VOW+ partners are celebrating a 25% increase in furniture sales since VOW invested in interiors specialists one year ago.

VOW says that the successful introduction of Brian Banks and Matt Allaby as furniture business development managers has enabled resellers to benefit from higher levels of specialist support, particularly in tendering for large interiors contracts.

VOW national sales director Martin Weedall: “The decision to improve our furniture offer and give resellers more in-depth support started to deliver great results within the first few months of Matt and Brian arriving, but the first anniversary of their arrival shows the real difference that their expertise has made. Our partners and supporters are not just getting their foot in the door with major contracts but winning them too.

“Brian and Matt joined us with 40 years’ furniture experience between them and have huge credibility in the sector. They’ve headed up interiors divisions for national businesses, have run dealerships and are fully qualified design and installation experts, all of which is paying off for our resellers.

“We’ve seen an increase in confidence and trust because as specialists they are able to educate on a range of furniture scenarios, answer resellers’ questions and resolve potential issues more quickly than ever.”

Brian Banks, furniture business development manager, South: “We’re delighted to see these results and other KPIs which show that service levels are improving month on month. This is really important in a sector where mistakes can be very expensive. Attention to detail and anticipating end user needs is helping to increase customer service levels across the board, with resellers realising that partnering with VOW on furniture is a strong option.

“VOW resellers are being increasingly proactive in taking product and design ideas to end users. Customers want the latest product knowledge and to improve the efficiency and look of their work environment, so the more initiative the reseller takes the better. “

Matt Allaby, furniture business development manager, North: “Growth in product terms is coming particularly through back to back bench desk systems, seating and bespoke cupboards. The easyOffice® ‘design your own cupboard’ service enables customers to create their own customised cupboards online in a few minutes. Resellers can visit schools with a design of the easyOffice® cupboard featuring the school’s image or logo, which helps to personalise the approach from the start.

“The use of flat screen monitors, laptops and tablets has reduced the need for larger workstations, with smaller size desks and back-to-back bench desk systems emerging. Seating has become a priority because people are spending more time in front of PCs, so they need the right chair for the job.

“As well as celebrating a good 12 month performance, we know we are scratching the surface and the potential for our resellers to grow their furniture business is huge. There are countless complementary ranges that can be offered on the back of a furniture deal and we will be working with resellers to explore these avenues further over the next year.”