Bristan the bathroom Company
You’ve seen their items. You’ve heard their name. You’ve thought about their taps for your bathroom. But apart from the fact they’re one of the UK’s largest vendors of bathroom taps, sanitaryware, showers, shower enclosures as well as ornamental heating, what else do you know about Bristan?
Founded in 1977, Bristan are a part of the Bristan Group, that also incorporates Heritage Bathrooms (strapline: “Luxury & Style”) as well as Sirrus (apparently manufacturers of showers and mixer valves since 1861). Bristan supply everything for the bathroom from the economy Value Club selection of taps to the Prism Shower Pole with integral diverter and body jets. It's their sheer product range and prices, all secured by a five year parts assurance that has guaranteed their standing in the industry. But what does this company stand for?
VisionaryrnThe stated company vision of exactly where they want to be in the future is, "To become the primary option for taps and showers." Straightforward, direct and no messing around. Possibly a little like the organization itself. As the wide selection indicates, Bristan is obviously planning to produce something for each market area.
They also have a mission, a statement of what they seek to accomplish day in, day out. "To deliver the most desirable, affordable products as well as an extraordinary customer experience through a true comprehension of their needs." Well, fair enough; if they can do that on a daily basis (and you will find people who’d claim that they do) then they really could be the first choice.
Catering for allrnTo really be first option for all, Bristan have to appeal to everyone and they do display a canny awareness of their different customers’ needs. For instance, their id selection of bathroom furniture and taps and also fixtures is directed at people with differing physical requirements. Either a sink which can be fitted at a non-standard height for easier access, or taps which can be more easily turned on and off, the rangecaters for little ones, the aged and individuals with a physical disability.
In a niche-but-rapidly-growing marketplace, Bristan’s Dune range targets the eco-conscious customer. The bath, sink and toilet are all created to help save water (I.e. use less) when compared to the industry typical specifications. While the accompanying ranges of taps (there are many) feature flow limiters as well as devices such as eco click, a function that subtly encourages the user to waste less water.
Full training givenrnAnother way in which Bristan hope to influence consumer impression is guaranteeing not only the standard of the items but also the quality of their setup. Bristan Prime is a charter program that plumbers and fitters are asked to participate in and therefore market themselves as Bristan experts. The company supplies training on existing and new items, both from the Tamworth base (with showroom and wet room facilities for hands-on practical experience) to the online Bristan Training Academy (dot co dot uk) enabling qualification as a shower experts after a number of online modules and exams. As well as the coaching, Prime members received marketing and advertising support and also have use of a ‘hotline’ providing them with priority technical support should it be necessary.
So, they’ve got a wide range of products, plus a wide range of people qualified to fit them; how else are Bristan maintaining their reputation?
Good worksrnIn the contemporary business spirit of corporate social responsibility, it’s not only about the profit margin for Bristan. For the past 2 years, they’ve worked closely with Cancer Research UK, as their selected charity partner. The company has pledged to raise over £50,000 throughout the course of the relationship and not only that but parent company Masco has decided match whatever they raise. By September 2010, they’d already hit the £20,000 mark and were going strong.
It seems that Cancer Research UK isn’t the only charitable organisation Bristan has supported though. A simple look at the company’s Facebook webpage (
http://en-gb.facebook.com/Bristan.ltd?sk=info) and we notice that the Group’s Human resources Manager agreed to sit in a bath (what else?!) of cold baked beans in aid of Comic Relief earlier this year.
Bristan onlinernJust like many businesses, Bristan have incorporated the internet in their marketing strategy. In addition to the Facebook site and the web page, they've got a corporate blog, to trumpet new product launches and have opened a factory outlet shop selling stock no longer in the current brochure on ebay. With a positive feed-back rating of 99.8% it would seem to be a prosperous outlet plus a method of purchasing bathroom products that will interests a lot of consumers.
But in the end, it’s all about the taps…
…and the baths, and the basins, and the showers and the radiators, etc. What Bristan truly come down to is the product range. A browse through their internet site demonstrates what they're most interested in discussing is what they produce. And really that’s absolutely the way it should be. No matter if it’s the newest Rare range of taps and accessories (7 themes, each one named after a particular jewel or rare stone) or on the more functional side, the introduction of the new Nero shower valve, Bristan’s reputation ought to be built on the quality and value of the merchandise they design and offer. At the end of the day, they know that if they’re going to be “first choice” then they need to come up with the goods. And that’s precisely what they’re accomplishing.