Watts Group: Streamlining Marketing Solutions Across A Multi-Site Business Model

With seven offices across the UK, Watts Group faced challenges in ensuring that each location ordered on-brand, head-office-approved marketing materials. Additionally, the ordering process was entirely managed by head office, consuming valuable marketing resources to handle requests—many of which were repeat orders from the same suppliers. As a result, the marketing team found themselves

bogged down with administrative tasks, limiting their ability to focus on new initiatives and sales support. They recognised the need for a more efficient solution that would empower individual offices to manage their own orders while reducing the hands-on involvement of head office. However, with this came the concern of maintaining brand consistency across all locations.

From the very beginning of its collaboration with Watts Group, PDS had a clear vision for a dynamic and robust tool that would maintain brand consistency across a multi-site business model. This solution needed to provide autonomy to individual offices while ensuring a level of oversight from head office.

Enter PDS+, a bespoke online ordering system designed specifically for Watts Group. This branded portal offers a seamless experience, serving all UK offices in their marketing and operational needs.

Whether ordering workwear, PPE, print materials, merchandise, or new starter kits, employees across various locations can easily access the platform. Every order is sourced from approved suppliers and follows head office-approved designs, ensuring consistency in quality and specifications across all locations.

Empowering each of the sites and stakeholders to place orders independently has streamlined their process and has eliminated the need for central marketing to manage individual requests – marketing and brand owners can be assured that all products remain on-brand and meet their approved high-standards. This increased automation has freed up valuable time, allowing the marketing team to focus on other strategic initiatives.

Additionally, the implementation of PDS+ has enabled sites to take advantage of PDS’s extensive storage facilities. By ordering marketing materials in larger quantities and storing them for future stock call-offs, sites benefit from a cost point of view with more competitive unit rates while maintaining a steady supply of essential materials.