42 • INDUSTRYNEWS
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PHOENIX SAFE COMPANY IS ONE OF the oldest UK manufacturers of safes and security products and can trace its history back to Liverpool in 1799 . The company is now a world leader , manufacturing and distributing a range of state-of-theart safes to suit all requirements . The Locksmith Journal caught up with Area Sales Manager , Alan Lee , to find out more about his role …
LSJ : HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR CURRENT JOB AND WHAT KIND OF JOBS HAVE YOU HAD IN THE PAST ?
AL : I have been employed by Phoenix Safe Co for over eleven years , officially working as an Area Manager . Previously , I spent over twenty years working as a bench locksmith in North West London . I have been a member of the MLA for over 20 years . Going back , I have also been a photographic assistant and a jeweller . I cover the whole of the UK , but concentrate on locksmiths specifically .
Change for the better
LSJ : WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU OVERSEEN IN THE BUSINESS ?
AL : The safe industry has changed massively in the time I have worked in it , as most locksmiths are well aware . More recently , the changes to Phoenix have been huge . The old owners retired two and a half years ago and the new management have made big changes . The range and quality of the products have increased greatly . The two ranges are incomparable . There is now continuity across the range , which makes the products look really good and perform fantastically .
LSJ : WHAT IS THE CURRENT CLIMATE IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES IN THE BUSINESS ?
AL : Things are very interesting at the moment . Speaking to people , the feedback is that there is a great deal of uncertainty in the market , but our figures do not reflect that .
There is a feeling among locksmiths that the internet is causing them to lose business . We have continued the Security Express brand , with separate product identities not published on the internet .
LSJ : WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR JOB , AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT IT ?
AL : It probably boils down to the same thing . Convincing people of the changes to Phoenix are for the better . I am very happy to show anybody the quality of the new products , and take great delight when they can see for themselves .
LSJ : WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED ?
AL : It can be very difficult . I drive long distances to see people . In fact , I recently worked out that I have driven over 500,000 miles for Phoenix . Getting out of bed in a strange hotel at silly o ’ clock , when it ’ s cold , dark and rainy , can be a challenge . I do feel good though , when I can go that extra mile and resolve an issue .
LSJ : WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT WORK ?
AL : Probably taking the turnover of the business from £ 5,000 a month when I first started , to the heady heights that it is today . Also , when the two companies merged , migrating loyal Security Express customers to the Phoenix brand .
LSJ : WHAT INNOVATIONS / FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS MIGHT THERE BE ?
AL : There have been so many recently , from the introduction of biometric graded locks to simple things such as a solenoid on our entry level range that is more secure than standard ones . A lot of ideas are driven by customer request , and we are really listening and acting where we can . There are a lot of projects for the future , but you will have to wait to see them .
LSJ : TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE LATEST PRODUCTS ?
AL : We have recently introduced ECB . S testing to our new range of graded safes , making them compliant to the latest insurance requirements . We have also introduced a comprehensive range of luxury safes . These can be made entirely to the customer ’ s requirements . We have recently been asked for a leather bound safe , with the customer supplying the hide , as they wanted a specific shade of green !
LSJ : TELL US ABOUT YOUR LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK ?
AL : When I can , I help to run a Beaver Scout colony , and recently had 150 six to eight year olds away on a day trip to Chatsworth House . We have also taken them camping 3 times this year . The first time the temperature dropped to minus three degrees . It was quite a shock to some of them . Only three of the eighty we took that time could not cope . I was very impressed .
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