Walsall Coleraine may have a new name, but the electrical wholesaler is keen to stress that customers can expect the same high standards of service.
The branch at Ballyrashane Road is now named after parent company Edmundson Electrical and will now be known as Edmundson Electrical, Coleraine. New signage has been erected at the branch, with new livery added to the delivery vans.
However, Branch Manager, Gary Doyle, wants customers to know that this cosmetic change will not affect the high standards they have come to expect from staff at the branch.
“Along with Walsall in Portadown, we have changed our name to Edmundson Electrical to highlight that we are part of one of the biggest electrical wholesalers in the UK and Ireland,” said Gary. “The vast majority of people are aware that we are part of Edmundson’s anyway, so this solidifies this further.
“The new signage has brightened up the branch and I feel that the motto, ‘Great service, products and flexibility’ that is now at our trade counter sums up what we provide perfectly.”
The branch has been part of Edmundson Electrical since 1994 and enjoys a long-standing reputation for quality in the North West of the province.
Gary, who has worked for Edmundson’s Electrical for over 14 years, was appointed the Coleraine Branch Manager in July and has overseen a number of positive changes since then.
Having previously worked at the Ballymena branch of Walter S. Mercer, he is typical of the promote-from-within approach adopted by Edmundson Electrical.
“My first job with the company was as a van driver and then I quickly moved into telesales before becoming the branch’s Account Manager for the last four years,” explained Gary. “I was delighted to get the promotion as Branch Manager and while it has been a whirlwind few months, I am enjoying the challenge.
“I think it one of the real strengths of the company that staff can work their way up the ranks. It not only gives everyone something to aim for and rewards ambition, but it means that the values of great service are instilled in you from the start.”
Like the rest of the Edmundson Electrical branches, Coleraine is run autonomously; providing Gary with the local focus of an independent with the strength and resources of a multi-national.
“This has been essential in helping us to adapt to customer needs,” said Gary. “We have had a number of staff changes and that can be unsettling for customers. But I now have a strong and settled team with the perfect balance of experience and enthusiasm and that is backed by excellent stock levels.”
The latter is an area that Gary has focused hard on since he became branch manager and central to this process has been communicating directly with customers.
“We are listening to customers and reacting accordingly,” he said. “The days of contractors keeping large stocks in their own stores just in case they need them are behind us. Many of our customers are only putting in orders of what exactly what require, so they don’t want to walk out with only half an order.
“We don’t want them to have to shop around, so we have focused on getting the balance of our stock right to be able to meet their demands first time, every time. With a strong team of people and great stocks, we are in a great position to build on the long-term success of this branch.”
For more information on Edmundson Electrical telephone (NI) 028 7035 6266 or (RoI) 048 7035 6266
