P2 sets the standards for 2018 by achieving ISO 9001 & 14001

We take environmental concerns very seriously. We are committed to the recycling and reuse of materials whenever possible, and minimize waste through a process of material optimization. Additionally, we devote time right from the outset to thinking about what sustainable materials will be most suitable for our clients’ projects. This means that they get display units with the right product life cycle at maximum cost efficiency and minimum harm to the environment, which is why is was also important for us to gain the ISO 14001.

So what do they actually stand for?

ISO 9001 is the leading, globally-recognised standard for quality management systems. Used by organisations of all sizes across all industry sectors, the ISO 9001 standard is designed to assist with the implementation of an efficient quality management system, ensuring that organisations consistently conform to the required standards. This is achieved by emphasising a set of key goals, principals and objectives, which are important to every business in order to ensure that the needs of customers and stakeholders are being properly addressed.

ISO 14001 is the internationally-recognised standard for environmental management systems. When implementing an environmental management system (EMS) within an organisation, it is usually desirable to apply for ISO 14001 certification, since this accreditation serves as evidence that you follow the correct processes and procedures in order to minimise your company’s impact on the environment.

We are looking forward to an exciting 2018 and we look forward to working with you.

Tailoring your retail space

In order to plan and create the perfect shop fitting for your retail space, there are a number of angles and questions that need to be posed.

Firstly, what is it that you’re looking to achieve in the end? Of course this will be closely linked to the business objectives of the business, but there needs to be a detailed ideas around what the priorities are with the project. Is having the trendiest, most visually appealing space for your products the most important objective? Or is having a well functioning and sales/traffic driven approach suitable for your business?

Following this, it is important to think about the most important people who will be setting foot in your shop – the customers. To be able to design and create the perfect shopping space for your business, it is vital to understand the customer’s journey, where do they enter? Where do they walk? Do they need a lot of space? All of this is important information.

One final, and equally important, consideration is context and competition. This is where you need to think about the surroundings of your shop, and how it can distinguish itself from local competitors that could be in the immediate vicinity. Whether this is through how it looks, the sounds you hear entering the shop through to outside signage, there are many customisable elements that can be worked on.

If you would like some help with your retail project then why not get in touch!

P2 winds down by speeding up

After an incredibly busy 12 months, the P2 team decided it was time to blow off some steam. And what’s the perfect way for a young, dynamic team with energy in abundance to do that? Go karting, of course!

On 25th May, we decided it was time to thank our team for their incredibly hard work and all the extra hours put in over the year. And while some businesses might like to relax quietly and slow down, that was never going to be an option for P2. As a result, we suited and booted up, strapped on the helmets, and took to the race track.

It says a lot about the work ethic and dedication of the P2 staff that powering round a track all afternoon felt like a break. And the same tenacious pursuit of success that serves us so well in our everyday business was on display. As a result, it was a fun and competitive afternoon that, miraculously, didn’t result in anything other than pride being injured!

Top dog on the day was our workshop foreman, Carl Dolby, who put in a spirited performance to get the gold. Hot on his heals was design and project manager Adie Burns, with Director Adam Philips coming in third.

It was a great day that saw the whole team play to its strengths and come together just like they’ve done every day for the past year. And it was followed by some well-needed food and drink at the local village Balby in the evening.

What’s next on the cards? Another year that’s worth celebrating!

Apprenticeships add value to industry

The UK government is planning an Apprenticeship Levy, aiming to get 3 million apprenticeships on the go by 2020. This is great news for UK industry, as apprenticeships perform a vital role in the trades, helping people from all walks of life develop skills that will set them up for a solid career, and contributing to a diverse workforce that has real, on-the-job, experience behind it.

At P2, we take our apprenticeship scheme very seriously: we believe that we’ll get the best results by taking in young people that are hungry for opportunities and helping them to make the most of their potential. That’s why we insist on putting all our apprentice furniture makers through a comprehensive set of qualifications.

Rather than just studying shop fitting, we believe young people in our industry benefit from having wider knowledge. This brings a comprehensive set of capabilities to our workforce, resulting in flexible workers who can think outside the box. For a company that prides itself on dynamic problem-solving abilities, this is crucial.

P2’s managing director, Adam Phillips, says:

“With an apprenticeship scheme, you’re literally investing in the future. It’s not as simple as filling a job post for a year or two: you’re helping to develop the type of skills and values that you think the industry needs going forward. At P2, we’re very proud of the people that have gone through this process with us.”

Phillips adds that, unlike its competitors, P2 insists on giving apprentices access to a comprehensive set of skills. At P2, all apprentices are put through a full NVQ in furniture and cabinet making with WEBS Furniture Training. This is what’s best for the company, its apprentices, and, ultimately, the local community. Phillips says:

“It’s more than just what’s good for P2. You take youth from the local area and give them a trade. We want our employees to not just be great at making shop fitting furniture. We want them to have a wider set of overall life skills. That might mean becoming familiar with more than just timberwork; at P2, they might come into contact with metalwork, glass work, and more.”

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming an apprentice with P2, you can contact us through the contact form on this website.

Is there a smarter way to use your retail space?

Retail is a tough business. It’s always been a tough business, but never more so than today, when online shopping trends are squeezing brick-and-mortar retailers on the high street. That’s the bad news. The good news is that these same trends make physical retail more competitive, and it’s relatively easy to stand out from your rivals. How, you ask? By asking yourself four simple questions:

First, what do you want to achieve with your retail space? This isn’t just somewhere you sell products – it’s a vital extension of your brand, the physical embodiment of what it means to spend money at your store. Should it be relaxing? Should it be fashionable? Should it be cool? The answers to these questions will depend on your own brand values, and it’s crucial that you consider them wisely. You need to ask: what’s the personality of my shop, and how can I reflect it here?

Second, what does the customer’s journey look like? Most of the time, consumers enter a shop with little-to-no prior knowledge of it. They’ll browse your store, pick up clues as to who you are, what you offer, and how; and then, if you tick their boxes, they will purchase something. You need to be aware of how your customers will travel around your store’s layout and customize it accordingly. Does that mean putting the most attractive products at the front? Adding display cards to help your shoppers become informed? It almost certainly means creating a clear path to the point of sale. How the customer interacts with your store’s layout is paramount to the sales process.

Third, what does a customer need? Before your shoppers make a purchase with you, they require certain information: that you are in business, what you sell, how much it costs, etc. This might sound self-evident, but you would be amazed at how many shops fail to make all the necessary information as easy to locate as possible. You might also, if you have never taken the time to consider it, be amazed to find that it’s not as clear as it could be in your shop either.

Finally, what does a customer want? Once you’ve addressed you store’s personality, made sure that the customer journey is sensible, and that the customer has all the knowledge he or she needs to make a purchase, you should be asking yourself why that customer will shop with you? Ultimately, this means discovering what your customers want and supplying it to them. This, of course, relates to products – but it also relates to the mood of your shop. There are some things you can take for granted: no customer wants to shop somewhere dirty, disorganized, and without easily available customer service. Beyond this, you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment, to ask, and – occasionally – trust your gut.

P2 is an experienced facilitator of shop fitting furniture for a variety of different uses. We’ve worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands and retail destinations, and are more than capable of realizing whatever vision the four questions above lead to. Just get in touch with us through this website.

UK retail display firms see strong figures

Since the start of the year we have been as busy as ever working on a range of projects for a wide range of worldwide brands. But, as you know, we are not only concentrated on our current projects, we also have a passion for our craft and like to keep up to date with the latest events and trends from across the industry.

At times of economic uncertainty and negative news, like the present, good news stands out and that is exactly the case for the retail display industry, which is seeing a rise in sales. The Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA) recently carried out a survey across all of their members, looking to get a thorough understanding of the state of the market and their members’ sentiment, and the results were extremely positive! They reported that 64% of their respondents reported an increase in sales over the last six months; with the average of those reporting a 17% rise in their sales – truly impressive figures.

Antony Behiels, director of the SDEA, said: “Despite a rise in supplier prices, which has been well reported since the devaluation of Sterling and Brexit, the industry remains relatively buoyant. He went on to state that of the 76 per cent of members that recorded a supplier price increase, averaging a 5 per cent hike, over half are not looking to pass this on to their customers – testimony to the strength of the retail display industry.” We are delighted to see such positive figures coming out of the industry, as our nations shop fitters continue to go from strength to strength.