Page 17 - BOSS Today Issue 42

SPECIAL FEATURE BOSS Today #42

and diabetes. The solution revolves Wholesale Changes have an opportunity in this category,
around getting employees to spend less It is clear that the overall office she feels that the most commonly
time sitting and more of the working environments sector continues to be missed opportunity is dealers not
day on their feet. Even when standing, an important growth category for recognising the value of the product
it’s important for them to keep moving VOW, with some subcategories showing and/or service and therefore not
to increase the metabolic rate and get particular strength, as Warne explains: charging appropriately. However, Warne
the blood pumping.” “We are still seeing increased demand is keen to point out that assistance is
The outworking of this in office for ergonomic products. Soft seating available: “For those dealers who are
supplies terms has of course been the products have also done well this year, perhaps less used to selling furniture,
rapid growth of the ‘Sit to Stand’ desk driven in part by a growing demand for we have specialist furniture Business
category, with the use of standing desks third space environments. We’re also Development Managers (BDMs) who
being found to burn an extra 50 calories experiencing continued, fast-paced are available to support all of our
an hour. There may also be direct growth in commodity products across dealers at any level. Whether the
financial benefits for the employer, all categories: with the online channel enquiry is to match furniture to an
too; under NHS targets, some hospital growing at around 15% year on year, existing environment, or whether the
trusts are able to receive extra funding this appears to be fuelling demand for dealer requires full end-to-end support
by introducing measures to boost staff value-led, quality, furniture products.” for a new project opportunity, our
fitness. One Trust was last year found As a result, VOW has recently made BDMs are there to help and provide
to have introduced targets which meant some changes to its range, including a assistance, including end user visits,
that it could receive extra funds if staff complete redesign of its Jemini desking. design and planning expertise, as well
stood up for at least two minutes in any Says Warne, “We’ve introduced a brand as CAD drawings, where appropriate. In
meetings lasting at least one hour. new leg design which practically, as addition to the products that we have
well as aesthetically, provides a far listed in the VOW big book, we also have
Taking The Weight superior desking solution. We’ve also access to a very large portfolio of over
Conversely – and perhaps ironically introduced additional wood finishes, all 8,000 furniture products. We also have
– some product sectors are even with complementary storage. Another a range of marketing materials and a
benefiting from the national trend new development for 2019 is the fully stocked showroom in Lutterworth,
towards obesity that has originally addition of a sub-range called Switch, where dealers and their teams an come
driven the need for healthier lifestyles which provides a contemporary range for category and product training days.”
and working environments, as Vanessa of desking and storage utilising our new It is clear that so long as the industry
Warne, Category Director Furniture dark walnut and grey oak wood finishes. continues to examine and respond
at VOW, explains: “There is increasing We’ve developed these new ranges positively to the continual changes
demand for heavy duty seating to provide an elegant and affordable in working environments, the sales
designed for larger end users so, at solution suitable for all commercial opportunities will not be missed.
VOW, we’ve increased the number of environments, whether it be for a small
23 stone and even 40 stone seating office or larger project-led enquiry.” Martin Wilde – the author of this article - is
products, all available for next day Managing Director of OP market research
delivery. Dealers can often make more How To Join The Party specialists Martin Wilde Associates Ltd (www.
margin on this type of product.” While Warne believes that all dealers martinwildeassociates.com).

17