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MOTION PICTURE & PRO-VIDEO company news
GETTING IT TAPED
Protape prides itself on the ‘personal touch’
I t’s a fact easily forgotten that even hi-tech businesses rely
on old-fashioned values. Courtesy, efficiency, product knowledge – these are the kind of simple qualities that computer-powered, online
based, touch-tone phone-operated companies can forget.
Customers, however, value them highly. Which may in part be the key to Protape’s success as a supplier of film, tape and all manner of other data storage media.
Founded in 1989 the company has a shop in Percy Street as well as a bustling base of opera- tions in Maida Vale, and prides itself on being able to supply clients swiftly and efficiently in and around the London area.
“Our location in Percy
Street means we are ideally placed for the Soho-based industry that we serv- ice,” explains senior sales account manager Anthony Henry.
“We also have an extensive ware- house, so if a client needs something urgently we’ve got runners who can get it to them quickly. And we’ve got
drivers going round London all the time. We can get stock to anybody in the West End area within 25 minutes. No-one else can offer that kind of serv- ice right now.”
Of course price is another impor- tant factor too.
“That goes hand in hand with cus- tomer service,” agrees Bob Matthews
While it comprises no more than 25 employees, Protape has built up a loyal and extensive client base in the last 15 years, which Henry puts down to the company’s very particular attention to detail.
“Our customer service team is encouraged to build relationships with all of our clients,” he nods.
“We have to maintain contact, and a good line of communication. In order to do that you have to have good, skilled staff. They’re very dedicated, young and vibrant, all with different personalities but they enjoy talking to cus- tomers and dealing with the day-to-day problems they might have.
“Bob and Toby have always stressed the importance of customer relations in our business.
So if the customer has a problem we make sure we put it right as quickly as possible. We try and make sure that our customers are as happy as they can be, that we get the stock to the customer when they ask for it and if they need it urgently we get it to them urgently.”
who – with Toby Manchip – is a found- ing partner in the company.
“Our clients look for good serv- ice at a good price. We try to deliv- er on both those fronts by having quality staff who will handle the sales from the beginning right through to the end.”
While they maintain a website of their own, and are looking to develop an even larger presence online in time to come, one senses that the people at Protape would feel uncomfortably detached from their customers if it went too far in that direction.
“Some companies are into doing everything online,” Henry continues, “but we feel it’s important to have per- sonal contact. We pride ourselves on being able to answer any questions put to us within a couple of minutes.
“So if someone wants to know whether we can deliver 500 Fuji Digibetas to Shepperton Studios that afternoon we
Photo above l-r: Bob Matthews and Toby Manchip; Main: Protape’s Percy Street London HQ
30 • Exposure • Fuji Motion Picture And Professional Video