AUGUST NEWSLETTER 2025
Highlights
As summer slowly winds down and autumn begins to creep in, we hope you’ve been able to soak up the sunshine and make the most of these warmer days. The crisp air and changing leaves are just around the corner! 🍂
Here’s a round-up of exciting updates, highlights, team wins and competitor insights from across the business throughout August.
What’s Happening: Installations
Field Update from Rich Jones
👥 Team Feedback
As we’ve said before, and it’s worth saying again, it’s a pleasure to receive consistent feedback from the team. These ideas for improvement reflect not only technical talent but a shared commitment to excellence.
Dan Watson – Thinking outside the box, Dan reversed the customer’s Bauhaus profile to create a smooth, full-width mitred headrail across a pair of Bauhaus Aspect 3 gables. It was a challenge to clip in, but the result speaks for itself. Brilliant work, Dan!
Martin Evans – Came up with a clever solution to mould a solar panel into trunking, delivering a cleaner, more refined finish. Thank you, Martin!
Ryan Keegan – Suggested a practical improvement for Lantern blinds: a removable 150mm end cap for the charging port loop, rather than removing the entire trunking cover. Smart thinking, Ryan!
Your feedback is always welcomed and encouraged. Even the smallest idea can make a big difference. If you’d like to share a video of your solution or walk-through, feel free to send it my way.
🧗 Project Surveys – Going the Extra Mile
As mentioned last month, awkward access is becoming the norm, whether it’s scaffolding over staircases or working at extreme heights. Here’s the result.
Ryan’s recent installation is a great example: completed to a superb standard and fully met the customer’s expectations. Ryan drafted in his own team to get this completed in time.
Top effort!!
⚠️ Health & Safety – Standing Tall, Working Smart
As we continue to measure and fit increasingly complex window and roof blinds, often at heights of 7 to 8 meters or more, it’s essential that we stay sharp on safety.
Whether it’s gables, lanterns, or angled roof structures, the challenge isn’t just technical, it’s physical. Every install must be approached with the right access equipment, proper planning, and a safety-first mindset.
✅ Key Reminders:
- Always assess access requirements during survey stage
- Use appropriate ladders, towers, or scaffolding, never compromise
- Communicate if additional support or equipment is needed
- Take your time, precision and safety go hand in hand
Let’s keep doing what we do best: delivering excellence without cutting corners. Your safety is non-negotiable, and your professionalism sets the standard.
🎶 BIMM Bristol – XL Lantern Installation at 13 Meters
At the heart of BIMM Bristol’s gallery space sits a striking 5-meter square skylight, positioned a full 13 meters above ground level. The challenge? To install two side-by-side XL Lantern blinds that would give the college full control over light and temperature in this dynamic, high-traffic environment.
🏗️ Accessing the Impossible
Reaching this height safely required serious planning. Professional scaffolders were brought in to construct a custom access tower within the building, an impressive structure in its own right. But the real precision came from the Specialist Blinds installation team.
🔧 Precision in Motion
Fitting such wide lantern blinds at this elevation demanded flawless coordination and trust. The team will work together to carefully lift the blinds up the scaffold and manoeuvre them through the scaffold floor, a feat requiring not just strength, but strategy.
🦺 Safety at the Forefront
Working at this height takes more than courage, it takes commitment to safety. Installers were equipped with full PPE, including safety harnesses and fall protection lines, ensuring every step of the process met the highest standards of health and safety.
This project didn’t just raise blinds; it raised the bar. A true example of Specialist Blinds’ ability to deliver bespoke solutions in even the most demanding environments.
🧠 Quote of the Month
All the best, Rich.
Installation of the Month
This month’s spotlight goes to a repeat customer who knew exactly where to turn when faced with a new challenge. Having lived with our blinds for over a year, Paula Lewis didn’t hesitate to call us back when her stunning 13-meter glass-panelled walkthrough began causing serious glare and heat build-up.
Who you gonna call?
Howard at Specialist Blinds stepped in to design a tailored solution, and James H delivered an immaculate installation that hit every mark.
The result? A beautifully shaded space with dramatically improved temperature control—without compromising the architectural elegance of the glass. Paula was over the moon with the service, the look, and most of all, the comfort.
Customer Feedback:
“I wouldn’t go anywhere else. From design to install, it was flawless.”
👏 Huge thanks to Howard, James H, and everyone involved in making this another standout success.
What’s Happening: Sales
The award for most stunning setting probably should go to Arnaud this month.
The client contacted the contracts office regarding an ‘unusual’ roof in the middle of a property. Arnaud followed up with the client and visited this stunning property in the picturesque village of Goudhurst in Kent. The property is split in half by a central full height glass atrium, giving the property stunning views of the Kent countryside.
The atrium has a spiral staircase in the centre which will certainly be an obstacle to overcome, but the client has the foresight to own their own tower for the purpose of cleaning at height, so we are able to make use of the same.
As the area lends itself to our Pure conservatory style roof system, we have sold Solo Connect so the client has flexibility of operation on smart devices. The side windows however presented a slight issue as they are too large for our normal Pure Solo configuration, but we have overcome this by specifying WT style motor and Bauhaus receiver so they are controlled by the Solo system.
The walls are a perfect match to French Grey Duette fabric and Anthracite hardware will exactly match the framework, so the blinds will blend in seamlessly.
Watch this space for survey updates and installation photos.
Not only has Arnaud taken this fantastic order this month he is currently smashing the sales stats for August at 20 orders from 29 leads circa £105,000 nett. He’s kindly gone on holiday to give the rest of the sales team time to catch up this weekend, so let’s pull out all the stops everyone!
Spotlight on Innovation
By no means the biggest, highest or unique shape, but this lantern installation called for a bit of thought to meet the customer’s needs.
The client called to enquire about a blind for their new lantern area but were quite specific about being able to both block light entirely and also be able to let light through, with the blind extended.
In the past we have been able to install ‘Day/Night’ style blinds into side window scenarios, but we had to think how we could adapt this style of blind into a lantern scenario. The answer? Fit one lantern above the other!
We installed 2 Clear Classic lanterns with the upper blind in SuperCell Pumice White dimout fabric and the lower blind in SuperCell Pumice White. Both on our Pure 10 motors with mini transformers.
The compact nature of the framework and blinds meant we could position the blinds close together so the installation still looks sleek and provides the client with the ability to shade the room to their requirements.
What’s Happening: Factory
New Product Announcement:
- Individual and simultaneous operation of up to 8 blinds
- Suitable for pure hardware with Pleated | SuperCell | Duette® Pinoleum | Aluminium Venetian blinds
- No battery pack or solar panel required
- Works with Pure Power remote controls only
- Compatible with Pure Power Home Hub Automation
August Reviews Showcase
We’ve received some fantastic reviews this month, and we wanted to share a few standouts:
Great Experience
⭐ 5/5 Trustpilot (Alan Dawes, Dan Watson)
Just had gable-end blinds supplied and fitted. The whole experience from initial assessment then detailed survey, then fitting was first rate. The blinds look great and really help in afternoon/evening where the west facing window turned the room into a green house – Nik Simpson
Motorised blind installation
⭐ 10/10 Checkatrade™ – (Arnaud Keat / Jack Wesson)
Another effortless installation, from the quotation, pre installation survey and then manufacture and installation by the fitter. All carried out with minimal fuss and great efficiency. As with the other blinds fitted by Specialist Blinds, really great service once again, would fully recommend. – Nick Mulholland
Amazing and highly recommend the company
⭐ 10/10 Checkatrade™ – (Grant S Johnston / Martin Evans)
Love our new blinds. A lot more expensive than we had anticipated but having them for a few months I can really appreciate the build quality and worth the money. They work seamlessly, installed to a very high quality. During the hot weather we have really noticed how much they deflect the heat. The engineer who fitted them knows the product inside and out and a real expert. – Julia Horne
Excellent company have used them several times
⭐ 10/10 Checkatrade™ – (Clare Walker / Dan Watson)
The technician was excellent. Neat and tidy – cleared up after himself. The job carried out was of a high standard – Mrs Smith
New Blinds
⭐ 10/10 Checkatrade™ – (Kevin Rogers / Rob Scott)
Found the complete experience from discussions on the sort of blinds we required through to their installation to be of the highest standard. Everyone we dealt with were professional and experienced which made the task easier than was expected. – Alan Tizzard
Competitor Watch
Rob Scott Surveying to Replace Faulty Competitor’s Lantern
A recent assessment of a faulty lantern (installed by a national competitor) – highlights critical shortcomings that underscore the importance of choosing the right product built with quality and customer satisfaction in mind.
Poor Design and Lack of Structural Integrity
The competitor’s lantern, as currently installed, lacks a frame. This omission leaves internal components and wiring exposed to environmental hazards, increasing the risk of damage and reducing lifespan. Unlike more robust designs that prioritise durability, this model appears to have been constructed with minimal regard for longevity.
Outdated Technology and Material Quality
This particular product was installed with the old tube-style battery pack. The use of a single-layer fabric further diminishes the product’s resilience, providing insufficient protection against weather elements. Additionally, as seen below, six visible micro cables.
Functional Failures and Customer Service Delays
Consequently, the blind has ceased functioning entirely. The customer was unhappy with the unacceptable delays – they had a visit scheduled for September, more than two months after the initial customer complaint. Such sluggish support reflects poorly on their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, so the customer contacted us for a replacement.
What’s Happening: Marketing
Enquiries
It’s been a busy summer for enquiries and we’re pleased to see that we’ve had more enquiries so far this quarter compared to 2024. As always, we’ve been switching budgets around in GoogleAds to ensure that we attract the best quality leads for the lowest cost that we possibly can.
New Website Gallery
Our biggest change on the website this month is our new gallery, which contains a selection of our best photos and most popular videos.
This new style of gallery allows us to use portrait shots (tall, narrow shots) from our social media channels, which we haven’t been able to add to website until now. As you all know, we have some amazing videos that have been taken by our installation team, so it’s very exciting that we can now share these with our website visitors without having to redirect them to our socials.
The gallery can be filtered to show individual product ranges to help customers find exactly what they’re looking for. We will continue to expand this content over the coming months, making this a valuable resource to showcase how our blinds differ to others.
Take a look here: www.specialist-blinds.co.uk/gallery
Video Requests
A shout out to Jeff for capturing this brilliant shot! It’s like a solar eclipse 🌓
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then perhaps a video is priceless! It’s always good to show customers how our blinds can make a difference in their home.
We’d love to see more shots like this if you get the opportunity please. Extra bonus points if you can see the room getting darker, a TV screen without glare or just a beautiful cosy room.
Exciting Update: A New Way to Access Media and Boost Our Company’s Visibility!
We’re excited to announce a major update that will revolutionise how our media – including videos and photos – is accessed, creating a more efficient and collaborative environment for our marketing and contracts teams. This means that our in-house marketing team, external marketing partners, and contracts team will have seamless access to a centralised platform where all media assets are stored and easily searchable.
Streamlined Access for Greater Collaboration and Impact
This new platform will make it simpler than ever for our marketing team and external partners to access the media they need for social campaigns, video content, and other promotional efforts. From behind-the-scenes footage to project photos, everything will be available with just a few clicks.
Additionally, our contracts team will benefit from having the full archive of survey and installation videos and photos right at their fingertips, enabling them to review important documentation quickly and efficiently.
With easy access to all this media, we’re setting the stage for more engaging, on-brand content across our marketing channels and social media platforms. This streamlined process not only helps us create high-quality content faster but also strengthens our brand visibility. As we share more of our work online, we’ll be able to attract more attention from potential clients and, ultimately, generate more leads.
By streamlining access to our media, we’re positioning ourselves for even greater success – fostering more collaboration, boosting visibility, and opening up new opportunities for the company.
This update is just one of the many exciting changes we’re making to improve workflows, enhance our brand presence, and drive growth.
Social Media News
We have our first TikTok post going viral this week! 🤩
Speed of engagement really started to pick up on Tuesday/ Wednesday, and it’s still creeping up now!
Current stats:
- 214,200 views
- 23,100 likes
- 4,500 saves
- 7,100 shares
- Total play time: 365 hours (from a 7 second vid!)
- 207 Followers (was only 50 last month)
Staff News
How long have you been with Specialist Blinds?
I’m in my 10th year.
If you weren’t working for in the blinds industry, what other profession would you like to be in?
Professional Golfer 🏌🏼♂️⛳
What’s your hidden talent or hobby that no one at work knows about?
I make great eggs and like a game of chess.
Can you please name any well-known individuals’ residences you have visited during your sales appointments? 🤩
Daniel Craig, Bono, Janet Suzman, Ellie Taylor
Who was your most memorable customer and why?
Harry Kane’s mum. Spent a couple of hours talking Spurs, blinds and about our boys who are a similar age!
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
Nice Long walks, off to watch Spurs and spending time with family and my beautiful granddaughter who seems to love me for some reason!
If you could swap jobs with anyone else in the business for a day, who would it be and why?
Richard J, because he gets to talk to me most days! 😉
Favourite quote or saying?
How would you like to pay, card or transfer? 💳 😁
August Birthday Celebrations
Happy Birthday to all our wonderful colleagues who celebrated their birthdays in August! Wishing you a fantastic year ahead filled with happiness, success, and good health. Here’s to many more celebrations! 🎉🥳🎉
🎉Congratulations🎉
Factory Employee of the Month 🥳🥇
Our employee of the month for August is Donald Smith. 🎉🥳🎉
“I am pleased to announce Donald as August’s Employee of the Month. Donald is always reliable and efficient out on the road as one of our drivers but this month he has also picked up several shifts in the factory, including on his usual days off. He has a commendable work ethic and is always willing to get on with any job presented to him. I can’t overstate how valuable he is to the team.” – Ellie Smith-Anderson
Specialist Blinds Staff Blog 