To celebrate putting flooring under this month’s editorial spotlight, Hotel Designs was given access into one of the industry’s most trusted carpet and vinyl specialist brands. Editor Hamish Kilburn learns more about Falcon Contract Flooring’s ethos and the people who are driving its continued success…
By the time Charles and Tom Hassall took over the reins, Falcon Contract Flooring had vast grown since the beginning with two men and a van. They had secured a huge client in Whitbread (think Premier Inn, Beefeaters, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Bar + Block) thanks to Ian Hassall and had the determination to expand further. They did just that.
Since 2012, Falcon have experienced 675 per cent growth. Two office staff has increased to more than 30. From once having 10 installers, they now have more than 100, working up to seven days a week. It is likely you will have seen a Falcon van on the road, considering they have gone from a fleet of five vans, to a fleet of more than 65. In the short space of only eight years; this amount of growth is unprecedented.
Gone are the days of servicing areas around Birmingham, the company works on a nationwide basis and has work from John O’Groats Grouts to Land’s End. Over the last eight years, Falcon had forecast a growth of 30 per cent year-on-year, and they have achieved it, even beyond their expectation. Last year alone, Falcon reached a 45 per cent growth from the year before. Part of this is down to installing 15,000 bedrooms for hotels around Britain in 2019. To put that into perspective, the average Travelodge hotel in the UK holds 75 rooms, to complete as many rooms as they did, Falcon would be fitting nearly three full hotels a week; and that’s just part of the works completed! There is a reason Falcon are the chosen contractor for some of the top hospitality clients.
Falcon have storage throughout England and Scotland to accommodate for the capacity of projects and enquiries. In April 2019, Falcon bought their second warehouse in order to withstand the constant growth and were thrilled at the prospect of expanding further. Nowhere is unreachable, the Falcon fly’s high and goes far.
Image credit: Falcon Contract Flooring
Transparency
The key to Falcon’s success has arguably been their morals, their values, their honesty and their integrity. The transparency offered to each client is completely guaranteed. From original enquiry, to free survey, to quotation, to the running of the works up to completion and invoicing; the team will be clear every step of the way.
The surveyors will offer advice and strategy in terms of work and the quotation is transparent and concise, detailing every part of the job. Project Managers are allocated to each project and this will be their first port of call, day or night; they are available 24 hours a day. This is a company based on honesty, and when issues and problems arise, they do not shy away. Falcon come up with solutions, not problems and any complications are handled professionally and efficiently.
With clients in the medical sector, Falcon realise how important it is to adhere to scopes of work and set timeframes. Installers will work at all hours of the day and night to achieve the best results with minimal snagging. With the amount of work completed last year, it is clear the team are streamlined and successful in their methods.
As an innovative differentiator, Falcon are currently in the process of developing their very own CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) system, something they have been working on for several years to get just right, in the hope of achieving the perfect client and contractor relationship. The primary objective is drive transparency through so the client can see exactly what stage their project is at; a tracking process, you could say. This will be a first for the flooring trade and is a first to market application; again, confirming Falcon to be the most forward thinking and pioneering company of its industry.
Falcon are also fantastic at saving clients’ money. Last year they saved their clients more than one million pounds from sourcing better and using innovative ways to produce great results. Above all else they are a partner of choice.
Image credit: Falcon Contract Flooring
The clients
Falcon’s reputation has earned them some of the top hospitality clients in the UK, including the biggest hotel chains in the UK – Travelodge and Premier Inn. Covering new builds and refurbishments, Falcon have held the contract with these two hotel giants for several years. But it wasn’t just handed to them; Falcon work hard for the results they are seeing today. When Travelodge suffered a leak in a London hotel on a Friday evening, Falcon bought the whole team in to measure, cut and prepare the carpet for replacement. Installers travelled and worked through the night to amend the flood damage and by morning, the hotel was back up and running.
Falcon can offer a reactive and maintenance service; offering work completions with 24 hours SLA. If a hotel room goes offline, Falcon can potentially attend, repair or replace within a day; helping the hospitality sector keep up with demand and revenue. They offer minimal disruption to a business whilst working to strict Health and Safety guidelines.
As one of the UK’s leading contractors, Falcon are experienced in working alongside other companies and every team member, internal staff or installers are approachable and friendly. Their installers are experienced and experts of their trade, making it easy for them to work alone or to be supervised on site.
Although a large amount of their work comes from hospitality, Falcon have worked hard over the past few years to build up a good portfolio in Healthcare with a large contract with BMI hospitals around the UK, as well as Audley villages Retirement homes. During the recent global pandemic, for a company who strive to help others, they were grateful to those on the frontline and did everything they could to make their jobs a little easier in the hospitals. When working in healthcare, it is important to complete works at a convenient time. Falcon can adapt to the client’s needs and last-minute changes do not faze them, they will always make sure the job is completed and the job is completed to the highest of standards.
What’s next?
So, what’s left to achieve for this nationwide flooring contractor? Managing Director Charles has the drive and determination to take Falcon to a global platform and is thrilled to be opening the first Falcon office in India in October 2020. With enquiries coming from all over Europe and the Far East, it is no surprise now is the time to branch out.
With initial interest coming from the US, Falcon plan to open the first of 12 proposed offices over a 3-year period in America from March 2021. Having spent months there, Falcon have a clear vision of where they will take the brand and they also have a very strategic plan on how this will be executed.
It would be wrong to say Covid-19 hasn’t impacted on every one of us. Falcon are no different, but they refuse to sit back. One of Falcon’s biggest traits is helping the local community and anybody in need. They are offering to fully audit an estate or site to generate a report for what could be done to aid the reopening of site’s and maintaining government guidelines. This could be using Hazard warning signs or stop signs imbedded in vinyl or carpet. There is also the ability to replace carpet for more infection control safe materials if required.
So, why choose Falcon over any other UK based flooring contractor? It may be their experience and knowledge of all flooring aspects from carpet, to wooden floors, to vinyl, to safety flooring. It may be their USP for their fast and reactive response to a problem. It may be their top client list and contracts obtained over a period of years. It may be the incredible growth showing the real success they have achieved over the last five years. But the main reason, the real reason why Falcon should be the contractor of choice? The people who work there. The people who run the jobs, who dedicate their time to guarantee a successful project and to guarantee a happy client. You won’t find a more committed or hard-working team.
Main image credit: Falcon Contract Flooring
