Advertising Feature
Paul S Winson Coaches focuses on the service that it delivers to its customers. To do that, it requires the same commitment from its suppliers – such as Scania, its coach marque of choice with the Irizar i6 body
“Without a doubt, our biggest challenge today is maintaining the standard that we have set for ourselves and our customers,” says Anthony Winson, Operations Director of the family coach operator that bears his father’s name.
“Our focus has always been on meeting our customers’ requirements, but nowadays, expectations are at another level. Passengers demand quality in every respect: Service, drivers, vehicles and so on.
“And of course, in the age of social media, word soon gets around if people are unhappy with what they see.”
A family firm
We are talking to Anthony in the office that he shares with his father, Managing Director Paul Sr, and fellow director and brother Matthew. As vehicles are being prepared and cleaned for the day ahead, Engineering Director Paul Jr joins us from the workshop he runs for a round table discussion on performance.
Performance has always been a subject close to Paul Sr’s heart. He started in business in 1976 as a haulier, but moved into coaching in 1983 when recession hit the haulage industry.
“Things were very tough in transport at the time,” he recalls. “Then a local coach company came up for sale, and I could see the opportunity.
“I began by buying one vehicle, and then took its other three a month later. The business came with ready-made school and work contracts. It was an easy decision to make.”
Backed by his wife Margaret, who is also a director, Paul Sr set about developing his new company. “Building the business required non-stop commitment and dedication from every member of the team,” he says. “Quality then, as now, was our platform. We were not prepared to compromise in any way.”
Consequently, Paul S Winson Coaches rapidly gained a reputation as a premium service provider. The fact that the overwhelming majority of the firm’s custom today comes in the form of repeat business bears testimony to Winson’s insistence on quality and a consistent delivery of the best possible customer experience.
A wide spectrum
“We never lose a job, except on price,” says Anthony. “That’s something that we are prepared for as we won’t chase business at any cost. “There’s no question that there is more pressure on price today, made all the harder by the budget airlines. They can fly you to Rome for five pounds so some people expect us to take them to London for four. But that’s not for us. There’s no future there.”
Today, Paul S Winson operates a fleet of 28 coaches on a full spectrum of operations: School and work contracts, corporate and private hire, excursions and tours. The company does them all.
Talking to the family team, it quickly becomes clear that every member shares Paul Sr’s unswerving commitment to quality and is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure that the firm’s high standards are maintained.
The same holds true for drivers. “We’ve got a solid core of drivers. We even have one who has been with us for more than 30 years, and we enjoy an extremely low staff turnover,” says Paul Sr. “To work for us, a driver has to be able to take on all kinds of jobs.”
“They’ve got to be prepared to adapt,” adds Matthew. “The kind of person that we look for is someone who is prepared to be out there washing off his or her vehicle in the snow, then be on the road half an hour later in uniform looking after one of our corporate clients. Then, at the end of the day, they may find themselves doing a school run.”
Drivers also have to be prepared to face the unexpected, adds Paul Jr. “For example, my staff in the workshop know pretty much when they will go home every day. But it’s not like that on the road; congestion, roadworks, delays and so on all add up to uncertainty. Drivers take whatever is thrown at then, and that makes them a special breed.”
High expectations
For Paul S Winson, delivering consistently high quality depends not only on the service that the firm gives, but also the support it gets from suppliers. “The performance of our partners is key,” says Paul Jr. “These days, both ourselves and our customers expect our vehicles to be safe, comfortable, well-equipped and reliable. That’s a given. So we look to our suppliers to deliver precisely that, together with round-the-clock backup and service that we can rely on. That’s why we turned to Scania.”
The operator purchased its first new Scania coach in 2014, a 14m tri-axle with 57-seat Irizar i6 body. “The reaction from passengers and drivers was amazing,” says Anthony. “The coach was tall, impressive and it looked great on the road. It generated a massive positive response, undoubtedly the best we have ever had for any vehicle.
“Its performance was exceptional, too. So the following year we ordered two more to a similar specification. That was followed in 2016 by another tri-axle, and this year we’re going for a two-axle, 53-seat 12.45m model, again with i6 bodywork.”
But there is more to it than just the vehicle, adds Paul Jr. “Every step of the way, Scania is there in a manner that some others are not,” he adds.
“From specifying the coach, to following its progress until delivery, to the handover process, driver training and aftersales, Scania performs so well in every respect.
“It always goes the extra mile. When I call our local Scania dealer, Keltruck Nottingham, I get the impression that I’m the only customer it’s dealing with. Nothing is too much trouble and I always get its full attention.
“It really feels like we’re in a partnership with it; it puts us at the heart of its operation.”
What’s mine is yours…
“In my view, what Scania appreciates is that both our success and its own depend on how well we serve our customers,” adds Paul Sr. “That means over and above the great vehicles and service that you would expect. We need Scania to be there when we need it, and that may be at an unsociable hour. Remember, when our customers are at play, we are at work.
“What we see with Scania – its vehicles, its dealers, its parts and service, its roadside assistance and so on – is exceptional performance in all respects. It works on so many levels that it makes our job far easier.”