Latest Business & Jobs: In the Pink
Latest Homes meets the team at Wilkinsons as they unveil their brand new look
Certain agents have become synonymous with specific areas of the city. None more so than Wilkinsons in Elm Grove. Not that they are limited geographically, but their presence there at the bottom of the hill does mean they have become specialists in that area.
This month sees the company adopting an entirely new image. The brand was last updated back in 2002 but both Eric Wilkinson and son Ian decided that it was time for a fresh new look.
“The whole thing was prompted by me deciding to build a new kitchen out back,” says Ian. “But when I thought about it I realised that we don’t do business from the kitchen. So that went on hold and we have concentrated on the branding and refurbishing the interiors.”
The new look is bold and confident. A smart new logo in striking pink sees the ‘W’ of the initial in raised perspective with a small door opening into the first upright stroke of the letter. It’s a clever and witty device that is already attracting both attention and praise.
The interiors have received a fresh new white and grey makeover with new carpets and glazing, with the pink being used as a feature colour in a large map of the city.
Business at Wilkinsons is good. They have weathered the storm of the last few years and they put this down to being a small independent company able to keep overheads down whilst still doing a first-class job – a fact supported by statistics revealed in the Property Ombudsman’s Customer Service Survey where they were shown to be of a very high standard.
“We would now like to build on that, consolidating our existing business and building up the lettings wing of what we do. We have put in place excellent systems and are ready to grow.”
Eric Wilkinson, who started the business in 1993, was joined by his son Ian after he had graduated from university where he studied Media. Together they look after the sales side of the business. Over the years they have come to specialise in the Elm Grove market but they are also experts in finding property that is suitable for investment buyers. “We are ready to expand our student portfolio and are currently looking for suitable property for existing landlords. We would also like to offer this kind of service to would be landlords.”
Next door to the sales office the lettings operation is run by manager Wendy Brand with Pam Morris and Sheree Nevard. The lettings side of things is busy but they are keen to expand too. In both lettings and sales, Wilkinsons believes the key to being successful is matching the right person to the right property.
Today the team are fired up by the updated look and smart new presence in both the press and online. “Clients are certainly looking at property on the internet, but once they have found something they come to the office and expect a first class one-to-one service, something personal where they know they can talk to a property professional. That is what we offer: an expert personal service that embraces all that modern technology has given us and combines it with traditional values.”
Wilkinsons are clearly combining the best of all worlds with a new look, modern techniques and old school business professionalism. All of which is sure to keep them at the leading edge of what they do and the areas that they choose to operate in.
Wilkinsons24–26 Elm Grove, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 3DD, Sales: 01273 626624, Lettings: 01273 692233, www.wilkinsonsproperty.co.uk
