2 Wednesday November 9 2016
hulldailymail.co.uk
‘Putting our customers first, choosing and incentivising great people has really paid off and the business has flourished’ Simple formula of putting everything into the customer experience has been the key driver to MKM’s success
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n 1995, David Kilburn was made redundant from a national builders’ merchants at the age of 50. He approached Peter Murray and his partner Janet Taylor, with whom he had worked for many years and, together with Linda Clarke, who worked as a consultant with them both, they put together the basis of a business plan which would develop into the MKM group. With the help of some great friends who provided buildings, finance and contracts, they opened their first site on Clough Road, Hull, and within two years had moved to a purpose-built site – it seemed one branch was not going to be enough to meet demand. There was scope to corner the market with this fresh, customerfocused over volume sales approach. Work began on a strategy for rolling out the MKM offering to other locations; but crucially, the service standards had to be serviceable and scalable; nothing could be lost in a bid to grow. David and Peter were conscious of devising a methodology that would replicate success, so it was decided they would handpick the branch directors with strong customer relationships and local knowledge.
On top of this, MKM continued to differentiate itself by incentivising branch directors, with equity and a share of profits. Through shared accountability, MKM could be sure that those hired to lead branches would be as passionate about the business as its co-founders. The model was put into motion and the business quickly gathered pace. Twenty-one years and 50,000 customers later, it is safe to say this simple formula of putting everything into customer experience has been the key driver to MKM’s success. At the time of its 21st anniversary, MKM is the leading independent builders’ merchant in the UK, with 45 branches and counting. The business has soared through developing strong and lasting relationships with both suppliers and customers. In-branch experts are on hand to assist with every customer need and the addition of high-spec kitchen and bathroom showrooms has further diversified the offering, while increasing the appeal. Each showroom has its own specialist design experts, so every project can be maximised by capitalising on their expertise. A proud Hull business, it has continued to champion the region
THE EXTRA MILE: Customer service is vital to MKM’s success.
and support its home communities. In June this year, MKM was behind a sell-out Rod Stewart concert at the KCOM Stadium, which raised almost £300k for two local charities. The business is also getting behind Hull’s exciting role as UK City of Culture 2017, joining several other businesses as a major partner. Where now? Well, the business is showing no signs of slowing. Plans are in place to continue a steady, considered roll-out. The business model remains the same, so MKM follows great branch directors, not the geography. With this flexibility and with such simple, but clear differentiation, MKM has carved a successful niche with further potential for growth. David Kilburn said: “I am proud we have remained committed to the ideology we laid out 21 years ago. “Choosing great people over focusing on profit has paid off and the business has flourished as a result. “By nurturing our team and investing time in finding those that care about service delivery as much as we do, we have built a business synonymous with ‘nothing’s too much trouble’ and a loyal customer base that sticks with us for that very approach. “Our branches work independently to a common aim; to be better and to grow. “Their accountability and passion is what drives the business forward and we are confident we can retain this focus with future branch openings. “As we celebrate our 21st anniversary, it’s once again an opportunity to thank the people of Hull for their support then and now. We’re so proud to be based here, it is our home and we will continue to promote and support this wonderful, diverse city in the coming years.”
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