Dream turns into Multi Million Pound Turnover Company in less than Five Years

The DHF counts many growing and successful companies within its membership. This article taken from their members' only publication, Inside Track profiles DHF member company 1st Access UK which is clearly on the success trail, despite one of the deepest recessions in living memory.

In July, 2006, 1st Access UK Ltd was the dream of Vikki Lindop, who worked for a Shopfront and Shutter company, and her partner Jason Loydon, a Full time Fire Fighter and Roller Shutter Engineer on his days off. They started the company in a top bedroom at their home with little more than a computer and a mobile phone. Six years on, Vikki and Jason, along with fellow director Les Stanton who joined them in 2008, now head up a multi million pound turnover company. It employs 30 staff and works for blue chip names including Poundland, Greggs, Ladbrokes, Co-operative Group, Boots, One stop and even Wolverhampton Wanderers & Aston Villa FC.

From its Willenhall, West Midlands base 1st Access UK designs, manufactures and installs Aluminium Shopfronts, Roller Shutters and Automatic Doors, providing customers with regional and national service.

Such has been the success and dramatic growth of 1st Access UK that the company has had to move twice in the last 5 years and is now considering yet another move.

So what are the secrets of their success? Vikki says customers benefit from a quality product manufactured and fitted in days rather than weeks and with its genuine 24 hour Service and Maintenance department, employing its own fabricators, engineers and site technicians who operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

Its commitment to customer services is backed up by significant investment into machinery, training and labour. Using technology to improve business efficiency is another factor in the company's success, according to Vikki. More than £150,000 has recently been invested into updating its fleet of vehicles; all of which are fitted with integral sat nav and tracker equipment to ensure the company can monitor the whereabouts of its vehicles and give accurate ETAs for arrival on site.

"We are currently trialling software options within our new system so that our engineers will be given handheld PDAs which will be linked to our database. This will provide instant information on calls attended and status, so enabling us to respond even more quickly to quotes, extra materials required and so on," said Vikki.

For more information visit www.1staccessuk.com .



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