Marco’s Jeff Kerridge explains why Marco’s people are at the heart of its business: 

“Marco prides itself on its customer service promise. We can guarantee this because of our people who, we believe, are our strongest asset. 

“Increasingly, customers feel detached from the people within companies that they deal with. Customer service delivery is being farmed out to call-centres, where there is a clear disconnect between the individual and the businesses that they are representing. There are huge concerns with this approach, not least the apparent lack of knowledge regarding the products or services that are being promoted, but, more importantly, the personal contact that lasting relationships are built upon. 

“In the construction and electrical contracting industries, people want to do business with people. When an order is to be placed, or when there is a sales-based or technical query, our customers want to be able to pick up the phone and speak to a friendly and informative voice who can help them with their enquiry right then. At Marco, we have dedicated sales people who become a sole contact for our many customers, each becoming comfortable and familiar with their contact. 

“The contracting industry is an incredibly high-pressured environment and meeting project deadlines is critical. Our customers feel safe in the knowledge that they have spoken to our team, placed their order, made any specific arrangements for delivery and timescales and that their order is on its way. Through that personal contact, customers are guaranteed peace of mind, which can rarely be achieved with a voice in the ether. 

“To support our customer service promise, we have established robust processes within our business to retain high stock levels. In 2014, we opened a separate distribution facility where our products are stocked, ensuring we can commit with confidence to our same day despatch ethos. Whilst many manufacturers shy away from this approach, we recognise that we can only deliver if we have the stock already produced and primed for immediate shipping. Customers’ orders are then despatched on the same day the order is received, as standard.

“Whilst many businesses are looking to streamline their operation, we are moving in the opposite direction and injecting more personality and more people-contact. I believe there is a growing backlash from the consumer who is unwilling to be treated like a mere transaction. Our personable approach is built on a solid business foundation and we are confident that we can deliver all that we state, a notion that feels a little alien in an increasingly disconnected world of business.”