Here at SEP, we don’t ‘bang on’ about it much, but like many forward-thinking focused businesses, we still have a Vision and Values statement.
Our Vision is quite simple, that:
SEP and its brands are recognised globally throughout the fire sprinkler industry as being the best among our peers – for design, quality, reliability, and the service we provide.
But this means nothing on its own, it must be supported by our actions, which are encompassed by our Ethos (Values). This is not just something we write on a wall, it determines how we all act a daily basis, the way we work, build relationships with our customers and colleagues, and ultimately how we drive ourselves and our results.
Simple but powerful: responsiveness, flexibility, and top quality.
Why have we not updated our Ethos since our change of ownership in 2014? We don’t feel that we need to – we have grown and developed using this as our guide…why change what has worked so well?
Responsiveness
“We respond quickly, to colleagues, customers and suppliers. We respond respectfully, politely and positively at all times– treating others as we’d like to be treated.”
To us, this is where is all begins. In today’s fast-moving world, opportunities and challenges can appear (or disappear) in an instant. We think ‘if I’m asking a question personally, then I want a quick answer’ – so that’s what we do, because we are dealing with ‘people’ and not ‘business’.
It doesn’t matter to us whether we are dealing with an initial enquiry, and order or even a (very occasional) complaint – we deal with it quickly. Our customers know they can count on us, because we’re here and we’ll help, straight away. Even if we can’t help straight away (usually because we’re waiting for someone else), then we’ll still let you know, and if possible we’ll offer a ‘budget estimate’ or alternative solution in the meantime.
It sounds simple, but we are constantly amazed at how few of our own suppliers are able to reply quickly and accurately to even the simplest enquiry!
We know customers value this, because almost every day we receive responses along the line of “thank you so much for your swift response, I can now quote my own customer and move on to my next job!”
Flexibility
“The answer is ‘Yes’ (unless we know it’s impossible); then we find a way to succeed effectively. No-one struggles alone – we help each other achieve our goals for the good of all, and share our success.”
We know that every customer, every project, and every situation is unique, so our success lies in our ability to adapt and tailor our approach to fit. This also applies to ourselves, where we encourage discussion, new ideas, and explore different approaches.
Yes, we have a standard product range, and a lead time for non-standard items…but, unlike many of our competitors, we build and test virtually everything here at our own workshop in Stockport. Need a product tweak? Yes, we can do that. Need something urgently? If we can, we will. Need an initiation board with 16 bar gauges but 11 bar switches and some unusual pipework that comes from the left, up the middle behind the legs and to the top? Well, of course, you can have it tomorrow! This is true flexibility, and it allows us to be at the cutting edge.
Quality
“Our products may save lives, so we take pride in our work. Customers buy because we’re good at what we do; if we’re not, they go elsewhere and we fail.”
We are unwavering in our commitment to top quality; it’s not an optional extra, it’s a non-negotiable promise from us to always aim to be the best, full stop. Are we perfect? No. Do we have problems? Of course, but if we do, we will fix it, as quickly as humanly possible.
As our statement says, what we (and you) do may be asked to save lives one day, so this is not an on-paper statement, it’s about us taking pride in sourcing only quality components, then putting them together in the best way we can find. This is backed up by our testing regimes, and of course our service in terms of both speed and accuracy.
Our customers trust us because they know we won’t cut corners. Quality is a key measure of our success, and it’s why so many of our relationships are long-lasting.
Together, our values – responsiveness, flexibility, and top quality – form the backbone of our ethos. These principles guide our decisions, culture, and we believe set us apart in our industry. Not just the ‘what’ but the ‘how’ and the ‘why’.
Contact Us now to see how we can help you give an even better service to your own clients.