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The pros and cons of going on trial with a supplier

There are a number of things that have to be considered when switching your supplier. Cost, range, service, experience – it all needs to be weighed up.   As such, it makes it extremely important that you make the right decision when you choose your supplier, otherwise you can encounter some unwanted surprises.  However, there is a way that you can gain all the information you need, without fully committing to a supplier from the jump.   By entering a trial period with a supplier, you can find out exactly what you need to know yourself, without fully committing.   But is this always a good idea? Is it maybe best to just take a plunge with someone and not get tangled up in a trial that may not go the way you want it to?  In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of trialling a new supplier and how it can benefit or hamper you.   It is worth noting that we do offer trial runs here at Multifix, but we will remain as objective as possible for this article.   Pros of going on trial with a supplier  As mentioned above, it’s so vital to get the right supplier for your business, but ultimately you won’t know which one is best until you try a few.   A trial period gives you a perfect opportunity to assess everything with a company before actually fully committing to it.   You will have the opportunity to meet their staff, find out exactly how they work and see what they can do for you.   A trial period can also be controlled well on your part. Not many suppliers would expect to take over all your business instantly, so you’ll be able to control what sites you’d be keen to test with the trial supplier.   This again gives you a chance to see with your own eyes how the supplier can integrate with your business, as opposed to taking someone’s word for it.  From this perspective, there are many positives to be had from a trial run with a supplier, as the knowledge it can grant you is huge.   It also allows you to build and grow relationships with the supplier, so if you do choose to stick with them, you’re already feeling comfortable with who you’re working with.   Cons of going on trial with a supplier  The main issue about trialling a new supplier is that if you have an existing one, it is likely to rock the boat with them a bit.   They are likely to notice a drop in revenue, which will happen if you allocate a trial site to the new supplier, so will be eager to speak to you about that.   As such, this can lead to some uncomfortable conversations. In addition to that, if you trial with an unreliable supplier, it can have a knock-on effect for you.   While you may only be giving a trial to one site, if you start to get delays or delivery issues, that will make that project very difficult to get done on time.   The flipside of that is you’ll know from the trial period not to work with that supplier, but knowing that for certain will come at the cost of possible disruption.   Is a trial run right for you?  While we cannot decide for you whether it is wise to engage in a trial period with a supplier, we are of the opinion that the pros outweigh the cons.   There is so much to be gained from a trial period with a supplier and ultimately, if you’re looking to be in business for many years, you’re going to need someone you can trust.   It’s incredibly difficult to just do that by picking a supplier, even with word of mouth recommendations, so a trial period is very helpful in that regards.   Even the cons that we have listed can be turned into positives, as if it goes wrong, you have that knowledge and that can only help you as a business owner.   As mentioned at the start of the article, we do offer trial runs at Multifix. If you would like to find out more about how to start one, please get in contact with us here.  

Read more → 4 min read
Article
Intumescent mastic or intumescent acrylic – what's the difference?

When it comes to firestopping in the construction industry, there is more often than not a big choice to make. Do you use intumescent mastic, or do you use intumescent acrylic?  Both are designed to stop the spread of fire and both prevent gases and smoke from moving through a building, but which should you be using?  The short answer to that is very dependent on your project, but you can rest assured that a good mastic or a good acrylic will keep residents safe.   To help you understand which is better for which scenario, in this article, we will explain the differences between the two.   In addition, we will highlight what their strengths and weaknesses are and what projects suit each other best.  What are the benefits of using an intumescent mastic?  Intumescent mastic is a product that can be very flexible when you choose to use it. For example, if you need to seal a gap that has something of an irregular surface, a mastic would be a great fit.   They also expand when they are exposed to heat, which makes them very effective as a firestopping solution. In the event of a fire, a mastic will expand to try and protect a door frame or whatever it is being used to protect.   As a result of their flexibility, a mastic is ideal for use in areas where movement is anticipated. As an example, somewhere where vibrations are rife or somewhere where structural movement could be a possibility.  They also provide a secure and lasting seal, which is just one reason why they are trusted by a great number of construction professionals.   Are there any downsides to using an intumescent mastic?  If aesthetics is something of a priority, then using an intumescent mastic may not be the best decision. The reason for this is that it can be a very messy application.  Because intumescent mastic is quite thick and paste-like, it can get everywhere and that could be an issue, depending on your project.   In addition, intumescent mastics aren’t normally clear. This means when they are applied to something, it is likely to be visible.  Again, if aesthetics aren’t a concern, then this isn’t really a problem. However, in situations where it is a concern, then it is a problem.  Finally, for whatever reason, intumescent mastics traditionally aren’t as adhesive on vertical surfaces. This could limit their performance somewhat.   What about the pros of using an intumescent acrylic?  One of the main pros about intumescent acrylics is that they are very versatile. They can be used to seal up a number of different applications, including pipes, cables and conduits.   You can also buy intumescent acrylics in clear, which is exceptionally helpful if you’re working on a project and aesthetics is a big factor.   They are also very easy to apply, with little to no mess. Intumescent acrylics are also generally very good at being resistant to UV light, so they can be used for outdoor applications as well.   Perhaps the main pro for the acrylic though is the strength of the product itself. Intumescent acrylics are revered for their strength and will make a very strong bond with a variety of surfaces.   It doesn’t matter what kind of surface it is, either. Whether it’s horizontal or vertical, intumescent acrylics are very consistent.   And does the intumescent acrylic have any cons?  Generally speaking, intumescent acrylics are much less flexible than mastics. Their range of movement is much less, so they’re maybe not best suited for areas that will have structural challenges or copious vibrations. As such, they are best suited for service penetrations.  This is also a factor when it comes to the event of a fire, too. The intumescent acrylic will likely expand to a certain amount, but it won’t expand to the same degree that the mastic will.   In terms of protecting you from a fire and giving you enough time to escape, intumescent acrylic is still a standout product. But, if it's for a linear gap seal, you may prefer to have something that expands more and can be seen to be doing more.   Intumescent acrylic is also more expensive than intumescent mastic on average. As an example, a 600ml cartridge of Everbuild Intumescent Mastic has a list price of £4.20. By contrast, a 310ml cartridge of Protecta FR Acrylic will have a list price of either £3.20 or £4.24.  Which of the two is best for me?  Both are great products and both do a tremendous job at keeping people safe, so it’s really very much dependent on what your project is.   If you have a project where aesthetics are a major factor, then the intumescent acrylic will undoubtedly be a better choice. It’s less messy and the option to choose clear ones make a huge difference.   Equally, if the building’s design shows that there could be a lot of vibration around where you’re looking to apply passive fire protection, then the intumescent mastic is a better choice.  It is better designed to deal with it, plus mastic is also very flexible, which can play a key role in your decision-making. However, if you’re looking to be neat and tidy, you’ll have problems using intumescent mastic. The other side of the coin is that it is better for linear gap seals.    Ultimately though – and most importantly – whatever you choose is going to play a huge part in providing residents with safety. Both can protect for up to four hours, so you’ll be in safe hands with either.   To look at some of the other articles that we have at Multifix, you can find our content homebase here.  

Read more → 5 min read
Article
What your payment terms and credit limits are

As a customer, it’s only right and fair that you know absolutely everything beforehand. We don’t want you to have hidden surprises, so we’ll always be as transparent as possible.   We believe that honesty is the best policy, so wherever possible, we’ll always try and give you what you need to make an informed decision.   That certainly applies when it comes to buying from us, as there are a few things that we are asked with regularity before purchase.   In particular, the two things we frequently get are, ‘What are your payment terms?’ and ‘How much credit can I get with Multifix?’   The short answer to these questions is ’30 days net EOM’ and ‘depends on your credit rating’, however, the long answer is somewhat more nuanced.   As such, this article will explain our reasoning for both and by the end of it, you’ll hopefully be much more informed.   The Multifix payment terms At Multifix, we do like to trust our customers and give them some financial leeway when they come to use us as a supplier.   As such, regardless of whether you’re a first-time buyer or a loyal client, whether you’re buying one box of screws or a £25k order, we’ll always give you net 30 days end of month to pay.   This means that will have 30 days from the beginning of the following month to pay for what you have ordered with us.   We understand that sometimes, you need something urgently. As such, the buy now, pay later scheme can be very helpful.  That is why we have the policy in place, as ultimately, we want to make sure that you have the best service possible from us.   The Multifix credit limits  When it comes to credit limits, there are three different ways we can set your credit limit. The first is by asking credit insurers for a written limit. This is the most preferable way, however not the only one.   The reason why it is most preferable is that while we have three methods, the written limit is the only one that isn’t capped at £18,000, including VAT. There is no cap for a written limit, as we have more assurances in place.   The second method is a discretionary limit. In order to work this out, we will use a third-party credit intelligence company to determine what we can give you. We use Creditsafe, which is regularly used by other suppliers within the construction industry.   The third method is based on your trading history. We will take your biggest payment over the last 12 months, multiply it by 1.25 and use that figure to determine what we can allow you.   Being open with the financials  As we stated earlier, we want to be completely transparent with you when it comes to financial factors such as credit limits and payment terms.   It’s something that you need to know and we don’t want you to feel as if it’s something awkward to ask about.   Hopefully though, with everything in this article, you’ll know exactly where you stand when it comes to both of these topics. Should you wish to find out more about how your credit account works though, you can read more here.   If you would like to speak to Multifix to find out more about our credit limits or payment terms, you can get in touch with us here.  

Read more → 3 min read
Article
Key tips to consider when changing suppliers

The decision to change your supplier isn’t an easy one. There are benefits, of course – some of which you can read here – but it’s not a decision you suddenly jump to.   As humans, we always want to be patient with people and give them a chance. It’s generally rare that people leave a long-standing supplier on a whim because of one isolated incident.   Instead, it’s a combination of many things. In our sector, it’ll be unreliable deliveries, a lack of product range, contentious pricing and an impersonal approach.   These won’t be one-off instances either, it’ll be prolonged to the point where you decide enough is enough and that you want to try something different.   But what do you do once you’ve decided to call it a day? How do you move from one supplier to another smoothly and without issues?  In this article, we will offer three key tips that you should bear in mind when you’re actively looking to change suppliers.   By taking them onboard, you will hopefully have an incident-free switchover!  Research, research, research The phrase “out of the frying pan and into the fire” is very applicable when looking to switch suppliers. The last thing you want is to have a honeymoon period and then discover you’ve got the same issues as before.   As such, it’s imperative you take the time to fully research your prospective new supplier before you make the switch.   Granted, this may take a lot of time, but it’s worth it as it protects you from repeating the same mistake twice.   Pore over every detail on their website and talk to people who use them and ask for detailed answers. Alternatively, you could even engage in a trial period if that’s something on offer.   By doing this level of research, you can find out exactly how that supplier works, so there are no hidden surprises if you switch to them.   To give another phrase, “fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” If you just switch to someone without researching, you run a huge risk.   Be bold with your communication  At some point, you are going to have to speak to your existing supplier and explain that you’re going to move to a new one.   It’s not exactly a comfortable conversation to have, but it’s one that you need to do. It’s also one that you could contractually have to do, depending on if you have a written agreement with them.   At this stage, your existing supplier will likely try to entice you to stay with them and one way of doing so could be by slashing your prices.   This will pose a new decision for you to have to make, but if you choose to stick to your guns and change all the same, then you will have to explain why.   Even if you don’t contact them first, they will likely get in touch with you when they realise that your spend has stopped. As such, the conversation is unavoidable, so it’s best to do it on your terms.   Outline a plan so it’s a smooth transition  With everything sorted, you’ll need to ensure that everything is in place for a smooth transition. It’s vital your business has as little disruption as possible, so you’ll need to be organised.   The biggest thing to sort out will be delivery times. Even though your logistics may be having some disruption in that you’re changing suppliers, your projects can’t.   It’s therefore best to outline at the start what projects you’ll be needing your new supplier for in the immediate short term, before planning longer-term projects with them.   Make sure everyone in your team is up to speed so they know what to expect, as certain operational things could be very different.   For example, they might have to sign for a delivery now, or be alerted by a driver that they’re 10 minutes out with your parcel.   Doing what’s best for you  As we said at the start of the article, deciding to switch suppliers isn’t an easy decision to make. It also indicates that you’ve been fed up for some time, which is something no-one wants.   However, by doing due diligence on a new supplier, you can remove all of those issues and find a more efficient method of doing your projects.   That’s what these three tips are designed to do as ultimately, we want what is best for you and want you to be happy with your supplier.   If you are interested in finding out what Multifix can offer you as a supplier, you can get in contact with a member of our expert team here.  

Read more → 4 min read
Article
What is the process for ordering at Multifix?

If you are here reading this, there’s a good chance that you’re prepared and willing to use Multifix as a supplier, which is brilliant news!  One of the things we love about being a supplier is playing a small part in some truly exciting and innovative projects. But how can you actually order with us?  The short answer is that there are four ways of note that you can order with us. They are by phone, by email, online or by using WhatsApp.   However, some of these options require a bit more than just calling up or firing over an email. This is especially the case for online and WhatsApp ordering.   In this article, we will explore the four ways you can order with us in a bit more depth, so that you are fully aware of your options.   1. By phone As has been the case for 30 years and counting, one of the main methods of ordering with us is via the phone. You can reach us on 020 3248 4086. When you call, you’ll be put in touch with one of our expert customer service team. Depending on what sector you’re in (brickwork, firestopping, carpentry, other), you’ll be directed to one of our specialists so they can take your call.  The reason why it’ll be pointed to a specialist is because we want to make sure that the order is 100% right.   Our specialists have extensive product knowledge, so if you’re unsure of the exact item you need, it’s useful to have someone who understands what you mean.   In construction, we use loose terms all the time to describe what we need, so it’s helpful to speak to someone who knows what you mean.   As a result of that, the chances of you getting an incorrect item on your order are very low. Our call times are 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday.   2. By email If you don’t want to physically speak to us for whatever reason, that’s more than fine as you can make the order via email.   If you would like to place an order by email, the email address to use is [email protected].   Much like with the phone system, depending on what sector you are looking to place an order in, your email will find the respective specialist.   From there, they will place the order for you and you will get an email confirmation soon after explaining some of the payment terms.   If you are looking for a quote, we aim to get all quotes back to you within 30 minutes, so keep an eye on your emails after you’ve made your request!  3. Online This is where things start to get a little more advanced. On our website, we have our entire catalogue online and you are free to choose whatever you’d like to order.   There are two ways of ordering online; the first is by registering an account and then by using our customer portal. The customer portal is a relatively recent feature that we have and allows you a huge amount of control.   Once you have signed up to the portal, you can place orders, set up requisitions, make a list of approved items and outline your favourite products.   In addition to providing control through requisitions and approved items, the portal also boosts speed. Once you have your favourite products set up, for example, you can place an order within 30 seconds.   You can also track your order, download order PDFs and find proof of delivery on the portal. To find out how to get set up with the customer portal and to see some of the features that it has, you can find our onboarding guide here.  However, you do not need to have an account to be able to place an order. If you wish, you can just go online, pick what you want and then check out, as you would with any other online store.  4. WhatsApp Finally, you can also place orders with us on WhatsApp. Our WhatsApp number is 07384 816482 and if necessary, we can set up a group with all relevant approvers for you.    Ordering via WhatsApp is no different to ordering by email, in that we will allocate our respective customer service specialists to your query, depending on what it is you’re ordering.   Much like with phones, our WhatsApp channels are operated between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. It works in the same way a live chat would, so you’ll have a human operator on the other end to assist you.   Speaking of live chat, we do have that as a function if you come unstuck using the portal at any point – that is also manned by the customer service team.   Giving you plenty of choice for ordering One of the reasons why we have tried to expand our ordering options, aside from moving with the times, is to give you as much choice as possible.   We understand that different people prefer to do things differently and in most cases, it’s generally what’s easiest for them.   The important thing though, is being versatile enough to offer you something different, so you aren’t pushed into ordering in a way that isn’t suited for you.   If you would like to know exactly where on the map our delivery range can reach, you can find out where we deliver to here.  

Read more → 4 min read
Article
How does my credit account work?

Why would I want a credit account? Having an account will allow you to be able to control and free up your cashflow. You can ask for flexible terms and receive ‘buy more, save more’ pricing. How do I open an account? Apply for a credit account by completing this application form. Once you have filled in your details, submit your application.   Your application will then be assessed - we use Credit Safe for all our credit intelligence.  As soon as it has been approved, you will be notified via email. Can I have a 60-day account? When you open an account, you will automatically be given a 30-day account. You can request a 45-day or 60-day account, but this will need to be approved separately. How will I know what to pay and when? Once your ordered goods have been despatched for delivery, an invoice is created. Your invoices will be emailed to you about once a week.  Twice a month (mid-month and the beginning of the month) you will receive a statement of your account.  If your account is a 30-day term account, you will need to pay the amount in the 60 day column. Payment is expected after you receive your beginning of the month statement. What must I do if I cannot pay my account? If you find yourself in a tight spot with cashflow and cannot pay your account, contact us at [email protected] and let us know.  We can only work with you if we know what the situation is. What happens if my non-payment continues? If no payment has been made for 60 days after its due date, we will unfortunately have to put your account on stop/hold until a payment is made.   This is as per our credit insurance policy. We really don’t like to get to this stage with our customers, but we need to follow this process to mitigate our risk. What happens if my account reaches 90 days non-payment? If still no payment has been made, we will now, as per our credit control insurance policy, unfortunately be obliged to report your account to our credit insurers.   When we report your account, we send a claim to our insurance company for your outstanding money, and they in turn will send you a claim with fees and interest.  Once we send our claim email to our credit insurers, we lose your credit limit and cannot easily get it reinstated.   We will then have to work with a tight discretionary limit or a cash account, dependant on your circumstances.   We really don’t like to get to this stage with our customers, as it’s a loss for both parties, but we do need to follow this process to mitigate risk.  At Multifix are happy to to do business with you. We are also happy to help your through tough times, so don’t hesitate to contact [email protected] and let us know your situation. We can work it through together.

Read more → 2 min read
Article
What are Multifix’s customer commitments?

Every company in the world has a set of core values. Values that define them, values that inspire them, values that they stick to, no matter what.   We see this all the time in construction with people pledging to do the best possible job or to go above and beyond for you. Core values, pillars, customer commitments – they all fall under the same bracket.   At Multifix, our core values are customer first, honesty, having a positive mindset, appreciation, to be responsible and to show humility. These have stood us in good stead and we believe will continue to do so.  But what are our customer commitments? What do we do that makes us stand out for you, as a buyer? What are the things we value most that are designed to help you? Why should you use us?  In this article, we will highlight our key customer values as a company and explain why we have them in place and how we have put your best interests at the heart of them.  Come the end of it, you’ll hopefully know exactly where we stand and what we can do for you as a construction specialist.   Speed  The saying goes that time is money and in construction, that is certainly the case. Things need to be done yesterday in some instances, with demands and expectations very high.   As such, one of our customer commitments is that we will always handle your order with the speed it needs. Indeed, one of our pledges is that you will have a quote within 30 minutes of asking.   We don’t want you standing around waiting, while you’re losing money because things aren’t in place for you to get the job done.   In addition, 75% of our own-van deliveries will be on-site before 12pm midday. In some cases, the order may even be there before you arrive!  Speed is also one of the reasons why our customer portal is set up the way it is. It is possible to get an order over to us within 30 seconds by using the portal, which can be done if you have favourite items set up.   We model our service on an Olympic relay team, in that each part of the ordering process is handled with speed, importance and as we'll come onto now, reliability.  Reliability  As much as we pledge to be fast, there’s no point being speedy if we aren’t reliable. We allow you to order quickly, because we know we can back it up with reliability.   We say this because 99.3% of our own-van deliveries arrive when we say they're going to. We have worked extremely hard to achieve that percentage and while it may be impossible to get 100%, we won’t stop trying.   Incorrect or late deliveries are the bane of your life, so we do our utmost to get them to you, when we say we’re going to get them to you.   We also put in a number of other reliability measures when delivering, too. Our drivers will ring you when they are 10 minutes out, so you know exactly when your parcel is arriving.   Also, by using the customer portal, you can track your delivery and see exactly where your order is. We also insist on a signature for every delivery, so there’s no leaving it on the side and hoping for the best.   Following that, we will also take a picture of the delivery, so you can see exactly where it is and have proof of delivery in the process.  If you’re not reliable, then you can’t be trusted – hence why it is one of our customer commitments to be as reliable as possible.   Personal service  As humans, we want to be treated like a person. We don’t want to feel like a number, or just a customer. It’s impersonal, it can be rude and it doesn’t strike as good service.   That’s why personal service is one of our customer commitments. Small things go a long way; for example, we’ll always remember your name. We’ll ask about your hobbies and interests and try to get to know you.  We want you to feel valued and looked after, so that you stick with us. Our customer service team are all very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable, being able to offer an expert view on matters.   Having that level of knowledge is extremely helpful, which is especially the case for you. The reason we say this is because the chances of you getting an incorrect item on an order are very slim.   It is very frustrating when you call up and explain what you need, only to get the wrong product. By making personal service a priority, we have done our very best to limit that.   Don't just take our word for it though; you can find our customer testimonials here.  Control  Finally, our last customer commitment is that we want to give you control. We want you to come to us in full confidence knowing that you’re in charge of the situation at hand.   This is also one of the reasons why the portal is set up the way it is. In the portal, you can set up an approved products list, which limits what people can order.   You can also set up requisitions too, so you have full sign-off on anything that comes through to us. These tools are very helpful in allowing you to budget, so you only spend what you need to.   We don’t want to accept orders that aren’t needed or will put you over budget. It would be easy for us to turn a blind eye to these incidents, but we want what is best for you.   As such, by allowing you control, you have the final say over everything. You can find our portal onboarding guides here.  Putting you at the forefront  We believe having values is important, as like we said earlier, it’s effectively giving your word to people.   How you treat people is hugely important and something we feel very strongly about, so that is why our four customer commitments have you front and centre of them all.   We believe that by putting you first, you can have something that is better for you on a personal level, as well as on a professional level.   If you would like to find out more about Multifix and how we can be of service to you, then you can get in touch with us by following this link.

Read more → 5 min read
Article
A thank you from us to you

With 2023 coming to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for everything over the last 12 months.   We’ve had a lot of interactions, a lot of feedback and delivered a lot of products! We really appreciate you and would also like to thank all of you who have filled out our customer survey.   Your views are really important to us and help us grow as a company, so we’re thankful you’ve taken time out of your busy schedules to partake. If you haven’t done so yet, it’s not too late – you can complete the survey here. Thanks to you though, we’ve been able to achieve some big milestones in 2023, which will help make our service even better.   In this article, we will recap some of our highlights from 2023 and explain how they can be of huge benefit to you.   We expanded our brickwork range  2023 saw Multifix expand our brickwork range! One specific example of this is the addition of Ancon high-rise solutions, which will help us be a better supplier.   Despite being relative newcomers to the sector, we’ve managed to team up with esteemed brands such as Visqueen and ARC, in addition to Ancon, as we look to offer a comprehensive range.   Behind the scenes, we’ve added a lot of specialist knowledge to our task force. This is so we can continue to give you expert advice on your queries and concerns. As a result of choosing this sector, we are determined to learn all about it so that we can provide specialist support.   By and large, it feels like we’ve largely done that and it’s been great to see you take to the new range well and trust us to be your supplier.   We’re still in the early stages of our brickwork project, but you can expect to see us add more to our product range over time.   We’ve expanded our own van routes  You asked, we listened! 2023 saw our own van service grow, as we have now successfully expanded our geographic reach.   These past 12 months have seen us send our fleet of vans to the south-west with regularity, including to Oxford and parts of Gloucestershire.   Expanding our van range has been something you always enquire about and something that we always try to do, so to be able to do so this year was momentous for us.   This is important as it means we can provide a better and more personable delivery service for you, while covering more parts of the country.   We’re always looking at ways we can expand our own van range we’re adding at least three more vans to our fleet, so keep an eye out on the roads in 2024 for a Multifix van!     We retained our FORS Silver accreditation   To add a level of buyer’s security to our delivery service, we have been FORS Silver accredited for a few years now. FORS stands for Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme and is a voluntary accreditation scheme that is designed to drive up standards.   Getting silver is important for many reasons, but it is perhaps best described by the description itself.   “Silver accreditation confirms that you employ good practice and comply with the requirements laid out by the FORS standard,” it reads, as per the FORS website. “By achieving FORS Silver accreditation, your fleet will be compliant with the CLOCS Standard for Construction Logistics and with TfL’s WRRR (Work Related Road Risk).”  As such, we were delighted to achieve Silver again in 2023 and at the very least, will be aiming to achieve the same result in 2024.   We’re putting things in place to deliver nationwide  Perhaps one of the biggest things that is of benefit to you is that as of 2023, Multifix are now primed to deliver all over the country.  It doesn’t matter if you are in Newcastle or Newquay, if you wish to order with us, we will help you, no matter where you’re situated in England.   There are two caveats to this, however. The first is that you will not necessarily have your goods delivered to you by our own vans. You can see their delivery routes here.  Instead, anything outside of our own van range will be delivered by courier. This enables us to cover the entire country, rather than limiting our services.   In a dream scenario, we will have own vans all over the country, but for now, couriers that we trust will be the order of the day.   The second is that this only applies to brickwork and firestopping. We are working on going nationwide for carpentry, but need to iron out a few details first.   We had our first exhibition  Finally, 2023 saw us exhibit at a major event for the first time in our 30-year history. We had our own stand at FIREX located next to our firestopping partners, Protecta.  This was groundbreaking for us and it was great to meet some of you in person to discuss the firestopping solutions that we stock.   Events of that scale always represent a brilliant opportunity to meet new people and explain what we do, with both events proving successful for us.   It remains to be seen whether we will be participating in any events for 2024, but it will certainly be something to think about.   We’d also like to thank all of those who came by our stand to find out more about us, Protecta and their firestopping solutions.   A very positive 12 months It’s been a big year of firsts for Multifix and all of those firsts were with you in mind. First forays into the southwest, first consistent nationwide deliveries and first exhibitions.  All of these steps have been taken to make sure that you get the very best service possible and we are very excited to see what we can achieve in 2024.   With all that in mind, we would like to thank you once again for helping us grow in 2023. We really do value your feedback and suggestions, so please keep telling us them.   The best way to get your thoughts over to us in the short term is through our customer survey. If you would like to partake, you can do so here.

Read more → 5 min read
Article
Is cost the key factor for your supplier?

When it comes to buying, there is always one thing we want to know – how much it costs. This could be for anything; it could be shopping at a supermarket, it could be buying something off Amazon, or it could be weighing up how much a round at the pub will set you back.   And in today’s society, with a cost of living crisis, cost normally wins. Let’s take the pub as an example and imagine you’re in London. Are you more likely to spend £8.50 on a pint, or find a nearby Wetherspoons and get the same thing for £5?  No-one likes being ripped off and everyone likes getting value for their money. This is especially the case in construction, where every penny needs to count.   This puts us in a somewhat strange situation. We know that we aren’t always going to be the cheapest supplier in the market, after all. However, is cost really the be all and end all?  In this article, we will look at whether cost always wins, or whether it can be worth paying a little extra in certain situations.   After all, in some circumstances, it can be better to pay a little more initially than to avoid paying double in the long run.   Does paying less guarantee you a good delivery?  Aside from cost, the next most important thing for a buyer is delivery. When will it turn up, will it turn up when I’m told it will and will it be delivered safely?  One of the reasons why we maybe aren’t the cheapest is because of our delivery services. We have a fleet of vans, which are operated by our own drivers and the results show we’re onto something good.   Our delivery success rate is 99.3% for own-van deliveries, while 75% of our own-van deliveries are delivered before 12pm midday. We understand that without deliveries arriving when stated, issues arise. Costs grow, projects can get delayed and the inconvenience can really hit you in the pocket.   No-one wants that. As such, if you’ve found something cheaper, be sure to check what the delivery service is like. If it’s unreliable and you end up losing money as a result, it may be worth paying the extra to ensure your order gets there.   Does paying less guarantee you product quality?  At Multifix, we are very proud to be in partnership with a number of outstanding brands. These include Paslode, Protecta, Visqueen, Ancon, Bosch and many others.  These brands are synonymous with quality and have proven over many years that their products turn a good job well done into a great job well done.   Now, if you can get products of this quality for a better price, then that’s completely fair enough. Ultimately, we want what is best for you.   However, if you are buying products on the basis that they are cheaper, then it may be wise to reconsider. This is especially the case in brickwork, where poorly manufactured products can have disastrous consequences.   If the products you’re buying are alarmingly cheap, there’s likely a good reason for that. In construction, more often than not, you get what you pay for when it comes to products.   Does paying less guarantee you customer service? Let’s say that you’ve found a supplier that can do your goods for you at a cheap price. You go to call up over the phone and explain what you’re after in vague terms, which as we know, have become industry standard.   Unfortunately for you, when your order arrives, it’s not what you asked for. The person at the end of the phone didn’t fully understand what you wanted, so you need to send it back and order again.   Or let’s say your order hasn’t arrived as planned. You want to check where your delivery is, go to phone and all they can say is that it’s on its way, with nothing further to reassure you.    Getting hold of people is imperative and essential, as you never know what is going to happen. And when you get through to these people, it’s important they know their stuff.   That is why we focus so heavily on our customer service team, who constantly have training to make sure their product knowledge is as extensive as you need it to be.   They also have the ability to track your order as well, so you’ll be able to find out exactly where your delivery is and when it will show up.   The reason we do this is because you never know when you need someone to physically speak to. If a cheaper supplier can’t provide you with adequate customer service, it won’t be worth the bargain.   Weighing up the finances We all love a bargain. However, as the saying goes, if something is too good to be true, there’s a good chance it is.   As such, while cost may well be the number one priority, you should weigh that up against what you’re getting for your money.  If you’re getting a product cheap, but don’t know if it’ll turn up on time or even be good enough for the task at hand, then it’s always worth spending extra.   To find out more about Multifix and the pricing options we have available, you can get in touch with us here.  

Read more → 4 min read
Article
Is our customer portal the best option for you?

At Multifix, we are very proud of our customer portal. We believe that it can make things much more efficient for you and have tailored it specifically for you, to make life much easier.   However, there are some of you who are a little on the fence as to whether it’s worth your time. Of course, there are some who don’t want to use it full stop and that is fine.  After all, what if it isn’t the best option for you? That has to be the number one question ultimately, as we want our service to be tailored for you.   We know a few of you are toying with the idea, but just haven’t leapt in yet. That could be down to time or it could be down to not being fully sure it can be a better solution for you.   With that in mind, we have put together this article, which explains some of the main differences between using the portal and not.   Come the end of the article, you’ll hopefully have more of an idea as to what you can do with the portal, compared to ordering normally.   Setting up approved items  When it comes to asserting control over your site procurement, having a list of approved items is a great start. Whether it’s because you’re working with a certain brand or because you only want to buy what you need, it’s a very useful tool.   On the portal, setting up an approved items list is very easy. It can be done in seconds and from that point onwards, that’ll be all people can order from.   You can also edit and change this list as you see fit, depending on how and when the project you’re working on changes.   However, you can also do all of this by phoning up. Naturally, this takes more time, but you can tell one of our customer service team what you only want available and they can action that for you.   Winner – draw, although the portal is faster  Item tracking  It is true that you can call up and ask for order tracking and for an estimated time of arrival, however, this is much better with the portal.   On the portal, you can see exactly where your driver is with a live estimated time of arrival, which only takes a few seconds to check.   This keeps you in the loop all the way through and doesn’t take too much time out of your day. When you call to ask about where your order is, our staff will use the portal tracking technology!  Much like with approved items then, you can phone up and find out, however it takes longer than checking through the portal.   Winner – portal  Order speed  At Multifix, we like to think that our customer service team is very knowledgeable. They know their products, they’re very experienced and that naturally cuts down the risk of getting the wrong thing.   However, you can eliminate that small risk entirely by using the portal. You can cherry pick exactly what items you want and in whatever quantity you please.   If you’ve set up favourite items or requisitions too, you can be extra quick. In fact, it’s possible to place an order within 30 seconds via the portal.   Of course, our customer service team will strive to be as quick as possible when taking your order, but you’ll be able to do it quicker on the portal.   Winner – portal  Talking to someone  If you get stuck at any point on the portal, or would like some additional information, then there is a live chat option on the website.   This will put you in direct contact with one of our customer service team, who will be replying to your queries and concerns from behind a keyboard in real-time.   But we appreciate that isn’t necessarily the most human. There’s nothing quite like physically speaking to someone and having a bit of a chat in amongst business operations.  As much as we try to replicate that with our live chat, it’s just not the same. So, if you are looking to physically talk to someone, then there is only one winner.  Winner – calling up  Making things as easy as possible for you  In our eyes, the portal is a winner. We really think it can help you do things faster, better and more efficiently. However, it’s all about what is best for you.   If you are very happy not using the portal, then it’s a case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. After all, we feel that there is certainly room for both.   Our customer service team will always be happy to take your call and discuss things via that route if that works best for you.   That being said, we are confident that once you start using the portal, you’ll appreciate it for what it can do for you.   If you are interested in getting set up with the portal, then you can view our onboarding guides here. Equally, if you wish to get in contact with us, please do so here.  

Read more → 4 min read
Article
Why it’s crucial to obtain recommendations in the construction industry

One of the main reasons we are still going strong after 30 years is because we have valued clients who trust us. And gaining trust in the construction industry isn’t a given, it’s something we deeply appreciate.   Trust is crucial because without it, relationships crumble. If you feel you can’t trust your supplier to be reliable or to deliver good products, then you’ll be looking elsewhere.   So, why do people trust us at Multifix? It’s a difficult question for us to answer, as we can’t speak for other people and their experiences.   However, there are a few things that we do as a company that may explain why we are fortunate enough to be trusted.   In this article, we will highlight three of the things we think have led to this. Without the three things we’re going to mention, we’re not sure we would’ve gained your trust.   We are reliable  It can be very easy for a company to declare that they are reliable, but it’s how they back it up that matters. Talk is cheap, after all.   We believe that we can back our claim up. 99.3% of our deliveries that we make, through our fleet of vans, turn up when we say they are going to. In addition, 75% of those orders are at your door before 12pm midday.   Also, through our customer portal, you have the ability to track every order that we send out. This means you can be kept fully up to speed when your order is on the go.   We also take picture proof of every successful delivery, while also requiring a signature upon arrival. This means that you can rest assured your parcel is in good hands and not just left somewhere.   The reason why we do all of this is because we know how much late or incorrect deliveries can hamper you. They cause backlogs, they can hit you in the pocket and they are a nightmare.   As such, we take several measures to ensure that you get what you’ve ordered on the day we’ve agreed to deliver it to you.   We care about you  Again, this is a statement that most companies will proudly make and stand behind. But whether they can prove that is another matter.   As with our reliability claim, we believe that we can prove this. Relationships are so crucial to this industry and we work exceptionally hard to grow ours.   We have a dedicated, experienced and caring customer service team, who are always available during the working day and are always happy to help. They have extensive product knowledge, so the chances of you getting the wrong product is very slim.   Meanwhile, our account managers are all very personable and will take the time to get to know you. Things that might not seem like a big deal, such as remembering your name and what interests you, go a long way.   If you’re happy with the service you’re getting, you’re going to want to come back. It’s the same with anything, from restaurants to construction suppliers.   Our team will go out of their way to make sure you’re treated as a person and not as a number. They want to get to know you, they want to give you the best service possible and they want to help.   We give power and control to you  One common bugbear is that some of you have found your budget being drained because of a lack of control over site procurement.   Site staff ordering things without your consent or over-ordering are both huge problems and can have big ramifications for you.   However, we aren’t just happy to sit and take your money in these situations. Other companies might be, as to them it just may be another order and money in the bank, but we want the very best for you.   That’s why we have given you the option to take the power back over site procurement. With Multifix, you have the ability to control what your team can order.   You can set up a list of approved products via the portal, which completely limits what your staff can order. This means they’ll only be able to request products you know are needed.   In addition, you can set up requisitions. This allows you to review orders before they are placed, so you have full control over how your budget is spent.  If you are not using the portal or don’t wish to, you can still do this. All you have to do is give us a ring and explain what items/brands you want to be unavailable for your team and we will action that.   When you shop with Multifix, we want you to only be getting what you need. By giving you the option for full control over procurement, we hope that ensures it.   Putting you first for three decades and counting  There is a very common theme with all three of the points that we have listed; that we put you first and foremost in our plans.   We know that late or missed deliveries can cause chaos, so we do all we can to ensure they get there on time. We know that people like to be valued, so we want our staff to be personable. Finally, we know that people want to control their spend, which is why we tailored the portal around you.   As we said at the start of the article, we can’t speak for other people and why they trust us. But, we feel these things are all crucial factors.   However, please don’t just take our word for it. If you would like to see some of our customer testimonials, including from clients such as the All England Group and RK Joinery, then you can watch those here.

Read more → 5 min read
Article
Why do people trust Multifix?

One of the main reasons we are still going strong after 30 years is because we have valued clients who trust us. And gaining trust in the construction industry isn’t a given, it’s something we deeply appreciate.   Trust is crucial because without it, relationships crumble. If you feel you can’t trust your supplier to be reliable or to deliver good products, then you’ll be looking elsewhere.   So, why do people trust us at Multifix? It’s a difficult question for us to answer, as we can’t speak for other people and their experiences.   However, there are a few things that we do as a company that may explain why we are fortunate enough to be trusted.   In this article, we will highlight three of the things we think have led to this. Without the three things we’re going to mention, we’re not sure we would’ve gained your trust.   We are reliable  It can be very easy for a company to declare that they are reliable, but it’s how they back it up that matters. Talk is cheap, after all.   We believe that we can back our claim up. 99.3% of our deliveries that we make, through our fleet of vans, turn up when we say they are going to. In addition, 75% of those orders are at your door before 12pm midday.   Also, through our customer portal, you have the ability to track every order that we send out. This means you can be kept fully up to speed when your order is on the go.   We also take picture proof of every successful delivery, while also requiring a signature upon arrival. This means that you can rest assured your parcel is in good hands and not just left somewhere.   The reason why we do all of this is because we know how much late or incorrect deliveries can hamper you. They cause backlogs, they can hit you in the pocket and they are a nightmare.   As such, we take several measures to ensure that you get what you’ve ordered on the day we’ve agreed to deliver it to you.   We care about you  Again, this is a statement that most companies will proudly make and stand behind. But whether they can prove that is another matter.   As with our reliability claim, we believe that we can prove this. Relationships are so crucial to this industry and we work exceptionally hard to grow ours.   We have a dedicated, experienced and caring customer service team, who are always available during the working day and are always happy to help. They have extensive product knowledge, so the chances of you getting the wrong product is very slim.   Meanwhile, our account managers are all very personable and will take the time to get to know you. Things that might not seem like a big deal, such as remembering your name and what interests you, go a long way.   If you’re happy with the service you’re getting, you’re going to want to come back. It’s the same with anything, from restaurants to construction suppliers.   Our team will go out of their way to make sure you’re treated as a person and not as a number. They want to get to know you, they want to give you the best service possible and they want to help.   We give power and control to you  One common bugbear is that some of you have found your budget being drained because of a lack of control over site procurement.   Site staff ordering things without your consent or over-ordering are both huge problems and can have big ramifications for you.   However, we aren’t just happy to sit and take your money in these situations. Other companies might be, as to them it just may be another order and money in the bank, but we want the very best for you.   That’s why we have given you the option to take the power back over site procurement. With Multifix, you have the ability to control what your team can order.   You can set up a list of approved products via the portal, which completely limits what your staff can order. This means they’ll only be able to request products you know are needed.   In addition, you can set up requisitions. This allows you to review orders before they are placed, so you have full control over how your budget is spent.  If you are not using the portal or don’t wish to, you can still do this. All you have to do is give us a ring and explain what items/brands you want to be unavailable for your team and we will action that.   When you shop with Multifix, we want you to only be getting what you need. By giving you the option for full control over procurement, we hope that ensures it.   Putting you first for three decades and counting  There is a very common theme with all three of the points that we have listed; that we put you first and foremost in our plans.   We know that late or missed deliveries can cause chaos, so we do all we can to ensure they get there on time. We know that people like to be valued, so we want our staff to be personable. Finally, we know that people want to control their spend, which is why we tailored the portal around you.   As we said at the start of the article, we can’t speak for other people and why they trust us. But, we feel these things are all crucial factors.   However, please don’t just take our word for it. If you would like to see some of our customer testimonials, including from clients such as the All England Group and RK Joinery, then you can watch those here. 

Read more → 5 min read
Article
When will my Multifix order be delivered?

Deliveries are the lifeblood of any business, so the key question after making an order is always, “When will it turn up?”  This is especially the case with construction. Missed or late deliveries can lead to delays, which subsequently hits you straight in the pocket.   As such, that question of ‘when will it turn up?’ is especially valid when you’re on a site. However, in our case, there are a few different answers to that question.   There are a few variable factors that have to be taken into consideration when you order with us, which can impact your delivery time.  This includes whether you’ve ordered next-day delivery or not, or whether you’re in reach of our fleet of vans or not. You can find out where our fleet of vans will travel to here. If you’ve ordered before 4pm, you will be eligible for next-day delivery.  However, if you order between 4pm and 5pm, depending on your order, we may be able to squeeze it in next day.   In this article, we will pinpoint your most likely time of arrival for a parcel, depending on how you’ve ordered with us.  It is worth noting that all orders can be tracked via the customer portal, but we understand that you need to have a vague idea of an arrival time upon purchase.   I’m in geographic reach of your vans and I’ve ordered next-day delivery – when can I expect my order?  In this scenario, first and foremost, you can expect to have your parcel the next day. What’s more is that it is likely to arrive before 12pm midday.   We say this because 75% of our deliveries are on site before 12pm midday. While we cannot say for certain that you’ll be part of the 75%, there is a very good chance you will be.   In fact, in some instances, we’ve delivered to sites before you’ve even started to work! You’ll be able to find out for certain via the customer portal, but we strive for that window.   Speed is one of our core principles at Multifix and we want you to have your order as early as possible, so that you can get your jobs done faster.   As with every delivery, you can expect a call from one of our drivers when they are 10 minutes out, but in regards to time, there’s a high chance it arrives before midday.   I’m still in geographic reach, but I’ve missed the next-day delivery deadline. When can I expect my order?  So, this depends on when you’ve actually placed the order and what you’ve ordered. If you’ve put in for a small order between 4pm and 5pm, there is a chance you may still get it the next day.   However, we cannot guarantee this. It goes without saying though that we will try our best to make sure you can get it as quickly as possible.   If you have put in for a large order between 4pm and 5pm and it requires a pallet, then it will be too late for the next day.   As an example then, if you’ve put in a large order after 4pm or made an order at like 6pm on a Monday, your goods will be delivered to you on the Wednesday.   It’s the same logic over the weekend, too. So if you are outside the next-day delivery ordering times and you place an order on the Friday, you will get it on the Tuesday.   I am out of your van’s geographic reach, but I’ve ordered for next-day delivery. When will my order arrive?  This one is a little harder to predict. While Multifix now delivers nationwide, our own vans don’t go nationwide – yet, anyway. It’s certainly something in the pipeline, but not something we can offer this second. As such, the areas we can’t get to, we send a courier to.   This takes away a large element of our control. Things that we would do as standard; for example, calling you 10 minutes before and doing our best to get your order to you before midday, we can’t ensure.   What we can ensure is that if you have ordered for the next day and live out of our reach, you will get it the next day, as promised.   We will do all we can to make sur your delivery is with you before 12pm midday, as we would with the vans in our control, but we can’t definitively say.   I haven’t ordered for next-day delivery, but I’m out of your geographic reach. When can I expect my order?  Much like if you have ordered next-day delivery, if you are out of the van geographic region, then your goods will be sent to you via courier.   They will be sent two days after order; so if you order late on a Monday, they’ll be there on a Wednesday.  In the same vein as with own-brand, if you have a small order and that’s placed between 4pm and 5pm, there is a chance it could be with you the next day.   However, this isn’t something we can say with certainty. Also, any large orders or orders that require a pallet that are filed between 4pm and 5pm will not be eligible for next-day delivery.  We will always try to get your products to you before midday, but again, we can’t guarantee that this will be the case for you.   Getting you the products that you need  We understand that having your items as quickly as possible is vital for your projects. This is why we do all we can to get them to you in a timely manner.   We said at the start of the article that it’s very difficult to pinpoint an exact time because of the variables, but hopefully you have a clearer idea now of what to expect.   If in doubt though, the tracking order on the customer portal will always give you up-to-date information as to where your order is.   For more information about Multifix or to place an order with us, you can get in contact with us via this link.  

Read more → 5 min read
Article
Three reasons why changing suppliers can be a good thing

It’s very easy to persist with your supplier, even when things maybe aren’t going as well as you’d hoped for.   You don’t have to sort out any new paperwork, there’s no new people to get to know and above all else, there’s no change. Lots of people don’t like change and maybe the grass isn’t always greener.  However, with a new supplier, things could be a lot better for you. After all, no-one likes being treated like a number and that can change with a new environment.   There are several perks to joining a new supplier and generally speaking, they more often than not outweigh the pros of staying put.   In this article, we will identify three ways that changing suppliers can have a big boost for you and your business.  1. You’ll likely get better service, in more ways than one  A new environment will bring new relationships and what you’ll likely find is that your prospective new supplier will be very grateful for your new choice.   Whether you engage in a trial period or otherwise, you’ll likely find that the staff are very keen to have you on board and that’ll show in your service.   The best suppliers will make sure this isn’t a one-off welcoming period and is constant throughout, but it will still be an upgrade to being treated like a number.   In addition, you may find that by going to a new supplier, their delivery service is much more reliable. Missed or late deliveries can cause huge complications, so finding one who understands that will be a huge improvement.   In addition, there could be other factors that make your deliveries a much smoother operation. For example, being able to track your order or receiving a courtesy phone call before delivery.   2. The product range may be better with a different supplier  One of the main reasons why people seek out different suppliers is not so much price, but because of the quality of product available.  Whether this is in relation to the products themselves or the types of brands that are being stocked by a supplier, the quality of the product at your disposal could be much better.   As well as that, you may find that another supplier has a much more expanded range than what you’re previously using. This opens up more possibilities for you, some of which could be cost-effective.   This is an especially pertinent point if you are somewhat underwhelmed by the current range of products you have with your current supplier.   While you could of course split suppliers, having all of your eggs in one basket with a supplier with a wide range is possibly a better option.   3. You may find the terms and conditions better with a new supplier  Whether it’s a small or a big order, having reasonable payment terms is very important, especially in construction with so many moving parts.   As such, when you switch to a new supplier, you may find that the payment terms with your new supplier are better than with your existing one.   For example, that supplier may have it in place that you have 30 days to pay for any order, whether it’s £4 or £400.  Going back to delivery as well, you may find that the majority of your orders turn up before 12pm midday with a new supplier.   These terms and conditions can have a big impact on your business, so if they are benefitting you more, that can only be a good thing for you.   Getting the very most from your supplier  Ultimately, it all comes down to what you want. As we said at the start, it can be very easy to just accept your situation because it’s what you know and it’s what you’re used to.   However, that doesn’t have to be the case and you can likely find better from a different supplier – if, of course, you are feeling that way.   There’s no reason why you can’t have a thriving and positive relationship with your supplier, where you feel valued and more than just a number.   If you would like to get in touch with a member of staff to discuss how we could be a supplier for you, you can do so by clicking this link.  

Read more → 3 min read
Article
30 years of Multifix - our biggest projects

Turning 30 as a business offers us a rare opportunity to press pause for a few seconds. It allows us to reflect on not only where the time has gone, but what has been done with that time.   It’s certainly a nice moment as it reminds us just how far we’ve come and how lucky we are to have been a part of so many special projects.   It goes without saying that we appreciate that we play a small part in every project our services have been utilised for. However, there have been some projects that have really stood out over the years.   In this article, we have identified six of the biggest projects that we have been fortunate enough to have supplied fixings for.   The fact that some of these projects include major UK landmarks is a source of great pride for us, as it’s very special to say we were involved with them.   Wembley Stadium  When it was announced that The Home of Football™, otherwise known as Wembley Stadium, was to be demolished and rebuilt, it’s fair to say it was a big job.   So much so that the ambitious plans to transform the stadium, including the arch, saw the project veer way over budget. What was meant to cost £325m ended up costing £798m.   However, the finished product is one that is remarkable, with the stadium continuing to be an iconic landmark of both London and the UK.   The new Wembley is one of the best sporting stadiums in the world, in addition to being an incredible concert venue.   Many of the world’s biggest artists have played there, while the sporting history amassed since it opened in 2007 is impressive. The arch has also done a great job of replacing the much-loved Twin Towers of the old stadium.   For the Wembley project, Multifix supplied products for the doors, as well as providing joinery supplies.   Heathrow Terminal 5  A project a long time in the making, the opening ceremony of the fifth terminal for Heathrow Airport was certainly a landmark event.  Opened by Queen Elizabeth II in March 2008, Heathrow Terminal 5 is capable of accommodating over 30 million passengers per year. According to a recent study from The Independent, it’s the busiest terminal in England.   September 2023 saw an average of 100,000 passengers a day arrive or depart Heathrow, with Terminal 5 becoming the main hub for British Airways.   Construction cost £4.2bn and lasted six years, with the start of the project kicking off in September 2002. What makes this remarkable is that it came nine years after the expansion was first formally proposed.   The scale of Heathrow Terminal 5 is staggering in its own right, with the floor area covering nearly 3.8 million square feet.   For the construction of Terminal 5, Multifix supplied the channel support systems for the decorative ceiling that you see as you walk in.   The Shard  The tallest building in the UK and London’s most recent skyscraper, The Shard is one of the most innovative building designs in the world.   Costing £435m to build over a three-year period, The Shard has 95 floors and stands at 1016 ft, also making it one of the largest buildings in Europe.   It has since become the home to TV studios and over 26 floors of offices. In addition, many people go to The Shard for a view of London, as well as dining experiences.   Also, because of the way the building has a glass exterior, it is something of a very unique design. This is one of the reasons why it has become such a popular landmark.   For the construction of The Shard, Multifix supplied a number of carpentry fixings for the site, in addition to several power tool accessories.   Westfield  The largest shopping centre in the UK and Europe, Westfield in White City was a massive project that cost £1.6bn to complete.   Boasting over 400 stores, the shopping centre opened in 2008 after a five-year build. The build itself overcame several challenges, including facilitating Underground access and even disposing of unexploded World War II bombs.   At the time of its launch, it was the biggest shopping centre in the UK. However, after an expansion in 2012, it became the biggest in Europe as well.   The popularity of Westfield in White City saw plans for a Westfield in Stratford to be built. This is adjoined to both Stratford tube station and Stratford International and is also adjacent to London’s Olympic Park.   The Westfield in Stratford is the fourth largest shopping centre in England and opened in September 2011. There are 350 stores and services at Stratford, including around 70 restaurants.   Multifix had a helping hand in both initial Westfield developments, as we provided the joinery supplies for both sites.    Olympic Park  When it was announced in 2005 that London would be the first city to host three Olympic Games, the nation celebrated and rightfully so. After the celebrations though, lots of hard work happened to make sure the games could commence.   This included building a brand new, purpose-built Olympic Park, which was designated for Stratford in London.   This contained the London Stadium, the Olympic swimming pool, the ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower and the Olympic Village, among other sporting venues.   Over 80,000 workers set about making the plans a reality and after three years and a cost of £455m, the project was complete.   Since the 2012 games, which brought moments permanently etched in UK sporting history, there have been some changes. The stadium has been converted to accommodate West Ham United, while the Olympic Village has been turned into accommodation.   Nevertheless, the legacy of the games goes on and the stadium is used for many other sports and concerts now. For the project, Multifix provided carpentry fixings, decking and site welfare products.   Tottenham Hotspur Stadium  One of the more recent major projects that we have been involved with, the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, is very noteworthy.   When Spurs decided they had outgrown White Hart Lane and opted to knock it down and rebuild over it, like Wembley, a lot of work needed to be done.   Construction started in 2016 and three years and a billion pounds later, the 62,850-capacity multi-purpose stadium was built.   In addition to being a world-class football stadium, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is also the UK home for the NFL. Other sports have been hosted there too, while it is being frequently used as a concert venue.   Some of the facilities at the stadium are some of the best in the world, including the retractable pitch, preserving the football one from the NFL one.   Multifix provided a wide variety of products for the site, including temporary protection, site consumables and PPE, studding and carpentry fixings.   Taking immense pride in what we have achieved  Our growth over the last 30 years has been incredible. We have gone from an idea from two brothers to helping construct some of the UK’s most notable landmarks.   As we said earlier, to have played a part in these projects coming to life is very special for us as a company. Hopefully, there will be many more to add to this list as the years go by.   Ultimately though, it gives us great pride to be a part of any project – whether it’s Wembley or a small building.   If you would like to get in contact with us to help you with your project, we’d love to hear from you. You can get in touch with us here.  

Read more → 6 min read
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How to ensure you’re getting a reliable delivery service

Whether it’s in construction, or in fact in any industry, it’s imperative that you have a reliable delivery service. You need supplies to do the job, so if your supplies don’t show up, the ramifications can be huge.   In construction especially, time is very much money. Without the products you need, projects can be delayed and the knock-on effects of that aren’t good, to put it mildly.   No contractor is going to enjoy having to explain delays. They are especially not going to be happy explaining delays when they’ve ordered something in good faith that it’ll arrive on a certain day at a certain time and it does neither.   However, these fears can be alleviated if you have a reliable supplier. We like to think that we are one – indeed, our own van delivery success rate is 99.3% - and with 30 years’ experience, we’ve picked a few things up along the way.   The things we have listed are things that we do ourselves, as we want to make sure that when you order with us, you have everything you need.   With that in mind, for this article, we are going to highlight some of the things that all reliable suppliers should be offering you. If they aren’t offering you these things as standard, then it may be time to reconsider who your provider is.   Being able to track your order  As a general observation, people are curious. They are also especially curious when they order things and want to find out when it’s going to arrive.  Not only is this because they need the goods in question, but it allows them to adequately prepare for when that delivery will be. A valued delivery provider will try to have your construction goods delivered before 12, but sometimes you need specifics.   When you can track your order, to the point you can pinpoint an estimated time of arrival, you can prioritise things accordingly depending on your project.   It allows you to be more time-efficient, as you can rearrange your work schedule to get things done in the meantime. Once you have your goods, you can resume what part of the project you need them for.   Having the option to be able to track your order though is very important. You’d expect it from Amazon, you’d expect it from Tesco and you should expect it from your construction supplier, too.   A heads-up that your order is about to be delivered  Let’s say that you’ve tracked your order and you can see that it is coming at 9am. You’re flat out at work, so you get on with the job and forget that the order is coming, because you’re so preoccupied with the project.   Then, you get a phone call from the driver. You’re told that your order is 10 minutes away and you’re asked to come out and pick it up.   In the event you can’t pick it up, you can explain where exactly you want it to go, so it doesn’t get lost, misplaced or damaged. Equally, you can get someone to meet the driver to pick up the goods.   Above all else, a phone call is just a common courtesy. It keeps you in the loop, allows you to plan more efficiently and if it’s a regular driver, even strike up a relationship with them.   This is a fundamental part of reliable service as, much like with anything in the world, communication is key.   Picture proof that your item has been delivered safely  Using the above as an example, let’s say you’ve asked the driver to leave your goods in a designated area and you’ll collect them later.   You then check your order and see that a photo has been added, not only showing proof of delivery, but also identifying exactly where it is.   Few things are more annoying than finding out your item has been delivered, but there is no picture to prove that.   It’s even more annoying when you then have to take time out of your day to hunt down exactly where it’s been left, with no way of contacting the driver.   As such, you should always be of the belief that your supplier is taking photos after dropping the goods off, especially in the event no-one can pick them up instantly.  A signature sign-off for every order  Lastly, sometimes you just need to know with certainty that the items you’ve ordered have turned up safely.   We’ve all heard and endured horror stories of companies saying something has been delivered when the reality is something very different entirely. It’s a dispute you don’t need and it’s time wasted.   As such, one thing you should always hope is that your supplier can provide a signature upon arrival rule with their delivery service.   This also adds accountability on your end, too. If you can’t sign off for whatever reason, you can see exactly who has. This also helps if you’re trying to hunt down the goods when you do need them.   Having the option to give a signature also allows you a brief period of time where you can assess whether the order is correct. Sometimes mistakes can happen, so if you can clock it early, that’s a bonus in an otherwise bad situation.   Making sure you get the very best from your supplier  We all know the importance of deliveries. Businesses rely on them to get things done, so if they’re having difficulties with their deliveries, then something needs to change.   If you are not having these four factors in your deliveries, then you should be asking why not. You should especially be asking this in the event your deliveries aren’t reliable.   The things we’ve listed should be seen as standard for delivery, but as we stated earlier, these are all things that we do ourselves.   If you would like to get in touch with a member of our team to discuss our delivery options, then you can do so here. Alternatively, if you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to see what else we have, you can see our article home base here.  

Read more → 5 min read
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Multifix – more than a family business

2023 is very much a landmark year for Multifix, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. It’s fair to say we’ve come a long way since 1993 when our origins as a family business were formed.   However, the term ‘family business’ can come with negative connotations. They can be seen as unprofessional, lacking innovation and shut off to outsiders.   We accept that this is a stereotypical view of family businesses, however, we believe that we are something more than that.   We believe we’ve worked hard to quash those suggestions and really, we wouldn’t have been going for three decades had we not.   As such, the modern-day Multifix is a professional enterprise that services many different sectors, but has family values at heart.   This article will explain how we have developed over the last 30 years and how we are much more than a stereotypical family business.   Multifix is a place for everyone  The first stereotypical suggestion we will denounce is the notion that family businesses aren’t welcoming to others who aren’t in the inner circle.   We are very proud to have a team from all backgrounds working for Multifix, most of whom have been with us for many years.   It’s a great source of pride that our staff turnover for our Maidstone office is very, very low. The people we have want to work here and that makes a huge difference.   This extends to our warehouse in Barking too, with several people who have been working with the company for 15-20 years or more.   We have worked extremely hard to make Multifix a place for all, irrespective of background, with the hope that our employees stay with us and buy into our ambitions.   In fact, we even have a few staff members dotted across the globe, with some residing in Bulgaria and South Africa.   The family values are also customer values  When it comes to family values, you look after each other. You communicate well, you build up trust and provide.   Those are the same things we carry into our business, albeit in very different ways to a family life. We have put many measures in place for our own-van delivery to be as strong as possible and it currently has a 99.3% success rate.   You have the ability to track your order through the portal, while our drivers will call you when they are nearby to let you know your parcel is ready.   We have a highly trained customer service team, who are always happy to take your call, be it for product advice, to take an order or to provide information.   So, those core family values of trust, care and providing are all fundamental staples of how Multifix operates in the present day.   Multifix is a truly professional environment  No matter where you look at Multifix, be it at the warehouse or the office, you’ll find people who are trained and experienced in the roles they offer.   We are also a company that loves giving people a chance and training them, as per our apprentice scheme, but without a professional culture, none of that would matter.   The way in which we operate openly encourages professionalism in every aspect. This extends to keeping with the times, as we have a dedicated Innovation Manager to ensure we stay ahead of the curve.   Some of our staff members have been experts in their respective fields for decades, all of which are invaluable to us as we continue to progress with each year.   Going strong for 30 years and counting  Getting to the 30-year milestone is certainly a cause for celebration and for several different reasons. Not only does it highlight that we’ve achieved longevity, but it also emphasises how much we’ve grown in that time.   From an idea by two brothers to the company that we are today, the 30-year landmark is a true recognition of both our professionalism and innovation.  Had we operated solely as a family business, we wouldn’t have achieved what we have, or be where we are.   One of the things we have learned throughout our 30 years is to have a strong focus on sustainability. You can find out more about that here.  

Read more → 3 min read
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How to get the most out of your Multifix trial

If you are reading this article, you have likely agreed to start a trial period with Multifix. Naturally, this is great news and we want you to know that we are here for you.   Our designated customer service team and account managers will be in constant dialogue with you, of course, but we really want you to fully maximise your trial with us.   Of course, we’ll be putting in the work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly for you. That goes without saying.    However, there are a couple of things you can do to really get the very most out of your service with us, which is ultimately what we want.   In this article, we will highlight these things and explain how they can really give you that full Multifix experience.   Make the most of the portal onboarding guides  There is a good possibility that when agreeing to trial with Multifix, you would rather conduct your business with us over the phone, or by email.   Of course, that is absolutely fine. If that is the case, then we will of course work with you on that and you can maybe disregard this bit.   If you are looking to do the bulk of your ordering online though, then you are going to want to become good friends with our customer portal.   Here, you can do a whole variety of things, including setting up requisitions, tracking your order and making a list of approved items for your team.   However, before diving in headfirst, it is wise to look at our portal onboarding guides, so that when you do opt for the portal, you are fully prepared.   We have three different portal onboarding guides, depending on what your role is. There is one for super users and office managers, one for site managers and one for site operatives.   As all of these types of users have different permissions, it’s important to get to grips with the guide that is best suited for you.   That way, when it does come to using the customer portal, you’ll know what to do, what you can and can’t do and how to get things up and running.   Get to know the team  Whether you’re using the portal or not, one thing we really value here at Multifix is relationships. We want to get to know you on a first-name basis and we want to know about you.  This is because if we have a relationship with you, it just makes everything easier. Our customer service team and account managers are always polite and courteous anyway, but getting to know you better just makes everything smoother.   You will have a dedicated customer service agent and an account manager to contact as standard, but these people are all extremely personable.   We believe that if you are made to feel valued and have people who genuinely care about you and your business, your experience is going to be a lot happier.   No-one likes being treated like a number, which is something we go out of our way to avoid making you feel like. It’s cold, it’s impersonal and it can be very off-putting.  We take a lot of pride in our customer service and how we treat our clients, so getting to know those working with you will help you get the full Multifix experience.   Extracting the most from your trial  Once your trial period with us is up, we want to have given you the best possible service so that you stay with us afterwards.   But regardless of that, we want you to have the full Multifix experience when you commit to a trial period with us.   With these two tips, you should be able to have that full experience during your trial period, which we hope will lead to a longer relationship.   After your trial period will be a trial review meeting. You can find out what happens at that trial review meeting here.  

Read more → 3 min read
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