Shepley is proud to be associated with Stoke-on-Trent based Strata, for whom customer satisfaction has proved to be the key to success, a fact proven by the statistic that a staggering 80% of Strata's business comes through personal recommendations from satisfied customers.

From its humble beginnings in the early 1980's, Strata now employs 45 people, including a team of specialist joiners who manufacture quality hardwood frames at the factory in Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent. Strata has a large, well presented showroom and promises visitors that they will not be subjected to any hassle or high pressure selling, just straight forward expert advice.

Strata currently fields twelve installation teams of long-serving and dedicated glazing and joinery experts, equipped and ready to tackle any size of installation from straightforward home improvements to schools, colleges and other public sector buildings, as well as shops, factories and office premises. The teams are expected to travel also, because as well as local business, Strata has satisfied customers as far apart as Inverness, the Isle of Man and Jersey.

Strata's policy is to provide all of its customers with the care and attention they deserve. From initial contact right through to final completion of a task, they never forget that the customer always comes first.

Shepley has been Strata's only supplier of PVCu products since 1996, as managing director Finlay Walker explained, "Strata will only work with the most reputable of suppliers, and we have enjoyed a very close and successful relationship with Shepley with whom we share a similar philosophy."

He expanded, "If a customer is given a wide choice of products at the right price they will virtually sell themselves, so we rejected the aggressive, foot-in-the-door approach to salesmanship right from the start and concentrated instead on customer care and providing a real value-for-money service."

This has obviously worked well for Strata, who often receive record sales and have to put on hold their press and radio advertising campaign. The theme of its advertising, however, is service-lead and has been designed to emphasise the overall principles of the company. With the concept 'Strata - Serves you right', the advertising features members of Strata's team to promote high levels of customer care alongside key values such as honesty, craftsmanship and professionalism. It also sought to distance Strata away from the usual promotional lead campaigns to positioning the retailer as the type of company people will trust and recommend.

Finlay Walker summed up the Strata approach, "The customer tells us what they want and we plan the job down to the last detail, even to our installation team hoovering up before they leave the site! Whether it's a single window or a complete refurbishment, we plan things so that both we, and the customer, know exactly what's happening and when."