UK Enterprise 2020

92 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Thompson & Parkes is an award-winning independent family run builders merchants trading in Worcestershire and Shropshire. Having accumulated years of success, we profiled Thompson & Parkes to discover more about how they established a reputation as one of the best builders merchants & DIY suppliers in the Midlands. Best Builders Merchant & DIY Supplier - the Midlands Jun20322 Since 1937, Thompson & Parkes have been supplying to the building trade and DIY market, in addition to helping homeowners with products ranging from timber, plywood, plumbing, insulation, gardening and building equipment to name but a few. Today, the company supports both local and national contractors from their three stores, as well as running a fleet of delivery vehicles to help them provide their services. Additionally, Thompson & Parkes is also one of the largest Dulux paint suppliers in the area, offering customers a free colour mix and match service. In September 2019, Thompson & Parkes proudly opened a gardening and DIY store in Stourport-on-Severn, which has since proven to be a massive success for the business. At the core of the business, is the firm’s aim to satisfy all their customers’ requests, regardless of the size. How they do this, is by using their combined experience of over 100 years of building knowledge to call upon. Every customer that enters the store is warmly welcomed with a friendly smile, as the Thompson & Parkes team will go the extra mile for customers and to be as helpful as they can be. Alongside this, they also want to provide great advice, speaking the truth, even if it is something the customer may not want to hear. It is no secret that Thompson & Parkes has a very trustworthy team supporting them, as anyone who has worked with the firm have experienced the outstanding service and dedication they provide. Thompson & Parkes understand the importance of both their staff and their customers. As such, they employ over 20 people from the local area and are dedicated to working in the communities in which they operate. In addition to this, the firm invests in the community and has partnerships with several schools and nurseries who have benefitted from this collaboration. Thompson & Parkes’ support does not end there, the firm also supports local charities and community initiatives, helping to raise funds for some much deserving local causes. Working within such a dynamic industry, Thompson & Parkes is always seeking to evolve the stock that they offer to suit the customer base. One of the main challenges that they face is keeping up to date with the ever-changing building regulations, whilst ensuring that the products they sell match these requirements. Another change they have noticed is that people are moving to a building approach that is more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Which is why, Thompson & Parkes ensures they have the right products in store for this. Like many businesses, Thompson & Parkes continued to trade throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing a system which meant customers could still buy what they needed and do it in a safe manner. During the first eight weeks of lockdown, they received an unprecedented increase in demand, due to people on furlough embarking on personal DIY projects as well as smaller building companies still in operation and needing supplies. This was a demanding time for Thompson and Parkes, but they are proud they were able to rise to this new challenge. Ultimately, the end of 2020 and beyond may prove to be a very different challenge for the firm, one which they will have to learn to tackle as they go through it. For instance, the supply of materials, particularly from global importers, is going to get much harder. Delivery times are going to get longer, with some products already marked with no delivery dates offered. Another concern is the financial uncertainty of some customers, meaning that now people are less likely to spend where it may not be necessary. It is now more important than ever that the firm keeps investing in the local community, which is what the team at Thompson & Parkes will continue doing, now and in the years to come. Contact: Gary Watts Company: Thompson & Parkes Web Address: www.thompsonandparkes.co.uk