The G10 Awards Presentation & Gala Dinner took place in December at Wembley stadium, an event that recognizes excellence in what has become an important fixture in the annual calendar for the glass and glazing sector.

The management team from Insight Data attended to support the G10 event and was delighted to discover that 50% of the winners use Insight’s Salestracker database of window, door, and conservatory fabricators and installers.

The Marketing Campaign of the Year (trade) was scooped by long-standing Insight Data customer Edgetech for their Journey to C event that helped educate the glazing industry on Window Energy Ratings, while Fabricator of the Year went to Lister Trade Frames for a second year.

Lister’s Managing Director, Mark Warren comments: “As a company we’ve grown 15% in the last year, which is no mean feat given the current economy. An integral part of our growth was the decision to significantly step-up our marketing and invest in a quality prospect database system. We’ve been using Salestracker now since 2009 and it has transformed the way Lister’s approach sales and marketing activity.”

Solaglas picked up the Component Supplier of the Year. Matthew Kirby, Marketing Manager said; “Insight Data’s passion for quality and innovation is clear to see. We use Salestracker almost every day and their ‘can do’ attitude to customer support is outstanding.”

Innovation was a theme throughout the awards and another winner on the night, Matthew Glover of the Conservatory Outlet said; “Innovation and technology are essential elements of our business strategy, so working with Insight Data is a natural synergy for Conservatory Outlet”.

High profile fabricator Everglade Windows is another Insight Data customer who picked up an award, while WHS Halo, the only systems company to win, is an avid user of several Insight databases including window and door fabricators, installers, and the architects database.

“The Awards are an opportunity for the window industry to come together and recognize those companies at the very forefront of our industry” commented Insight Data’s Managing Director Andrew Scott; “Both the winners and finalists clearly demonstrated a professionalism and passion that sets the benchmark and helps create a better industry, and we are honoured to be working with so many industry leaders.”

The event was sponsored by a number of well known organisations in the glazing industry including the GGF (Glass and Glazing Federation), Spectus Window Systems, Stuga Machinery, Fensa, Synseal, Pilkington Glass, Bohle, and Edgetech, amongst others.

For more information on any of the Insight databases visit www.insightdata.co.uk or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/insightdata

2011 looks set to be another tough year for the window and conservatory industry. With low consumer confidence, worries over job security and a hike in VAT, installers will find it increasingly difficult to maintain sales levels. As a result, many installers are diversifying into other home improvements.

But what of the supply chain behind these installers? With lower volume, suppliers must also diversify or finding new customers will come to a standstill. Customer acquisition will also be high on the agenda in most boardrooms across the UK.

There is some good news however. Innovation and improvements in technology mean the way companies target new customers has changed. The days of sales people tearing up motorway miles have long gone. Insight Data has transformed the way companies find new customers and create new opportunities. Our in-depth databases of window and conservatory fabricators and installers, local builders, architects, roofline installers and IGU manufacturers will help you target new customers quickly and cost-effectively.

Using market intelligence and ground-breaking technology your marketing costs are reduced and sales performance dramatically improved. Insight Data have the tools to help you maximise your marketing strategy and grow successfully in 2011.

For more information call 01934 808 293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

Insight Data has announced a major new development for Salestracker, the worlds first web-based prospect software for the home improvement industry with over 60,000 records.

The Document Vault is an App that allows users to attach documents, such as visit reports, meeting notes, quotations or price lists to a prospect on customer on Salestracker.  

 “The Document Vault is a major development for Salestracker and our customers. Rather than simply updating a basic notes field, users can attach in-depth information securely, keeping all documents relating to a prospect or customer together in one place” explains Insight’s Software Development Manager Matthew Stone.

 The Document Vault isn’t just limited to attaching files to a single record though. Users can attach a document to an entire campaign, so that they can look back and view the sales letter, mailer or other document that was sent with the campaign.

 Users can also simply upload documents and files for general use, such as brochures or price lists, and download them as required.

 Matthew Stone continues; “Some prospect data providers have outsourced their software development to third party companies. Not only could this be putting clients at risk from breaching the Data Protection Act, it also means a lack of innovation and development.  With Insight Data we have our own in-house software developers and are continuously investing in Salestracker.  This gives our customers a competitive edge.”

 Salestracker contains detailed information on specialist companies in the building and home improvement industry and is updated live in real-time by Insight Data’s own research team. 

• 14,176 UK window and conservatory fabricators and installers, with over 10,200 email addresses 
• 897 fabricators and installers in the Republic of Ireland 
• 27,971 local builders and contractors, with specialist sectors 
• 5,265 roofline installers  
• 15,052 architects & specifiers 
• 1,158 IGU (sealed unit) manufacturers in the UK and Ireland

 For more information on Salestracker or any Insight database, call 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

 Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/insightdata

Insight Data, the leading supplier of prospect data in the home improvement industry, has launched an iPad version of it’s Salestracker CRM software. The development means sales people can use Salestracker on-the-move with the iPad’s 3G option.

 Helen Costeloe-Hughes, commercial director of Insight Data commented; “Now sales people can easily identify other new prospects in a given postcode as they arrive for a meeting, without the need to boot-up their laptop computers, set up their 3G dongles or worry about the battery running out.”

 The iPad has a typical 10 hour battery life and remains in sleep mode, so users simply need one touch to re-activate it and access Salestracker on-the-go. “The iPad is ideal for taking notes or minutes of a meeting, and the information can instantly be dropped into the notes field on Salestracker, while other CRM functions can easily be updated there-and-then” adds Helen.

 The iPad can also be used for presentations, to view websites or to access email and is a perfect tool for busy sales people. “Salestracker is the worlds first online prospect database for the home improvement industry and an innovation breakthrough for sales and marketing professionals. Teaming up with the iPad is an ideal marriage.”

The launch of the iPad version comes at a time when the market for Tablet computers is set to explode to 80 million units by 2015. Anthony Cox, senior analyst at Juniper Research commented “competition to Apple is likely to arrive in earnest in 2011, though by then Apple is likely to be ready to launch a new version of the iPad, reinforcing its market position” ( Full story http://bit.ly/aJHa7p)

 For more information visit www.insightdata.co.uk or call 01934 808293.  Follow us on www.twitter.com/insightdata

Last Thursday, 16th September, saw the tenderly named PIGS (Publicity in Glazing Society) event kick off in London’s Leicester Square. Naturally the evening began with a round of mojito’s for the Insight team (all for Glassex research purposes I assure you) and then a flurry of meet, greet and sore feet – for the ladies at least!

For those I didn’t get the chance to talk to or who weren’t able to attend, let me introduce myself. My name’s Chrissy Panagi, and after three months training with Insight Data’s research team, I’ve now joined the marketing team at Purplex. I’ll be looking after the Insight Data blog from now on, regaling you all with Insight’s latest endeavours and all things relevant in the world of direct marketing.

Being new to the glazing industry, for me, the PIGS event was a chance to get to know the faces that most are so familiar with and hopefully familiarise my own with others! Not entirely sure what to expect, I arrived with an open mind and fistful of business cards. It soon became clear however, even to a relative industry novice, why PIGS is such a popular occasion (not just for the free alcohol!) but for the invaluable business opportunities it provides.

We saw the night through to the dreaded point of ‘lights on music off’, and while some of us needed more persuading than others to part with the bar, we eventually slumped into bed – only after sampling the best that China Town had to offer of course.

Waking the next morning, not so bright eyed and bushy tailed, the team enjoyed a very sophisticated McDonald’s breakfast on the floor of Paddington train station. And despite a mad dash for the train, a fairly questionable hotel mattress and some very sore trotters – excuse the pun – altogether a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

And with the next event scheduled for Tuesday 20 October during the Glassex exhibition in Birmingham it seems we’ve got it all to look forward to again.

Speaking of Glassex, be sure to catch us at Stand 4-A40 and enjoy a free mojito!

Contact Insight Data on 01934 808293, visit www.insightdata.co.uk or follow Insight on www.twitter.com/insightdata

WB Group Products, one of the Norths leading fabricators, has switched to Insight Data in a move to spearhead growth in the trade market.

Tony Craggs, Director of WB Group said “we were already using a well-known supplier of prospect data and had recently looked at their new online system, but several people had recommended Insight Data. We decided to compare both the quality of data and the online systems, and there was no competition – Insight was streets ahead on both accounts and we had no hesitation in switching over.”

WB Group Products was established in 1981 and is a major manufacturer of Duraflex windows and doors, GRP composite doors and pvc door infill panels. The company supplies the trade and operates from a state-of-art 70,000 square foot production facility in County Durham, employing almost 100 people.

“We have continued to grow successfully by focusing on quality and service, in particular our composite door suite is very much a front runner in the market place. We feel it’s imperative never to stand still, and that’s where Insight Data comes in. Using their database to promote our products has been hugely successful, sales continue to increase ” added Tony.

WB Group use Salestracker, the online database system developed by Insight Data.  The system has details of 14,202 window, door, and conservatory companies updated live in real time, and subscribers can use the data to target new prospects by direct mail, email, telesales or as a contact list for their sales team.

Helen Costeloe-Hughes, commercial director at Insight Data said; “WB Group is one of the Norths leading fabricators and we are delighted they have switched to Insight Data. We are looking forward to working with Tony and his team”.

Contact Insight Data on 01934 808293, visit www.insightdata.co.uk or follow Insight on www.twitter.com/insightdata