From:
Colin Torley,
Sales & Marketing Director,
The Veka UK Group

As Network Veka moves in to the 20th year of successfully representing and promoting the very best of standards in the installation of windows, conservatories and doors, we were surprised to read your sceptical comments about the Network in your leader last week.  To be dammed for setting "near-saintly" standards for its members seems to entirely miss the very reason that Network Veka came in to existence - reputable businesses getting together to form a collective, member-driven organisation of the very highest standards, at a time in the '80's when the double glazing industry was a byword for poor practice.  We make no apologies for maintaining these high standards today and this perhaps explains a customer satisfaction rating consistently at 97% or above, compared to an industry average of 83%.  And, yes, we do on occasion expel a member if they do not meet these high standards, though we prefer to focus on genuine inspections, audits and training to maintain these.  Network Veka represents the pinnacle of the industry, as you perhaps inadvertently point out, and that is where we fully intend to keep it.

The opening up of the Network to potentially all Veka UK Group customers, including Halo, we see to be a universally positive move and we are pleased to have already welcomed a number of Halo customers in to the fold already.  What we do know, because we see all the registrations and the customer feedback, is that Network Veka members who take advantage of the unrivalled support package available to members enjoy installation values, growth rates and customer satisfaction levels that are the envy of the industry.  In fact 2014 was a record year for Network Veka by multiple measures, not least being an average growth rate of 42% over our top 12 members.

We do of course recognise that Network Veka is not right for every one of our customers and installers for various reasons.  This was a driving factor behind our launch of the Approved Installer Schemes last year, which now have over 500 companies, including fabricators and suppliers, signed up and approved, enjoying a level of branding and marketing support that gives them the best tools to compete.  It may be that many of these Approved Installers are seeing this as a gateway in to being part of the Veka UK Group and the support we offer, and to be frank, we are very comfortable with that.  We believe this contributes to "joined-up" supply chain to the benefit of all, not least the homeowner.

So with regard to your anecdote about national coverage, there has never been a time when the Veka UK Group has provided a more comprehensive level of choice via both Network Veka and Approved Installers across the land.
Almost £900m of installed product, the highest customer satisfaction ratings, pioneering industry initiatives such as the recently launched Network Veka Training Academy to help address the skills shortage and almost 20 years of our members doing things the right way - for an organisation that is highly regarded across our industry, it is a pity that your experience of not finding a member on the island you went on holiday clearly remains with you today.
We, meanwhile, remain focussed on offering the best installer support package available and preparing to mark 20 successful and game-changing years of Network Veka