Matt Philp, Managing Director of Quality Essential Distribution shares his vision and plans for his new role.
What are your immediate aims and objectives in your new role?
The future will be different and my vision is to make the business successful, whilst everybody enjoys the ride. On a practical level my immediate plans are to simplify processes, consolidate our supplier chain and fine tune our products offering. I want to build and grow the partnerships that we have with both suppliers and clients alike and give everybody in the chain the attention and support that a true value-added distributor gives.
We will be working closely with our partners to reduce our environmental impact; we’ve already achieved 100% recycling of our packaging – it’s important and we believe everyone can make a difference if they take responsibility for reducing their own impact.
We’ve also already made some massive strides this year, such as the recent launch of our new website with a bespoke customer portal – it’s a game changer for us and our customers.
How would you describe your management philosophy?
My management style is very inclusive. I have a great team and we are all driving these changes together. I have a clear plan for the next 24-36 months and beyond and I’m very lucky to have some real experts around me with both the skills and vision to be able to accomplish these plans.
When you have talented, motivated individuals, you need to show them the direction of travel and then stay out of their way.
If there was one thing in the industry you could change, what would it be?
I would love to see a CCTV and security industry become recognised under a professional or legal body similar to the Gas industry with CORGI. This could alter the current race to the bottom where quality and customer service are currently being undermined. A return to the days of the professional install which offers a complete service for all parts of the sector, with experts and a system that is designed with the end customers’ needs and requirements at the forefront.
With professional oversight and recognition, the CCTV industry will gain more credibility.
How do you see the UK security landscape evolving over the next 12 months?
The distribution side of the industry seems to be in a period of change with a number of high-profile takeovers and acquisitions. The normal powerhouses are not the same as they once were and this gives us a massive opportunity where customers require a service level.
The recent changes on NDAA compliance have attracted media attention and it will have an impact on customer choice and selection. The shortfall of Silicon will continue to affect the supply chain as will the recent troubles with the shipping industry. We have strong partnerships which will allow us to steer a path through any upcoming challenges.
What are QED’s plans over the coming year?
We are looking to grow over the next few years. We will step forward with a fresh and reinvigorated approach to our customer service. A fast and efficient response is just automatically expected nowadays. We want to do this but much more and with added flair. We are looking to bring true partnerships back into our customer service, offering multiple touchpoints throughout each business that we interact with and a team that cares just as much about your company as they do about ours. Finally, we are looking forward to welcoming people back to our new training facilities and offices.
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This article was originally published in the June edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital copy, visit: https://digital.securityjournaluk.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=c1f7d3d1-1e78-412a-a61c-f9089a040a2d