Back to the drawing board

Posted by Gavin

Ever get the feeling that the more you put into something, the further away you seem to be from actually achieving it? Well, we've definitely got that feeling at the moment.

You might have heard us talk before about how much time and effort we, not forgetting our 'test pilots' and Product Development Partners, have put into improving our designs over the last few years [we are pretty proud of our current range so we do tend to go on about it]. We know there are still loads of things that we need to improve on [and, as we believe in this concept of Constant Improvement, that list won't be getting any shorter] but we also know that we now make some of the best products out there [can anyone else think of a better garment for extreme conditions than the Black Label Polartec Power Shirt?]And at the same time we have also been looking at ways of improving our level of customer service. We now generate the invoices in a different way [which has saved a huge amount of time] and the Dedicated Delivery Date system gets slicker each year.

So why the sinking feeling? Well now we seem to have reached the stage where demand is out stripping supply. Or, in non-marketing speak, we simply can't make enough of the damn stuff.

A few years ago we might have been tempted to simply plough on regardless, ignoring the growing swell of criticism. Now-a-days though we do at least dig our heels in. If we can't do it in time for when you want it, we tell you so [and straight up]. In a market that's getting tougher and tougher each year, you can imagine how difficult that is [turning business away - try explaining that to the bank manager]. In the last few days alone we have had to turn down orders for the Men's HRR and the Dublin Boat Race [wailing and gnashing of teeth all round].

Now this might not sound like much of a problem [great position to be in you might think] - but it is. Down the road from us in Malvern is the 'famous' Morgan Motorcar Company. They actually pride themselves on making customers wait for five years - and they get away with it! Now this might work for niche motor cars [even if they are notoriously uncomfortable] but we know in the long term it won't work for clothing. You can live without a soft-top, you can't live without the right performance kit. We know, just from the sheer number of enquiries we keep on getting, that you want to wear Spartan and Severn gear. But we also know - and we're not going to forget this - that you need to be able to get hold of it.

We know we are never going to be able to produce everything for exactly when everyone wants it - unfortunately life isn't like that. But at the same time we know that next year we going to have to improve on what we are doing at the moment AND without compromising on the quality [that's the tricky bit]. So starting after Easter [up until then everyone will be concentrating on getting the work done!] we will be going back to the drawing board. We are going to be looking even closer than ever at the way in which we produce garments. Yes, of course it would help if we had more skilled machinists and yes, it would help if we didn't lose so many days through illness at the worst / busiest time of year [rumour has it that it's something to do with the cold weather]. But, needless to say, it isn't as straight forward as that. For example, what do you do with your trained machinists during the late summer period when, not surprisingly, no one wants to buy any outerwear or thermalwear [answers on a postcard please...].

However we also don't believe in excuses - so we'll think of something. Putting it bluntly, we have to. Some of the great new projects we are working on at present for next winter mean that demand will only increase [talk about making life difficult for ourselves]. But then if we didn't like a challenge, then we wouldn't be rowers would we. And if we still haven't increased capacity by this time next year? Well you can be sure that the following Easter it will be back to the drawing board again. You would never give up trying during a race [at least we hope not] - so nor will we.

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