CHOOSING THE RIGHT AWNING COMPANY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Commercial awnings are a cost effective way of combining weather protection, extra storage (or seating) and branding. But the effectiveness of any awning depends upon the company that installs it. Before handing over any of your hard-earned cash, make sure your chosen awning company can deliver the goods. Here are some tips for choosing the right awning company for your business:
Use common sense
The first step is to weed out the obvious charlatans. If you come across an awning company who only have a mobile number as a contact, have no testimonials, case studies or even pictures of awnings that can be reliably linked to them then alarm bells should be sounding. Other warning signs are pushy sales staff and clueless customer service advisers.
Go for established awning firms
If an awning company started trading a long time ago and is still in business, it must be doing something right. Still, it would be wise to do some research and find out what their reputation is in the local area. Have they installed awnings for other businesses nearby? Go and look at them very closely if you get the chance.
Assess their customer service
If a commercial awning company is to earn your business you should feel welcome when you walk in and valued by the time you leave. An awning is a long-term investment and should be treated as such. That means you should be given the time to go through all the options with no pressure to commit. Your questions should be met by genuine advice and the company should display a good attitude that is not proportionate to the amount of money you are looking to spend.
Evaluate their range
A reputable commercial awning company will have an extensive range of models, shapes, colours and materials for you to explore, ideally in a dedicated showroom. That should include retractable, fixed and free-standing awnings made of metal (steel, aluminium, copper, etc.), fabric (vinyl, cotton, acrylic, etc.) and waterproof materials.
Check out their design and branding advice
The best awning companies employ people with an eye for design and an understanding of business branding. They can advise you on factors such as logo placement, colour and font choice, symmetry and ideal shape.
Quality installation is a must
Every awning is only as good as its weakest bracket, and you want to make sure your chosen awning company employs experienced, preferably in-house, installers. Ask them what equipment they use and whether they manufacture their own brackets if necessary for complex installations.