The importance of heating installers knowing consumers wants & needs

As we have previously stated on our blog, 2015 looks set to be a really good year for the heating industry, with a recent survey showing that 61% of plumbers and tradesmen expecting business to increase this year. A further 80% have enough work to keep them busy this year, which is fantastic news for the industry. The economy has slowly shown signs of recovery after some real low points in the last few years. With consumers feeling slightly more financially secure, it means that they have increased confidence and expendable income at their disposal, which means they are more likely to invest in home improvements. In the opening quarter of 2015, we at Trade Radiators have noticed a healthy increase in demand for radiators and heated towel rails, with particularly focus on our designer ranges. These buying behaviours fro consumers have really started to confirm what we have suspected for some time; namely, that homeowners are no longer treating radiators as something functional to merely heat the home, only to be replaced when the previous one breaks down. Instead, our customers are increasingly approaching radiators and towel rails as a vital part of their interior design programmes. Of course, they are still concerned that the radiator fulfills it’s main purpose of heating a room (or towels, in the case of towel rails), but consumers are now much more concerned with radiators fitting in with the rest of their decor, often with the purpose of being a focal point of a room. Aesthetics are now very important when choosing a radiator and customers will often look to heating engineers to provide information and suggestions before making a purchase. Homeowners who want something stylish and contemporary are very likely to be interested in a radiator that is chrome, polished stainless steel or with a coloured finish. On the other hand, those with houses of character or period properties may well be interested in cast iron or classic column radiators. Equally, we have noticed an increase in requests for radiators in a range of RAL colours. The days of only having radiators in white are long gone, and this has been reflected in customers’ purchasing patterns, with far more people buying different coloured radiators to match their decor. This is why we now offer our classic column range in any RAL colour a customer wishes. Here at Trade Radiators, we have also noticed an upturn in people buying radiators that can fit into small spaces. In our increasingly urbanised lives, many people are moving into small properties where wall space is at a premium. This often means that a traditional horizontal radiator will simply not fit into the tight space available. The resolution to this problem is the purchase of a vertical radiator, and this is exactly what many of our customers are doing. Vertical radiators are an excellent solution to a lack of wall space, because they make use of the previously under-utilised horizontal space, whilst giving out the same heat as a horizontal radiator. We believe it is vital that plumbers and installers keep themselves up to date with the latest products and trends affecting the heating industry. It is natural that consumers will turn to them to seek guidance, so the heating installer must be ready with a range of suitable suggestions to suit a variety of scenarios. Business looks good for the heating industry in 2015, so it’s incredibly important that the industry as a whole keeps moving forward and makes the most of the business opportunities that are presenting themselves. Article by Benjamin Clarke