Norwich based industrial and warehouse supplies company ESE Direct awarded Direct Commerce Association Award for UK’s best retailer for Industrial & Warehouse Supplies at this year’s venda-ecmod industry awards ceremony
At a glittering awards ceremony at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on 18th April, industrial and warehouse supplies company ESE Direct was awarded the coveted title of Best Industrial & Warehouse Supplies Company in the annual Direct Commerce venda-ecmod awards. The Direct Commerce Association awards – now in their 15th year – celebrate excellence in the multichannel retail and catalogue sector and are widely regarded as the industrial retail equivalent of the Oscar’s.
The latest award celebrates the dedication and hard work of Managing Director Simon Francis and his team, who have developed and implemented numerous strategies over the past twelve months to drive sales and improve the customer experience. The company has increased its product range substantially for 2013, and has undergone a full rebranding (formerly called Eastern Storage Equipment Ltd) including a redesign of its printed catalogue and website, in addition to restructuring and improving back office systems to streamline customer service and product ordering. With the continued development and improvements to the business over the past twelve months ESE Direct Ltd has cemented its position as a market leader and continues to set new standards.
Simon also collected a Direct Commerce Association award for the Best Multichannel B2B Business category for sales up to £5 million, for the third consecutive year on behalf of ESE Direct and dedicated the awards to the staff for the hard work, drive and commitment shown over the last three years that have seen dramatic changes and significant growth for the company.
However, credit must also go to Simon who has been the driving force behind the expansion and development of the business since 1999 after taking over the family business established in 1975 from his father. Simon rapidly implemented a framework for continued sustainable expansion and has increased sales and customer numbers year on year especially in the last three years. In particular, Simon has overseen the creation and development of a full ecommerce online ordering website and their own 408 page mail order catalogue which now accounts for over 80% of company revenue.
Since winning its first Direct Commerce Association in 2011 ESE Direct has embarked on a major overhaul and redevelopment of the business, which has seen staff numbers and turnover almost double while the customer base has increased fourfold during the same period. Last year the company surpassed expectations by recording record sales for the third year in a row, at a time when many businesses were feeling the pinch from the recession. The expansion has only been possible thanks to the company’s dedication to customer service; improving order processing and shortening lead times while driving down prices.
ESE Direct reduced or held over 4,200 prices this year and offers a price promise to customers guaranteeing the lowest prices anywhere in the UK and over 1,200 new lines have been added to its product range in 2013 so far. ESE Direct also remains committed to providing the highest quality British products to its customers, sourcing over 70% of its product range from UK manufacturers.
While the latest awards recognise the hard work and achievements of the previous 12 months, the company will not be resting on its laurels, having already implemented many new and exciting initiatives in 2013 to further improve the customer experience and reach its next set of goals.
The full range of ESE Direct’s industrial and warehouse supplies can be viewed http://www.esedirect.co.uk
ESE Direct
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