Comment: How Ableworld is riding out the storm and coming out stronger
With some predicting a turbulent couple of years ahead, Mike Williams, Managing Director of Ableworld, predicts many similarities to the 1970’s with its political unrest, strikes, civil disobediences and mass unemployment, plus of course the three-day week.
Mike, now the managing director of the country’s largest mobility retailer with 42 stores, lived through this, when he was employed by Block and Quayle (now B&Q), when they were starting up.
“It’s reasonably obvious, we have a similar situation to the 1970’s where there were many social issues, strikes and civil unrest, similar to today, it is going to be a couple of tough years ahead.
“Many businesses folded but at the same time, many flourished. B&Q for instance, fought hard and continued to grow. I was involved in opening a store when electricity was rationed to three days a week. The other four days we used a generator to set the store up!
“So, in the last couple of months our buying and marketing departments have been working hard with our suppliers, to set up, commencing January, what is the best sale Ableworld has ever had, reducing every product in the store, that’s over 1,500 lines in stock, including stairlifts.
“The government are hitting our customer base hard, so we all need to sharpen our pencils and offer an even better deal to the consumers, come April, suppliers’ and retailers’ costs will go up dramatically, so even more difficult times – however the better companies will ride through the storm and come out stronger.
“In the next three months we are increasing our advertising spend, by around 15 per cent, including sending out over three million leaflets, to ensure the message reaches our public.
“So, I’d like to thank all the suppliers who have worked with us, to help clear some of their stocks in what has been a quiet time, plus of course, help us to offer the public, what must be the most aggressive mobility sale ever in our industry.
“As I said, I believe it will be a tough ride, for a couple of years, some retailers and suppliers will fall by the wayside, others will thrive, there will be rationalization with takeovers, exactly as the 70’s saw in the DIY trade.
“However, we are in a good industry, where people, as well as needing our products, also desire them for that independence.”
