This is The End.....
When Bill Young started this business in the shadows of the second world war, little would he have realised how many families his company would touch over the course of its evolution. Tens of thousands of staff and customers, all over Australia, have some way been impacted by the business over the 60 years since it began. And now, finally, W.A. Young is coming to an end.
In the age of internet marketing and online search engines, small idiosyncracies in business names can make a lot of difference. The seemingly minor inclusion of the letters W and A in our name ("WA" Young), makes us very popular in Western Australia, and limits our ability for expansion into eastern states in years to come. The brand also tells very little of what we do.
I've grappled with this issue for quite some time. My family has owned the business since July 1978, and through Mum and Dad's hard work it has served us very kindly. However, evolve we must, and in the interests of the future generations who will be positively affected by our company, we announce today the renaming of W.A. Young to Weathersafe Shades.
What does this mean for you?
Well, first and foremost, the new brand represents more than just the products we offer. Moreover, it is a commitment to service standards the likes of which our industry has never seen. Guaranteed on time delivery. Guaranteed reliability. Guaranteed satisfaction. How do we guarantee this? Easy - if you're not absolutely delighted, then we'll pull it all down and give you your money back.
Your purchase of a solution from Weathersafe Shades is a guaranteed, 100% risk free investment.
But most of all, it represents my personal commitment to my staff, their families, and my customers (and their families) of my recently revealed vision statement, to be the "number one supplier of fabric structure solutions in Australia". And for us to embrace that vision, we need a brand that can take us into the national marketplace on the backbone of the simple philosophy of service we have delivered to households throughout South Australia for 60 years.
Weathersafe Shades - the coolest structures guaranteed to make your life easy
Over the next few weeks we will be making various announcements of how this change will be incorporated into the day to day activities of the business. If, however, you have any queries, please contact our office at any time, and staff will be only too happy to assist.
Cheers, Tim
1 comment
Shade Sails and Umbrella Structures
Shade sails are cool. Regular readers of this blog know my thoughts and feelings well and truly when it comes to the wonderful world of shade sails and shade structures. Even maid snail had a shade sail (refer previous blog post - and no, it wasn't meant to be serious!). But there are many different situations where a shade sail or shade sails simply do not represent the best possible solution for the relevant sun or weather problems at hand. Enter other options, and often the umbrella is the ultimate solution.
Beware the One Trick Pony!
If I had a dollar for every client who came to me wanting a shade sail structure, when in fact they would be much better advised to install a custom designed umbrella or awning, I'd have at least $27. Maybe even $28 - I can't really remember all of my client visits with perfect clarity. But unfortunately, I often visit clients who have spoken with other businesses in the shade industry (in the process of getting ideas and quotations), who only build shade sail structures. Of course, they've been told that a shade sail structure is the best bet.
This morning, I had exactly that situation arise. A client had been told "shade sail, shade sail, shade sail", when in fact they were really seeking a long term, all weather solution that required drop down blinds and guttering (these things cannot be done from shade sails). A perimeter framed umbrella is the best solution for this situation, and I advised my client accordingly. The investment was, in this case, significantly greater, however I urged my client to put off the purchase until such time as they could afford the best result, as opposed to a quick fix that in the long run would prove to be an expensive mistake.
The outcome? I'm not sure yet - I'll let you know when I speak to my client again next week.
Cheers, Tim
Maid Snail's Shade Sail
Maid Snail had a shade sail, it was twenty four feet long. A rupture caused the structure to release a nasty pong. The sail of the snail went from beautiful to wrong, while all along Maid Snail just sang an awkward sounding song. It went "Sail away old shade sail, go find another home, sing a song of sixpence, and give the dog a bone, sail a shade and shade a sail and SEO some more, because you can't pin down a shade sail until you've purchased at least four"
Cheers, Tim
0 commentsRetractable Shade Sails
Shade sails can be manufactured in a variety of ways, and a couple of designs allow them to be retracted when not required. This is ideal for northern facing aspects, where winter sun is desired but protection from the heat of the summer sun is also essential. Retractability offers perfect flexibility.
Retractable Shade Sails
The slideaway shade sail is a perfect example. The fabric is suspended from overhead cables and operates via marine grade stainless steel and nylon pulleys. Superior fixings are used to maximise life, even in cases where the slideaway shade sail is used frequently.
The essential requirement for longevity is strong fixings either side of the structure, to enable the cables to be highly tensioned.
Other retractable options include folding arm awnings, retractable roof structures, and of copurse the traditional shade sail itself - although a sail requires an element of expertise to pull down and put back up, and cannot be considered as a true retractable option in the same sense.
Cheers, Tim
