To launch or not to launch?

Well the new website has finally arrived. It's been a journey getting there and not one I'll go into full detail on as it's Monday and I wouldn't wish to weary you so early in the week...but I do wonder if sometimes it's better to go through the pain in order to have a better understanding of the key elements in what you're trying to deliver.

It also made me realise that my pain and that of our team here is repeated so many times through our large customer base and across all industries. We are trying to deliver the same key elements as all of our customers - orders placed with ease and delivered on time, products that are fairly priced and minimise mark-ups between raw materials and the consumer, and an approach to quality that means all parties agree that what is produced represents fairness, honesty and fitness for purpose. Trying to do this in a highly competitive market means that we have to make difficult decisions: should we sacrifice elements that contribute towards quality in search of lower prices; should we value timeliness of delivery, e.g. timing the launch of a new website, over the cost and internal impact of hitting this deadline; and should we try to get things 100% right first time, or be prepared to risk partial failure in order to secure the feedback that may improve our service in ways we couldn't have envisaged up-front?

Our decisions on some of those key dilemmas define us as a company – we value our twin aspects of manufacturing and wholesaling precisely because we are able to offer products at lower prices without needing to sacrifice quality – and when any such sacrifices arise we feel it vital we engage in a clear and open dialogue with our customers.  Admitting that we may have to make allowances that we would ordinarily never wish to do makes us normal not deficient – and our customers value this approach because they understand this pain first hand.

So after multiple delays in launching the new website - some of which based on difficult decisions over whether to launch or not at certain developmental stages -  we arrive at launch-time confident that we have produced a strong improvement and can offer services such as online ordering and payment and submission of artwork up to 100mb that will make a real difference to some of our key customers. But we also arrive humbled by the process and the pain of getting there – and hungry for feedback so that we can continue to improve. 

There will be elements that you miss from the old site – let us know.

There will be difficulties in finding what you’re looking for because you’re looking in ways we didn’t predict – let us know.

There will be questions about why our competitors are sometimes ranked higher when you search for packaging using Google or Bing or Yahoo – let us know.

If you tell us, we will do all we can to do something about it.

I hope you agree it’s an improvement and that it tells you something you didn’t know about Meridian, and I will gladly read your emails and take your calls about whether we are moving in the right direction.

Adam Heath

Operations Manager

adam@meridiansp.co.uk

01684 578441

www.chocolatepackaging.co.uk