 

Simply gathering data is not enough – Ultraframe ensure that all of this information is analysed and used when shaping future products and marketing initiatives. Of course, the glass and glazing industry is populated by many veterans and characters claiming to know the market inside out. Such knowledge is undoubtedly invaluable, but is also important to accept that consumers are constantly evolving in terms of their needs, their spending habits and their drivers, and so long-standing knowledge should regularly be supplemented with up-to-date market research.

 

Market research proves that no matter how long you have been in the glass and glazing industry there is always room for supplementing your current understanding of the consumer and that this is the key to succeeding in what is undoubtedly a very tough market right now.

 

- Ends -

December 2008

 

 

Ultraframe deliver innovative and top quality conservatory roof systems for the trade which suit all styles, all applications, all consumer types and which offer excellent value for money.

The market leading company invests heavily in research and development to provide the most technologically advanced and stylish conservatory roofing solutions, maximising light and space. Ultraframe are at the forefront of conservatory design and its systems are mainly used in the home improvement sector but also in new housing and commercial applications in the UK and Europe.

In 2006 the privately owned Latium Group, which has many interests within the glass & glazing and home improvement markets acquired Ultraframe. The Latium Group is owned by entrepreneur Brian Kennedy.

For further media information:
Mark Hanson
Ultraframe (UK) Ltd
Salthill Road
Clitheroe
Lancashire
BB7 1PE
01200 452375
Mark.hanson@ultraframe.co.uk