PRESS RELEASE
December 2017

NMBS revamps online presence

In line with its commitment to offering the highest levels of service and support to its members and suppliers, NMBS has revamped its online presence.

The buying society's new website has been designed to deliver greater added value and also to be easier to navigate and use.

In addition, it takes into account the growing trend towards mobile browsing and can be used equally effectively across all devices - including desktop and laptop computers as well as smartphones and tablets.

Dean Hayward, sales and marketing manager at NMBS, explains: "In developing our new online presence, NMBS wanted to combine the best of old and new. Our latest site retains many of the most popular elements of our previous generation website whilst incorporating some additional features and functionality.

"The NMBS report centre for instance, which has become an invaluable tool for our members and suppliers alike, remains unaffected and can still be accessed in the same way and using the same login credentials.

"Likewise, the new site still enables visitors to view a digital version of our ‘Buyer's Guide' as well as details of key events and important information about our team, values, aims and history.

"This information however can now be accessed in a much more streamlined and user-friendly way."

Other improvements and additions incorporated on the new NMBS website include the functionality for browsers to directly register their interest in attending the NMBS Exhibition, Gala Dinner, Dinner Dance, Conference or Golf Day.

Registered users can also submit their latest news stories via the site enabling NMBS to share this information with members and suppliers via the site's dedicated news section as well as on the buying society's social media platforms.

Concluding Dean Hayward adds: "Continuous improvement is part of NMBS' culture and we are always looking for ways to enhance our offer to the independent merchanting sector.

"We also have a long track record of embracing new technology to lower our operating costs, to increase our effectiveness and to help us with our on-going commitment to ‘Strengthening Independents'.

"The launch of our new website marries both of those qualities and comes after many months of hard work by the NMBS team. We're delighted with the finished result and believe the new site will become an important resource for our merchant members and supply partners."

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Images:
NMBS new website.jpg

Caption:
New look. New functionality.NMBS has launched a new and next generation version of its website.

For more information on this story, contact Wayne Leith atwayne.leith@nmbs.co.uk 

Notes to editors:

• NMBS (National Merchant Buying Society) is the UK's largest buying group for independent builder's, plumbing and heating, timber and hardware merchants.

• Since its formation over 50 years ago in 1963, NMBS has continued to grow and evolve. Today it represents more 1000 merchant members and enjoys collective buying power in excess of £1.5BN. It uses this buying power to negotiate favourable prices and terms for members from over 600 brand leading, building industry suppliers.

• Collectively, NMBS members operate more than 3000 branches nationwide and achieve annual sales of £7BN. This equates to approximately 40% of the value of the entire merchanting sector.

• Further value-adding services offered by NMBS include credit insurance, marketing support and access to a dedicated and secure portal known as the ‘Report Centre'. This enables members and suppliers to deal with many day-to-day transactional requirements online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• NMBS also stages regular networking, knowledge sharing and trading events that bring together both its members and suppliers. These events include the NMBS Golf Day, the NMBS Gala Dinner, the NMBS Dinner Dance, the NMBS All-Industry Conference and the NMBS Exhibition.

• As part of its commitment to ‘Strengthening Independents', NMBS not only delivers services and events to enhance the profitability and success of its members but also acts as a voice and as a champion for the independent merchanting sector.

• For more information on NMBS, visit www.nmbs.co.uk