Mark Vitow judged as being pitch perfect
Pitchfest returned to the Installer Show, shining the spotlight on a range of brilliant products that can help Installers get the job done better, more easily or offer innovative options to their customers.
Over the three days of the Installer Show, over 15 companies participated in Pitchfest which was organised by the Bathroom Association and sponsored by home and property marketing agency, Leopard Co.
With companies vying for £8,000 of marketing support being offered by Leopard Co, the competition was fiercely fought across two heats and a grand final.
Tom Reynolds, Chief Executive of the Bathroom Association, commented: "It’s been a real pleasure to see PitchFest return to the InstallerSHOW for a second consecutive year — and once again, the pitches did not disappoint. The event has firmly established itself as a celebration of innovation, with all entrants delivering compelling pitches that showcase ingenious products and smart solutions designed to make installers’ lives easier. Congratulations to all the companies that took part for their enthusiasm and creativity, and a special well done to Mark Vitow for retaining their champion status."
Whilst Mark Vitow topped the table for the most votes from the Installer Show audience for the pitch for their FP400 Flowpro macerator and were declared the big winner on the day, the quality of the pitches meant all companies featured deserve recognition for pitching a range of innovation solutions. They included:
Mark Vitow: FP400 Flowpro Macerator
An ingenious waste pumping solution, that’s small but incredibly mighty! The power of the pump means effluent could be propelled over a pipe length distance of 100m, but the size also offers huge installation advantages in locations such as ensuites, attics or basements where space can be tight. With the pitch delivered by installer community favourite and ambassador Andy Cam, Mark Vitow’s pitch delivered a perfect combination of product innovation coupled with Andy’s explanation of how he has put the product through its paces when installing on the job.
Colin Bland, Sales Director from Fluidmaster opened his pitch highlighting the issues that everyday around 8% of toilets are leaking, but it can take 106 days to get an installer in to sort out this fiddly and frustrating problem. That’s why Fluidmaster has created a product that helps installers repair toilet leaks in less than 10 minutes, or if you’re live at Pitchfest and as familiar with the product as Colin, can be installed in little as three minutes!
The pitch from Saniflo, delivered by Technical Sales Manager Zahin Sanjania focused on the complete service offer from Saniflo, which combines brilliant products and the reassurance of excellent customer service if issues arise. It means Saniflo is really proud of its first time fix rate of 92% and high level of customer service satisfaction.
The message to installers in Bristan’s pitch was ‘You can with Bristan’ and the product presented – the Easyfit tap range – was a great example of a product that has been created to help installers get jobs done quickly and easily and help make homeowners and commercial customers happy. Whilst the clock was ticking through the pitch, Dean Anderson and Mark Cayton expertly demonstrated how simple the Easyfit tap is, as well as explaining how the 20 tap designs and finishes enables installers to offer their customers a perfect solution for every job.
The pitch from Thomas Dudley also focused on an innovative new product designed to address the leaky toilet problem which they estimate results in 4 million litres of water wasted every day. Their solution is Quantum - a ground-breaking push-button leak-free symphonic toilet flush valve which was unveiled at the Installer Show.
On offer from Grohe was its innovative Rapido shower frame, a product which it believed would have high appeal to installers thanks to their focus on being Fast, Easy and Safe to install. The Rapido has been designed to provide a great solution to the challenge of siting recessed showers, enabling level siting and easy height adjustment whilst the frame is in situ to ensure customisation for each customer. The Rapido features integral pipe flexes, enabling the height of the water feed to flex as the frame is sited and overcoming issues if water feed pipes have been positioned too low.
The focus of Kinedo’s pitch was their emphasis on the complete showering solution on offer – including wall panels, trays and enclosures. The pitch from Nicola Lees showcased the vast range of product options available, with over 70 designs and 60 finishes within the wall panel collection.
With so many great products on show, the Installer Show audience had a tough choice, but congratulations to the Mark Vitow team for cleaning up!
Commenting on their win Matt Fletcher, Sales Director at Mark Vitow Ltd said “We’re incredibly proud of the recognition FlowPro has received. The range was developed to give the trade a high-performing alternative in a space that’s long needed more choice. The response from the trade has been outstanding, and FlowPro is fast establishing itself as the go-to macerator brand in the UK.”
Concluding Pitchfest, Rachel Roberts, CEO of Leopard Co who sponsored event said: “As experts in communications we know how tricky it is to craft a perfect pitch against the clock so we congratulate all companies who put themselves forward to battle it out! It’s been brilliant to see some excellent new products showcased through Pitchfest. In our recent Home & Property trends report, data indicated that brands that deliver new ways to solve customers problems are really valued, trusted and recommended. So we encourage all bathroom brands to harness the power of innovation to get installers, homeowners and commercial customers tapping into your products.”
The Leopard Co Home & Property Insight report can be downloaded here. Get your copy for tips and advice for honing your marketing strategy, responding to changing consumer behaviours, and standing out in an increasingly competitive space.