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Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, talks about a challenging market and why you should Connect with Selecta at FIT Show 2025.
In the current market, it’s become imperative that fabricators and installers partner with a systems company that can provide them with more than just a range of products. Every systems company can supply fabricators with ‘sticks of profile’, but not all can provide a personal and comprehensive service and support package. By this, I talk about providing you with a personal marketing support package, which is backed up with the sales and marketing tools to help you generate more sales leads and win new business.
It’s widely reported that the industry is down by approximately 10-15%, with some stating it could be as high as 20-25% in certain sectors of the market. With the industries home improvement boom now a distant memory, it now appears that we have somewhat returned to pre-covid levels, a time we seem to have forgotten.
Businesses may have become more accustomed to the reactive nature of doing business, which they experienced with the home improvement boom over the last few years. The current downturn may require businesses to take a more proactive approach to generating sales leads and winning new business. In turn, this may involve companies undertaking a totally different marketing strategy and plan to which had worked previously and of which they are used to.
Dependent on current resources and infrastructure, there will be some who would benefit from additional support and tools to aid them in implementing and realising their strategy and plan. The marketing support package, which Selecta have invested heavily in, provides fabricators and installers with exactly that! 2025 will see more innovative developments in place to further push the boundaries of support including the tools to take our Connect customer support portal to a completely new level.
Connect provides fabricators and installers with a host of technical and general information and guidance, with an excellent resource and news centre. However, marketing support sits at the very heart of Connect, providing a comprehensive package that’s designed to help businesses generate more sales leads and win new business.
Identified as Branded Mode, our Window & Door Designer with Home Visualiser has already been touted as a real game changer when it comes to lead generation and sales. It is fully loaded with all of Selecta’s window and door solutions, styles and configurations, and as the name suggests can be branded in-line with your business.
Customers can explore a wide range of window and door styles, choose from a variety of colour options to suit, upload property photos to visualise how they would look and request a survey and quote based on their design. Branded Mode is a fully immersive user experience, whether done in their own home, in your showroom or by your representative at the customers property.
With Selecta inviting you to Connect at FIT Show 2025, the April show will see the launch of a host of new features and modules within Connect and the designer. The added features are aimed at connecting fabricators, installers and their customers together with additional quoting, pricing and fabrication modules being integrated within the Window & Door Designer. This groundbreaking and integrated system will provide fabricators and installers with the ultimate sales lead generation, sales management and fabrication management tool. Portal Mode will link the initial lead, to quoting and pricing, through to workshop fabrication.
In Connect, you also have access to the Website Support Package, which features two ready-made themed websites, one for fabricators and one for installers. Fully equipped with all of Selecta’s window and door solutions, photography and text, you can have a modern and ready-to-go website up and running within 5 days! All that’s needed is your logo, chosen colour theme, a company bio and your contact details to get started. It takes out the headache of a website build.
The themed websites have been purposely designed to grow as you grow, allowing you to add new products, services and features. Upgrades include adding the Window & Door Designer, so that you can have a fully branded and professional on-line package that’s ready to start generating leads and winning new business from the outset.
This comprehensive marketing support package is key to building a trustworthy and effective partnership. In challenging times, we believe it’s imperative that you receive the right support and back-up from your systems company. This is why we are confident that Connect will provide even more added value and benefits to every fabricator and installer who choose to #bepartofthefamily
During December of last year, Selecta Systems held a couple of fundraising events and raised a fantastic £3,700 for local charity, Acorns Children’s Hospice. A Christmas raffle culminating in a Christmas jumper day, were organised by the Selecta marketing department for this worthy cause.
Selecta Systems Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, spoke about the fundraising events and why Selecta chose to support Acorns Children’s Hospice.
“We’ve supported Acorns as our local charity for a number of years now and we’ve always been amazed at what they do for babies, children, young people and the families of those with life limiting or life-threatening conditions. Acorns has been threatened with closure over the last few years or so and is heavily reliant on donations from the community to fund the local hospice centres.”
Acorns Children’s Hospice provides babies, children and young people, who have life limiting or life-threatening conditions and associated complex needs with a network of specialist palliative nursing care and support. They also provide a holistic service which meets the needs of both the children and their families, including the bereaved. This includes short break provision; emergency and end of life care; therapeutic and psychosocial support; sibling services and family support.
Coordinated by Marketing Assistant, Danielle Southam, concludes, “It only seems right to continue our support for such a worthy cause. We would like to thank everyone who got involved and donated. We are thrilled at being able to raise over £3,700!”
Energy efficient products remain a big driver for sales, with homeowners, architects and developers looking to improve a home’s thermal performance thus reducing energy usage and bills. Selecta Systems Technical Manager, Cliff Prosser, explains the company’s philosophy behind ensuring that any new developments and enhancements continue to be fabricator and installer friendly, whilst also being as cost effective as is possible.
Windows and doors are often seen as a ‘distress purchase’. A purchase made out of necessity rather than pleasure. Replacing windows and doors within a home is amongst one of the largest investment renovations that a consumer will undertake on their property. Energy efficient products will now very likely feature top of their requirements, when choosing replacement windows and doors, closely followed by security and aesthetics.
Window and door companies have the ideal opportunity to promote the energy efficiency of their products as one of the main USP’s. Whether this being new build projects or replacing ageing and tired windows and doors, there is a necessity and requirement to improve a homes thermal efficiency and reduce energy bills. The latest and future revisions to Building Regulations Document Part L and the Future Homes Standard (FHS) provides companies with a strong legislative platform for promoting the thermal performance of windows and doors within the home.
With the recent and future changes to Part L and the FHS, coupled with further calls for action on climate control and sustainability, our industry remains under pressure to further develop product energy efficiency innovation and sustainability. These changes have seen Selecta provide further investment in our research and development programme, working closely with ER Certification and Clayton Glass. These partnerships have led to some truly exceptional results with some very efficient and cost-effective solutions attained.
The objective of our energy efficiency and sustainability R&D programme has been to continue to provide fabricators and installers with an effective and easily attainable solution, that meets and exceeds current and future requirements. This philosophy has seen our existing ADVANCE 70 system capable of achieving a U value of 1.1W/m²k with a 4/20/4, 28mm double glazed unit. Again, incorporating 4mm glass, a 40mm triple glazed unit will achieve a U value of 0.8 W/m²k, meeting the proposed FHS target. All this has been achieved without any further modifications of our ADVANCE 70 system and very much standardised glass specifications.
We realise the fact that the FHS final intended 0.8 W/m²k U value requirement will pose a significant challenge to many in our industry. These planned tighter regulations may indicate that some products on the market may have already or be close to reaching their design limits of their product range.
This is why we are extremely pleased that our continued investment in our R&D programme has clearly demonstrated the excellent technical and thermal capabilities of our ADVANCE 70 system in current and future market conditions. Along the way, we have been able to retain the company ethos on providing fabricators, installers and consumers with the most innovative, proficient and cost-effective energy efficient window and door solutions on the market.
We firmly believe that by partnering with Selecta and our ADVANCE 70 system, our excellent thermal performance ratings present fabricators and installers with greater sales and marketing opportunities. The future proofed ADVANCE 70 window and door system, combined with our first-class marketing and technical support package certainly provides you with the tools to generate new sales leads and win new business.
The two biggest assets in any company are its staff and customers. Without either, there is no company. Selecta Systems Sales Director Andy Green talks about why building strong business partnerships and loyalty in business are so important, whilst thanking four customers and a number of employees who have each surpassed over 30 years of partnership with Selecta. The Loyal Family…
Andy is a prime example of business loyalty, with himself amassing over 33 years’ service at Selecta, a company that has long been known for being the family and independently owned PVCu systems company. Starting out in 1982, the business has grown, building an established customer base supported by a team of experienced, knowledgeable and time-honoured employees, as Andy explains.
“Over the last six months, we have had four customers surpass 30 years of loyal partnership with Selecta. Reaching this milestone in todays market, is a fantastic achievement and one that is very much appreciated by everyone at Selecta. To mark each customers 30 years with Selecta, we presented them with an award as part of that recognition.”
30 Year Partnerships
FAIRVIEW WINDOWS NORTH – In Tyne & Wear we have Richie Wardle, owner of Fairview Windows North, who celebrated their 30-year partnership with Selecta by stating, “The industry has changed a lot over the years, but I’ve always felt that we’ve been in good hands with Selecta during this time. Even though we are some 190 miles away from Selecta, we’ve built up some key relationships with people there, a crucial element in ensuring that our business continues to run smoothly.”
GOLDSTAR TRADE FRAMES – Goldstar Trade Frames in Aldridge, West Midlands, was originally started by Mick Simms and is now run by his daughter Claire Simms. Entering their 31st year as a Selecta partner, Claire commented, “We genuinely feel ‘part of the family’ and Selecta are and have always been a perfect fit for our business. Being local to our premises has always been a bonus, providing ourselves with greater flexibility in terms of when we have needed that extra bit of help!”
KIWI WINDOWS – Another customer with over 30 years of partnership is Kiwi Windows in Coventry. Colin Whelan was at the helm when Selecta originally set them up, but the business is now run by his son, Jamie Whelan and daughter, Vanessa Whelan. Jamie said, “We’ve always been a family run business, in similar ilk to Selecta. Our company ethos and values very much match that of Selecta, with the focus always on providing a quality product and a first-class service.”
ALLWYN WINDOWS – West Midlands based Allwyn Windows has also surpassed 30 years of partnership with Selecta. Owner, Wayne Lloyd commented, “Selecta have always ticked all the boxes for us as a business. Quality products with superb service and support backed up by a fantastic bunch of people who go out of their way to help! I can’t believe it’s been 30 years!”
Andy Green remarked, “With almost 300 customers on our books, we have a number of those who have been long-term Selecta partners. In fact, 47.7% of our customers have been Selecta partners for over 10 years, with just over 10% accounting for 20 plus years. We’re very proud of the loyal customer base that we have created at Selecta. This kind of devotion and commitment also extends to our staff, demonstrating the businesses stability, continuity and solidarity. Hence why the loyal family and #bepartofthefamily business strap line is so fitting and apt.”
Recently, Purchasing & Stock Control Manager Mark Roberts and Marketing Manager Mark Walker celebrated 30 years of service and association with Selecta. They join a 30-year club consisting of Andy Green, Maria Lawrence, Kevin Clark, Carl Garr and Dean Taylor, which is an amazing feat by all. Together with this there is also a strong contingency of staff who have over 20 years under their belt, with another 14 who have reached that milestone. These kind of numbers truly demonstrate the vast array of knowledge and experience within Selecta and the overall strength and stability of the business.
Andy concludes, “I firmly believe that if you provide a quality product, complimented by a flexible and personal support service, whilst operating your business with transparency, trust and honesty, it will breed loyalty.”
With the boom in the home improvement market now clearly a distant memory, we all envisaged that the demand for new windows and doors would not be able to continue at the rate that we had experienced over the last few years. Selecta Systems Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, talks about how they are taking fabricator and installer sales and marketing support to a whole new level.
Over the last few years, we have been working meticulously in the background at ways of adding real value and benefits to our sales and marketing support service, tools and mechanisms. Our main drive and objective being very clear; to make our sales and marketing support package a real game changer, not only for ourselves, but more importantly for our fabricators and installers.
New Trade & Homeowner Websites
One of the first investments we identified was a brand-new website. In fact, we saw huge opportunities for two new websites, one for trade and one for retail. We were experiencing a number of homeowner enquiries, some 25+ per week, just through the website alone and more via telephone and email. This highlighted that there was potential for a consumer dedicated website with improved homeowner-based information and branding.
This in-turn would be capable of generating and capturing sales leads for our fabricator and installer customer base. Hence, we designed and built both a trade and retail website, with the latter aimed at promoting the ADVANCE 70 brand. The way we see it is that our fabricators and/or installers sell the ADVANCE 70 window and door system, not Selecta, and the end consumer has ADVANCE 70 windows and doors installed.
On both the selectasystems.com and advance70.co.uk websites, a Find a Fabricator / Installer feature was added, to make it easier and quicker for consumers to engage with our growing customer base. By filtering it down to their area, distance from their location and products required, consumers can drill down their most local fabricators and/or installers. Direct links to the fabricator and/or installers website and contact details are included in the customer card, all contained within a Google map with directions, street view and other map functions.
Window & Door Designer and Home Visualiser
The biggest and most exciting addition to the consumer dedicated website is the Window and Door Designer with Home Visualiser, delivered by the amazing TOUCH. The complete range of Selecta products, direct from our Business Micros dataset, have been included thus allowing visitors to the site to design their own windows and doors!
They can choose the style, configuration, colour, hardware and glass decoration before saving each design within the portal. The most valuable part of the designer is that a homeowner can upload images of their home and drop on their newly designed windows and doors! This enables them to see if the colour or design they desire compliments the style, period and location of their home before submitting the enquiry. Once completed they can submit their enquiry which lands within the Dealer Network section of our newly upgraded Connect customer portal. A professional PDF copy of their design lands in the homeowners inbox too!
Once the enquiry hits our admin area of the Connect portal, we are then able to assign it to their local fabricator and/or installer! Every customer of Selecta is included within the Connect portal and has an account to not only access their sales leads, but a host of other sales and marketing tools and information. The fabricator and/or installer is now able to accept the lead, which comes complete with the customers design and contact details. It also allows them to download a professional PDF copy of the design and a survey sheet to quote the customer.
Selecta are the first systems company to launch the TOUCH Window and Door Designer and provide this level of sales and marketing support, as we continue to put fabricators and installers at the heart of our business. Between the Find a Fabricator / Installer feature and the Window and Door Designer alone we are currently generating in excess of 200 sales leads per month. These are distributed through the Connect Dealer Network to our customer base, dependent on leads location. We see this figure increasing greatly during 2024 as we venture on an exciting campaign to further promote the ADVANCE 70 brand, website and Window & Door Designer.
Stay Connected
As part of the website updates, we also upgraded our Connect customer support portal. Connect is designed to provide fabricators and/or installers with 24/7, 365 days a year access to a host of sales, marketing and technical support tools and information.
Originally launched in 2018, our Connect customer support portal, now includes more sales and marketing tools than ever before! The same Window and Door Designer with Home Visualiser that features upon our homeowner website, is available to fabricators and installers to have branded and sit on their own website. This amazing designer package and sales lead generator revolutionises the way fabricators and/or installers present and sell windows and doors to a whole new level.
Also, within Connect is a brand-new website support package, where themed ready-made websites for both trade and retail businesses are available to fabricators and/or installers, who don’t want to go through the headache of a website build. With pages full of quality imagery and product information, all that’s needed to complete your branded site is your logo, contact details, colour scheme and about us bio. Combine that with the Window and Door Designer and you have the complete online package to help you win new business!
We also have a web2print brochure creator on its way that allows our customers to brand and edit our range of brochures with their own information and imagery, without requiring any graphic design experience. There will also be a stationery and promotional product shop, where customers can design and purchase everything from branded pens and letterheads, through to workwear and mugs.
With the addition of new sales brochures, branded sales videos and images, these investments in our range of sales and marketing tools demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the industry and more importantly, our customer base. Everything has been purposely designed to provide fabricators and/or installers with a simplistic way of upgrading their sales and marketing offering, helping to promote their products and services. All of which is aimed at helping fabricators and/or installers win new business and take their business to a whole new level in 2024 and beyond.
Having visited the excellent Glazing Summit and digested the latest industry figures, the statistics seem to demonstrate that there is a steady decline year-on-year in the number of PVCu window and door fabricators operating within the UK. However, it seems that PVCu Systems Company Selecta Systems are currently in the process of bucking that trend as they are seeing more new fabricators coming on board than what they’ve witnessed in previous years. Selecta Systems Sales Director, Andy Green, analyses the figures and explains why there seems to be a surge in new fabrication start-ups and installers going back in to or start fabricating.
I read with great interest the most recent and excellent Industry Report produced by Insight Data. The figures make thought-provoking reading and are certainly in line with many people’s perceptions of the current state of play within the industry. As for Selecta, 2023 has seen an increase in new start-up businesses, conversions and also fabricators diversifying and dual sourcing. However, what is interesting, is that Selecta have seen an increase in installers moving in to fabrication, with the clear reasoning being, to ‘take back control’ of their business.
Taking Back Control
The recent demise of some big industry figures has certainly played a big part in many a businesses plans, from both an installers and fabricators perspective. We totally understand the rationale behind this ‘taking back control’ spate, which has been very clear and concise, especially with the failure of some big trade suppliers, another systems company and one of the largest window and door installers in the UK.
We’ve started to see installers looking at their own business models with many recognising that ‘buying in’ manufactured products totally removes an element of control over the quality and service they provide. These trade supplier failings significantly affect their installation business. The closure of some large window and door trade suppliers has also forced a lot of installers in to making decisions regarding their current business model. It’s also made others think more about other issues that can affect their service, such as, delivery performance, poorly and incorrectly fabricated products, with both potentially causing installation headaches of which they have virtually no control over. All these factors have had and can have damaging knock-on effects to their installation business, not only their reputation, but also on the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations.
There’s nothing worse for installers than booking in a job, their customer having time off work and then having issues where the product hasn’t arrived or is damaged during transit. Then there’s the possibility of fabrication problems when fitting on site. The majority of these issues may not be able to be resolved by the installation company, whereas if they were fabricating, they could apply their own corrective actions and also have greater control of what goes out the door and when. As for delivery timescales, why wait when you can fabricate?
I’m not saying this is the case everywhere for fabrication and installation companies, but we’ve certainly experienced an increase in installers wanting to be in control of their own destiny, with a number starting to and showing increasing interest in the fabrication of our ADVANCE 70 System of late. The numbers we’ve seen of late are certainly more than we’ve experienced in a long time.
Selecta have always had a strong and successful history of setting up fabricators and fabrication facilities from scratch and assisting in all aspects of the process from layout and floor plan design to full blown training, with your own personal technician making the transition as smooth as possible.
The statistics also point you in the direction that aluminium windows and doors are on the increase, with PVCu fabricators and installers diversifying and venturing in to this growing area. This may be the case, but at Selecta we’re also seeing a trend in aluminium fabricators moving in to PVCu fabrication and expanding their product range. This certainly demonstrates that PVCu remains a strong proposition in a customer’s portfolio and that businesses are looking at how they can further protect their business to meet the ever-changing landscape.
The increase in new business start-ups may be more surprising for some, especially with the current state of play with the cost-of-living crisis and other factors that may deter the home improvement market. However, there are plenty of opportunities out there and the number of frames per week that companies like Safestyle and UKWG were fabricating have to be fulfilled somewhere. Those kind of numbers and opportunities are still out there, they simply don’t just go away.
Service and Support is Key
Whether you’re a fabricator or installer, our aim at Selecta is to provide a service and support package that suits everyone, from sales to delivery, technical to marketing. We have an extensive range of retail-based marketing support and sales brochures, literature and sales videos, whilst we also provide a series of trade sales and technical information guides aimed at promoting the window and door range to trade customers and installers.
Our Connect customer support portal, now includes more sales and marketing tools than ever before! A Window and Door Designer with Home Visualiser is available to fabricators and installers to personalise with their branding and feature on their website. This amazing designer package and sales lead generator takes the way you sell and present windows and doors to a whole new level. Also, within Connect is a completely brand-new website support package, where themed ready-made websites for both trade and retail businesses are available to customers who don’t want to go through the headache of a website build. Link that up with the Window and Door Designer and you have the complete online package to help you win new business!
We also have a web2print brochure creator on its way that allows customers to brand and edit our range of brochures with their own information and imagery, without requiring any graphic design experience. It’s a simplistic way of upgrading your sales and marketing offering, promoting you, your products and services.
Perfect Business Partner
In light of recent events within the industry, it is now vitally important whether you’re a fabricator, installer or both that you have, not only the right window and door profile system, but also the right supplier that can service and support you and your business. I believe this is essential in building a successful business partnership.
Our ADVANCE 70 System is now firmly recognised as one of the leading PVCu window and door profile systems. Whether you are fabricating, installing or both, you can be sure of a quality and comprehensive range of window and door solutions at your disposal.
Combine this with our personal customer support and service, marketing and technical support package and you have the perfect partner to not only support your business, but also grow your business. Whether you are already fabricating, or looking at fabricating, diversifying or broadening your product range, feel free to contact us and have that friendly chat on how Selecta can help you win new business.
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in pressure for far more stringent energy efficient products, driven by current and future legislative requirements combined with homeowner demands. Selecta Systems Technical Manager, Cliff Prosser, has been looking through the Selecta archives and articles that were written back in 2017, with concerns and questions raised that still seem pertinent to the current plight that we find ourselves in today.
I was recently looking through the technical archives and I found two particular energy efficiency related articles written and published by the previous technical team, that really caught my attention. It certainly seems like we were looking in to a crystal ball back then! This is particularly interesting on how we spoke about energy efficiency and the route the industry was deemed to be undertaking. What seems significant is that here we are, some 6 years later, with the very same concerns and questions still being raised!
We had acknowledged that the technical performance and specification of window and door systems had improved dramatically over the years, as window and door solutions evolved. It also identified that consumer demand within the replacement market would not only be for energy efficient products, but for more cost effective solutions in being able to deliver those savings with a guaranteed financial return on their investment.
The articles spoke of “sales and marketing campaigns driving fabricators and consumers as to requiring A++ ratings and triple glazed windows and doors to improve the thermal efficiency of properties and reduce energy bills”. This is no different to todays push with U values, Document L and the Future Homes Standard. But more importantly the article spoke of how meeting these rigid targets may present companies with the difficulty of being able to provide cost effective solutions for all.
It points to whether the cost and impact of improving the thermal efficiency of windows and doors may outweigh the overall savings. For instance, the end consumer may never see any return on their added investment when it comes to energy bill savings. Then there’s a business’s extra production and manufacturing costs to produce a product, which could possibly end up increasing its carbon footprint. This could certainly be the case for laminated glass production. Solve one problem, create another! Pretty much a similar scenario with electric cars. Ideology is great, but cost effectiveness, poor infrastructure, non-recyclability of batteries, impact of mining etc. all have detrimental effects in other areas, but hey, “I’m saving the planet by driving an electric car!”
It was interesting that the 2017 article touched on the possibility of ”over engineering a product just for the sake of achieving a higher rating”. In the replacement market, is a 0.2 decrease in U value really going to improve the overall efficiency of a property? Referring back to the extra manufacturing requirements and costs to achieve such a decrease, which if we were to analyse, would possibly bring minimal to zero improvements to the overall efficiency of the property and or energy savings to the homeowner.
It should not simply be about trying to provide a window or door solution that achieves the lowest U value, but we should be giving greater prominence in the ‘cost effectiveness’ achievement factor to the extruder, fabricator, installer and more importantly, the consumer. Will a 0.2 or even a 0.4 U value decrease provide a large leap in potential energy savings to the end consumer and the thermal efficiency of the property in comparison to the added expense in achieving this?
The articles continued to query whether there “must be a ‘cut-off’ point where the ‘efficiency’ reaches a level that it could be detrimental to the building fabric and the whole cost against benefit of installing the windows or door is no longer pertinent”. I believe this is still relevant when you consider the conflicts relating to documents L and F and the stabilisation of temperature within a property. Another point to add, with it all based on simulation, there’s also no consideration in to the quality of fabrication or installation of the windows or doors, a completely different ball game altogether.
As a systems company at the top of the supply chain, everyone may benefit from a more pragmatic and realistic approach to U values. For instance, moving to a centre pane U value would be the more logical approach, with glass making up at least 85% of all windows and most doors.
It will be interesting to look back in another six years or so to see if any sensible progress has been made in answering these queries and whether common sense does prevail.
Birmingham based PVCu window and door systems company, Selecta Systems, headed to FIT Show 2023 equipped with an armoury of sales and marketing support tools and a range of innovative products and new concepts. Sales Director, Andy Green and Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, talk about Selecta’s presence and huge impact at the show.
Andy explains, “Selecta were the only PVCu window and door systems company to exhibit at FIT Show 2023 and the only PVCu window and door systems company to exhibit at every FIT Show since it began 10 years ago! What this meant for fabricators visiting this year’s show, those who may have been looking to change profile systems or just merely window shopping, pardon the pun, was that Selecta were the only go to. So, by simply being at the show and having that presence presented huge benefits to ourselves. It fact, it provided the perfect platform to enable us to talk directly to prospective customers, whilst presenting ourselves with an excellent level of exposure and further marketing opportunities.”
“Over the course of the three days we had a number of frustrated fabricators who came to our stand to specifically look at changing from their existing systems company. The numbers and quality of these potential customers were extremely good and certainly justified our presence. The launch of our modernised MASTERslide patio door was fondly received and generated a good volume of interest from both existing and potential fabricators and installers.”
“Interest in our newly upgraded Connect customer portal and supporting sales and marketing tools was exceptional. Both existing and potential customers were excited by our sales and marketing support package offerings, appreciating its vast capabilities and ability in helping them win new business”, Andy emphasises.
Selecta saw the FIT Show as the perfect platform to launch the recently updated Connect customer portal and new sales and marketing support tools, as Mark explains.
“The Connect customer portal was originally launched in May 2018, where it focused around a resource centre of marketing and technical downloads, information and guides to help fabricators and installers 24/7, 365 days a year. The updated Connect project has been in progress for almost two years with the portal now boasting a host of new marketing, sales and technical support features. Our intentions were to always grow the platform in to the ‘go to hub’ for all areas of technical, marketing and sales support, and we saw the FIT Show as the ideal stage for us to launch and fully demonstrate its excellent new capabilities and features.”
“I must say, feedback and interest during the show was amazing! On the stand we were demoing our all new and refreshed trade website alongside our brand-new homeowner website, which intrinsically links all enquiries and sales leads between Connect and our customers. The window and door designer / visualiser, fully loaded with our range of window and door solutions, was a sure-fire hit amongst visitors to the stand”, says Mark.
“The real winner for fabricators and installers was that we are able to offer a branded version of the window and door designer / visualiser, which in-turn can be embedded upon their own website! This then enables them to generate their own sales leads, have them land within their own admin area of their own version of Connect and create professional quotes. Not only does this provide them with a professional looking sales tool and an opportunity to win new business, but it also provides them with a brilliant sales management tool in the background.”
Mark continues, “We came away from the show with a long list of customers, ready and waiting to sign-up and have their own version of the designer. The response was excellent and exactly what we had wished for and more.”
Selecta were so impressed with the feedback and response at the show, that they signed up to FIT Show 2025 before the 2023 event had even finished! Andy explains the reason behind this decision.
“What was really nice was that we had so many compliments about our stand at the show. We were so pleased with the stand and the general response to Selecta. our product range and the Connect portal. The quantity and quality of the leads definitely exceeded our expectations. So, we would like to thank the FIT Show team for such a fantastic and well organised event. For us, it really was a no brainer to sign up there and then to 2025 and secure a prime spot on the floor plan, on the back of what was an excellent show and a really fitting result for Selecta.”
Visit our FIT Show 2023 page and take a 3D virtual tour of our stand by clicking here…
At the end of April 2023, Selecta Systems customer ACG Windows & Doors Ltd started this huge replacement window and door programme for SUREFIRE.
ACG Windows and Doors are a fabricator and installer of our ADVANCE 70 System of which will be used for the project, based at Chuckery Towers in Walsall, West Midlands.
Selecta’s technical team have worked closely with ACG over the last few months, providing invaluable technical and design support. With 1845 ADVANCE 70 Windows. the project is expected to take four months to complete. ACG will also install 385 doors as part of the project.
The project demonstrates the strong credentials and capabilities of the ADVANCE 70 System and the technical support teams ability to assist all parties on projects of this scale.
Loo out for a full case study will available once works have been completed.
One of the UK’s leading and longstanding PVCu window and door systems companies, Selecta Systems, head to FIT Show 2023 with a fabricator and installer support package that is being touted as a real game changer, whilst they also show off how they have modernised the ever-popular patio door! Sales Director, Andy Green and Marketing Manager, Mark Walker, give you an insight in to what you can expect from the independent and family-owned PVCu systems company at FIT Show 2023!
Andy comments, “We have always been proud of our ability to provide a flexible and personal service and support package and we see the FIT Show as the perfect platform to show off our latest innovations. The recent update to our Connect customer portal aims to take our marketing and sales support package to the next level, with a suite of support mechanisms designed to help fabricators and installers win new business”.
“The Connect customer support portal was originally launched in May 2018, where it focused around a resource centre of marketing and technical downloads, information and guides to help fabricators and installers 24/7, 365 days a year. Our intentions were to always grow the platform in to the ‘go to hub’ for all areas of technical, marketing and sales support, of which we are now able to fully demonstrate its new capabilities and features, as Mark will explain.
Mark continues, “The whole project has been in progress for almost two years with our Connect portal now boasting a host of new marketing, sales and technical support features. A new trade website has been built that will host the upgraded Connect portal, whilst a brand new homeowner website will intrinsically link enquiries and sales leads between Connect and the customer”.
“The homeowner website has two fantastic features. The first being a ‘Find a Fabricator / Installer’ feature, where all of our approved fabricators and installers are available within a simplistic search engine. The second is the option for visitors to the site to design their own windows and doors with our fantastic Window and Door Designer! The designer has all of the Selecta range of products, from casement, flush sash and tilt and turn windows through to residential, French, patio and EASi-FOLD doors. We’ve also added in a range of composite doors, so that the homeowner has a good range of products, styles and configurations to choose from and improve their home”.
“We have kept the design and enquiry process simple. The homeowner can select a number of window and door configurations and styles, the internal and external colour, hardware colour and other glazing options like Georgian bar or leaded glass. The real beauty of this is that they can also take a photo of their property and drop the windows and doors on to their home to visualise how they would look! They can then submit their design as a professional PDF enquiry for quoting, of which we send direct to their local fabricators and/or installers admin area of their Connect portal for access and follow up”.
“As a fabricator or installer, we are also able to offer you a branded version of the window and door designer for the you to have embedded upon your own website! As a fabricator and/or installer you are then able to generate your own sales leads and have them land within your own admin area of your own version of Connect. You can have your own logo and contact details contained within the package and also emblazoned on all the relevant paperwork. What’s also being added, is the ability to add prices and provide a professional quote and order system. It really is a fantastic marketing and sales management platform!”, says Mark.
The upgraded Connect portal also provides a number of other features to support fabricators and installers, as Mark describes.
“Within Connect we also provide customers with the facility to have a brand new themed and branded website. This takes away the headache of a website build, whilst also incorporating the ability to have our amazing window and door designer embedded in to the site. This provides our customers with a professional website and excellent sales lead generation and presentation tool, whether it’s for trade or retail”.
“An excellent Web2Print brochure and marketing material creator and designer is also featured within Connect. This is where you can take our brochures, guides and flyers, add your own installation imagery and brand them with your own logo and contact details. You can then add them to your basket and have your own branded marketing materials delivered direct to your door! A shop will also provide you with the option to have your own branded point of sale items, banners, stationery, mugs, workwear etc.”
“Connect will also have a brand-new resource centre full of all the latest marketing and technical information and downloads. This includes brochures, guides, manuals, certificates, test reports and a comprehensive range of product and sales related materials and documents. A news section will also keep you up-to-date with the latest news from Selecta. We see this as a game changer for fabricators and installers and the whole suite of features certainly sets us apart from our competitors, delivering a marketing support package that will help our customers win new business”.
With the Connect portal featuring heavily on the stand, Selecta have also used the opportunity to relaunch the modernised and improved MASTERslide patio door as Andy reveals.
“Over the last few years the patio door has had some kind of renaissance and they now seem to be the cost effective solution to creating a wall of glass. So, what we have done at Selecta is bring the MASTERslide patio door bang up-to-date and a more attractive proposition for the homeowner, whilst also being more fabricator and fitter friendly”.
“We designed a brand-new two-part interlock, which not only serves as an added security measure for PAS 24, but also provides both the fabricator and installer with a far more simpler solution. It improves the fabrication and installation time, whilst also allowing greater flexibility for adjustments when on site”.
“An aluminium low threshold has also been added to the patio door for Document M compliance. The new low threshold has a height of just 20mm compared to a full PVCu frame and cill at 80mm, thus providing easy access and egress. Aesthetically, it also improves the look and enhances the appeal of the patio door”.
“Another desirable upgrade comes in the form of the locking system. The addition of a 12 point shootbolt lock adds to the overall security passing the requirements of PAS 24 with relative ease. An attractive infill bar between the keeps provides a clean finish to the locking mechanism”.
Andy concludes, “Alongside the MASTERslide patio door, we will also have our industry leading window and door system, ADVANCE 70, on our stand with a few new product prototypes on display for feedback. With these new products and the fantastic Connect portal suite of features, we are really looking forward to this year’s 10 year anniversary show. As an ever-present exhibitor it demonstrates our continued commitment to the industry”.
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