In the last issue of Total Fabricator, our ‘behind the scenes’ feature at Selecta Systems looked at the many aspects of marketing support. Continuing with the service and support theme, Technical Manager Cliff Prosser, provides you with an insight in to the realm of technical service and support at Selecta.

Previous behind the scenes features have seen us explain how heavily important we value the personal, flexible and comprehensive service and support side of the business. It’s an area we have always seen as key and it’s no different when it comes to the technical service and support side of the business. We genuinely see our technical department as an extension to your business, providing an array of technical information, assistance, on-site training and guidance alongside our internal and external technical support services to customers.

Co-ordinating and carrying out administrative duties within the technical department is Michele Statham. Her methodical and meticulous approach to the role is key to the smooth operation and success of new customer conversions and set-ups.

Michele is responsible for all stock tooling and special tooling orders for customers, liaising with suppliers and maintaining stock levels. She also works closely with customers and suppliers in organising and ordering the window and door fabrication software package.

One of Michele’s other key responsibilities is managing the technical engineers diaries, of which we have three permanently based on the road, with Kevin Clark covering the north, Steve Belshaw the middle and Kevin Mascall in the south of the UK. Two further internal technical staff can also be called upon to provide support on the road, when and where it may be required. Michele will make certain that all the necessary paperwork is in order, orders are placed and tooling is ready, ensuring for a smooth set-up or conversion to our window and door profile systems.

Our technical engineers provide remote and on-site assistance, guidance and training for all aspects of fabrication and installation. One of the initial key aspects of their role is during the initial set-up and conversion of customers to our profile systems. Factory layout planning, the fitting of machinery tooling, window and door fabrication training, software instructions and all relevant profile system advice is provided from the off, with continued support throughout the customers connection with Selecta.

We have found that our technical engineers build up excellent relationships with our customers base, mainly due to their exceptional knowledge, experience and flexibility of being able to provide a trustworthy and comprehensive technical service and support role. They are seen as the ‘fabricators best buddy’ as they see this is an invaluable service, as and when issues arise, with their extensive fabrication knowledge and ability to assist window and door manufacturing. Couple this with the capability of being able to carry out set-ups and minor machinery repairs, they quickly become the go to guys!

My role, at Selecta, sees myself managing and supervising the technical department, whilst also providing a technical support service to customers, specifiers, homeowners and all those who require specialist technical assistance and guidance. From overseeing new customer conversions and set-ups or advising a homeowner on how to adjust a hinge, to facilitating product testing or advising a confused customers on building regulation changes, every day is different!

The latest and future proposed changes to Document L of the building regulations have seen further investment in our research and development programme. With our existing ADVANCE 70 system meeting the 1.2 U value requirements, we have been looking at both product and glazing capabilities to improve this further. By mid-October, I will have completed a training course to become a WER / U Value approved simulator, thus being able to provide further support to our customer base.

This will aid us further in working towards the proposed 2025 Document L changes as we invest more resources in to developing our window and door solutions. Our company ethos however will remain. Any new developments and improvements shall continue to be fabricator and installer friendly, whilst also being cost effective as is possible for the fabricator and installer.

Over the last couple of years and within these behind-the-scenes features, we’ve mentioned that customer service, support and care remain high on the agenda. Communication is also key. Working with the Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, we have introduced and launched a number of technical information sheets and guidance documents.

We launched two PAS 24 Window and Door Technical Guidance documents, providing customers with a simplified and detailed overview of how to fabricate PAS 24 windows, single leaf and French doors. The simple and effective guides, itemise each piece of hardware, its product code and a visual guide as to where it should be fitted. Feedback from customers has been extremely positive, with the main plus point of being how simplistic and easy to understand the documents were.

This was followed up with the “What the F & L?” Technical Guide, which again was a simplistic overview of the recent changes to building regulations Document F and L. The much talked about trickle vent and U value scenarios and permutations were broken down in to bullet points, thus making the requirements easier to understand.

These three technical guides are just a couple of instances of what we do ‘behind the scenes’ to keep our customers informed and up-to-date with industry requirements and how to comply. To be perfectly honest, it’s very difficult to provide an all-encompassing behind the scenes insight in to our technical support and services. Again, it’s an area that is evolving all the time as we focus on providing a unique, personal and informative service and support package. Technically speaking, it’s all about providing the perfect mix of service, support and communication to strengthen and enhance our relationship with our customers.