I am seeing the Tobermore brand appear more and more around the UK.
In the last two years there appears to have been a fairly extensive marketing campaign and push of its products.
What is especially apparent is the drive to sign up landscapers to the Tobermore Approved installers scheme. Fairly recently a number of potential and existing installers were invited over to the Tobermore HQ in Ireland.
I think the UK landscaping product space is already fairly well populated, with existing companies such as Brett, Marshalls & Bradstone (to name the leading players) vying for trade, in what can only be described at best as a flat marketplace.
In my opinion there is still considerable consolidation to come before the market starts to really pick up.
Of all the brands, Tobermore is much more aligned with the Marshalls' style of products.
Do Marshalls et al need to be concerned about the push from Tobermore?
Approves installer scheme memberships
Many landscaping businesses today are signed-up to more than one installer scheme. What drives you in making you choose a particular product or supplier, is it:
- Price?
- Quality?
- Delivery efficiencies?
- After-sales service?
- Installer scheme support?
- Potential for winning work?
- Product currentness/trend?
- Ethical trading policy?
- Marketing support and initiatives?
- Brand loyalty?
- Client preferences?
The above list isn't exhaustive but covers the main items.
Is brand loyalty important as it used to be?
Being loyal to a brand can bring its own rewards in the long-run. By being loyal to a brand means the brand - or at least the company behind it - may be loyal in return.
Product commitment leads to a greater lever of service as well as greater efficiencies in delivering those services. For example your area rep may well visit your business more often and provide guidance in the best way to deliver your services, including price points, when using that company's products.
But with it becoming increasingly difficult to make consistent profits, is it more prudent to shop around and see who has the best deal of the day?
Competition is good for the industry
There's no doubt that heightened levels of competition in any business brings greater efficiencies and opportunities.
However, in these delicate times, will the UK landscaping industry benefit or will its potential fragmentation lead to supply problems later down the line? Let's face it, with another major player now pitching for a share of an already depressed market, something has to give somewhere.
A major shift in supply chains at any point now may take years to settle down.
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Hi Phil,
We are Bradstone Assured installers.
When we joined the scheme 18 months ago l expected something similar to the Marshalls scheme; with sales courses, new product installer courses, site assessments etc. Unfortunately there has not been any.
Leads have only been a handful and not lead to any work.
Indirectly being Bradstone Assured has lead to customers coming to my website through Google Adwords or SEO and maybe considered a differentiator.
My local builders merchant Buildbase supplies Bradstone as it's main paving brand. Which is why l am happy to support the scheme; primarily they get better prices on Bradstone products. Buildbases customer service is fantastic and have built a good relationship with their staff to the point of being asked to build their Bradstone paving display and being able to freely advertise our services in their branch - priceless.
If Buildbase switched suppliers to Tobermore or Marshalls for paving - we would look at obtaining certification in their scheme because my loyalty is with Buildbase.
Marshalls has set the standard for this type of scheme in my opinion - shame Tobermore seems to be lazily stealing its Approved Installers after all the hard work they've put in.
there was I thinking it was a new brand of whisky
but it all boils down to the firms wanting to sell there products if they give a little in return its a bonus, but if Mr. and Mrs. don't like what they see in the catalog they look at a different one
I've used tobermore for many years now, never had a complaint, the blocks are strong and the colour perfect every time, if there has been a problem, then tobermore have solved it first with a visit from there rep, them professionally through out ,i would recommend tobermore to anyone and the saving you get let you create anything marshals' can give you ,except the usual award winning price but we all know as long as you pay your fee you too can be an award winner
Thanks Craig
I deliberately waited before pitching back in as I wanted (hoped) more hard landscapers would have aired a view.
I understand where you are coming from by wanting to stay loyal to Buildbase. If Buildbase switched their supplier would you question them on that decision or go with the flow?
"Marshalls has set the standard for this type of scheme in my opinion - shame Tobermore seems to be lazily stealing its Approved Installers after all the hard work they've put in."
I've had a series of private conversations with landscapers and this is also their major concern.
No one can argue against competition being good for business but one can question the way in which others compete to gain that business.
We could easily have a spin-off discussion about vetting and accreditation. This very example throws up several questions about how companies select or accredit their contractors so that they are able to recommend a contractor's services.
Marshalls have spent an enormous amount of time and considerable expense setting up and policing their Register scheme. I can understand they [Marshalls] are peeved that Tobermore are apparently taking on any contractor who have passed the Marshalls Register entry criteria.
But one question has to be asked - and I know this has been discussed widely by paving contractors - is it just clever marketing on Tobermore's part to adopt this approach?
Craig McGibbon said:
As for Tobermore piggy backing on the Marshalls Register to gain approved installers! A simple and obvious move, which happens in all industries. Marshalls have so much support behind them that they will weather the storm. Tobermore have a lot to live up to and l believe they're main plant is in Ireland making logistics and support difficult. Only takes a few mistakes and people will choose reliability and service over price.
jumping on the back of someones hard work .well after speaking to the tobermore rep ,he works hard himself trolling through directories and making appiontments and going to spend time with contractors,when was the last time you see a marshalls rep ?
I know this site has a lot of sponsors in the way of Marshalls ,but the top and bottom of it is there are hard working people in every part of the industry and to say someone is jumping on the back is not really true
I took a delivery yesterday of tobermore products and was chatting to the driver, he has been delivering paving materials for our 3 decades, now this was his option not mine, he says that Marshalls blocks are not what they used to be, the strength of the material's is a lot less that in days gone by, he also said that he didn't like tobermores colours on there blocks, so he gave an honest option in my book, as for tobermores logistics when we installed the foyer at the YMCA in Wimbledon (permeable block too ! )we didn't have a problem getting the blocks. They are readily available in any build base ,Jewson's and other major suppliers
Hi Paul
I just give my opinion as I see it and I am not alligned to anybody. I was under the impression that Tobermore were willing to take on marshalls register members without doing any of their own vetting. If this is the case, then they are piggybacking on the efforts and hard work of another company. I cant see it any other way. I'm not knocking the companys products,service, delivery or anything else, but I just dont agree with that particular policy
Steve
Hi steveyour right we can only give our own opinion,and as i havnt walked in your shoes i wouldnt want disagree with you ,but I hav been on there list and they did a complete check on our work and company details
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