Waikato Business News October/November 2016
Waikato Business News has for a quarter of a century been the voice of the region’s business community, a business community with a very real commitment to innovation and an ethos of co-operation.
Waikato Business News has for a quarter of a century been the
voice of the region’s business community, a business community
with a very real commitment to innovation and an ethos of
co-operation.
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WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS <strong>October</strong>/<strong>November</strong> <strong>2016</strong> 29<br />
Customers love the ‘new<br />
look’ Cambridge Glass<br />
When customers visit Cambridge Glass<br />
these days, they notice a new look.<br />
<strong>2016</strong> has been a year of<br />
change and reinvention<br />
as Glenn and Jos Philip<br />
have marked 10 years as owners<br />
by relaunching the business.<br />
The attractive Commerce<br />
St building looks fresh, the<br />
showroom has been done up<br />
and looks modern and bright,<br />
while the business has expanded<br />
and diversified into delivering<br />
new products. A new website<br />
is being developed and<br />
Glenn and Jos recently entered<br />
the Waipa Networks <strong>Business</strong><br />
Awards for the first time and<br />
were rewarded as finalists in<br />
the Small <strong>Business</strong> category.<br />
Glenn said “we received great<br />
feedback from the judges and<br />
we have been able to action<br />
some changes based on their<br />
recommendations.” Jos agreed<br />
it was a very worthwhile experience<br />
and they are looking<br />
forward to entering again in<br />
the future.<br />
The relaunch coincides<br />
with the full time return to the<br />
business of Jos after 10 years<br />
of raising children.<br />
“This has been a year of<br />
updating, bringing everything<br />
to where we wanted it to be,”<br />
says Jos.<br />
“We’ve been here 10 years<br />
and it was time for a new look,<br />
time for the shop to reflect the<br />
products we specialise in.”<br />
The milestone also reflects<br />
the fact that Cambridge Glass<br />
has grown significantly over<br />
the years. In recent weeks the<br />
business has taken on a new<br />
apprentice, Austin, who joins<br />
Glenn and fellow tradesman<br />
Scott.<br />
“As young first time business<br />
owners starting out we<br />
didn’t want to grow too quickly<br />
and then struggle as some<br />
businesses do, it’s been slow<br />
and steady with some hard<br />
years but it’s been worth it”<br />
says Jos.<br />
“But this year it’s been<br />
quite exciting, we’ve grown to<br />
that point where we just need<br />
that extra pair of hands, especially<br />
with all the showers and<br />
large splashbacks we are now<br />
installing”<br />
The business has also diversified<br />
away from predominantly<br />
re-glazing work to custom<br />
made showers Mirrors and<br />
splashbacks. “we have also<br />
become authorised agents for<br />
Master Glaziers who handle<br />
the bulk of the insurance work<br />
for the major companies as<br />
well as a partnership with<br />
Glass Art NZ”<br />
“Almost everything we<br />
install is custom made. We<br />
take the time to talk to our<br />
clients, check things like doorways<br />
and tile grouting lines so<br />
that the finished product lines<br />
up and looks like it was made<br />
for the room.”<br />
Glenn and Jos have noticed<br />
how, as Cambridge’s building<br />
industry booms, the popularity<br />
of frameless glass showers has<br />
taken off.<br />
“We used to do a couple a<br />
month but now it’s a couple a<br />
week. Because you can fully<br />
customise frameless showers,<br />
it gives customers so many<br />
different options.”<br />
Another trend is the growth<br />
in popularity of digital splashbacks<br />
– images printed on<br />
glass - and Jos says they have<br />
“several we are working with<br />
customers on right now”. The<br />
key for customers is picking<br />
the right image. “I work very<br />
closely with our clients to<br />
ensure the final product is one<br />
they say WOW when they see<br />
it.” Choosing an image can be<br />
a long process but it’s worth it<br />
and I help them every step of<br />
the way. “I advise them to pick<br />
the one that takes their break<br />
away when they see it, you<br />
don’t want it to be just nice -<br />
you want it to be stunning.”<br />
But the bedrock of<br />
Cambridge Glass’ success<br />
remains its customer service –<br />
a focus which has kept a loyal<br />
clientele through the economy’s<br />
ups and downs over<br />
the years. Customer service<br />
is something they never compromise<br />
on and they will stand<br />
by all their work. Glenn, also<br />
a voluntary fireman, is well<br />
known, having worked in the<br />
business for 14 years before<br />
they purchased it. “Sometimes<br />
our customers come to us with<br />
a dream, a look they want<br />
to achieve but they are not<br />
sure if it’s possible or how to<br />
go about it. Glenn’s 24 years’<br />
experience means he can think<br />
outside of the box and we can<br />
usually make it happen.”<br />
Cambridge Glass is offering<br />
<strong>Waikato</strong> <strong>Business</strong> <strong>News</strong> readers<br />
who purchase a splashback<br />
a FREE can of High Sheen<br />
Glass cleaner which can also<br />
be used on windows, showers<br />
and mirrors.<br />
Readers who book in a<br />
Frameless shower will receive<br />
a 15 percent discount on an<br />
Ezy-Clean protective coating<br />
– this is a new product on offer<br />
which results in clear glass<br />
with no water marks for a minimum<br />
of 10 years.<br />
PH 07 827 6480<br />
3 Commerce St,Cambridge<br />
24/7 CALL OUTS<br />
PH 0274 986 046<br />
enquiries@cambridgeglass.co.nz<br />
www.cambridgeglass.co.nz<br />
Broken Windows | Frameless Showers | Splashbacks<br />
Custom Mirrors | Table Tops |New Glazing | Pet Doors<br />
J3896A