For Bernard Williams...It takes customers to 'Care'
Published:Sunday | May 9, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Located in the busy commercial district of downtown Kingston, Care Furniture Company Limited, a small furniture operation on Beckford Street, is holding its own despite the economic turmoil.
The company's winning business model this year earned it the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce's 'Best of Chamber' award in the small-business category, beating other operations such as Altamont Court Hotel and Barco Caribbean Limited.
Bernard Williams, owner of the small operation, told Sunday Business that there was no magic to his success; that his company was focused simply on delivering top-quality products to customers.
"I am not one of those who complains. Instead of complaining, I try to survive," he said.
"It's not the best of my business - we have had better days - but it is not the worst."
Williams said key strategies that have allowed the company to profit and hold on to its customers are Care's good bargains and its policy of holding prices steady.
"We manufacture our furniture ourselves, hence we can give special prices, and I always believe that my customers are the most important aspect of my business," he said.
"A satisfied customer will always come again and tell people (about the business). I have had three generations of customers - mother tells daughter, daughter tells daughter - and it goes right around. We try to give value for money."
Launching out
Williams started making furniture at age 17 as an employee, but got the opportunity to launch out as an entrepreneur when he was offered a 25 per cent share in the business.
The partnership got rocky, however, and they parted ways. But from within that failed investment emerged the identity for his current venture.
"They started wanting more from the business; they hadn't put in any new investment, the only new investment was what I put in ... but they still wanted more, and I actually said those people don't care about anybody, and I said if I should have a business, I would care about people, hence the name Care Furniture Company Limited," he said, chuckling.
The partnership dissolved in 1982 and Williams walked away with just the workshop.
Within a year, his ex-business partners had closed down their operation and he acquired the space.
"The lease for this place was still in my name and the landlord called me back and offered me the place, and hence I got the place," he said.
Williams started expanding the business immediately, moving from four employees to eight at the workshop.
Three to four years later, he expanded again, this time purchasing factory space at Matthew's Lane.
In the early 1990s, another business opportunity arose in Seaforth, St Thomas, where he established a branch of Care Furniture at rented premises.
He soon bought a complex in the same area, where he relocated.
"So from a rented building, we go to our own building. Building that place, however, depleted my working capital, and that is when the crunch started," he said.
This was just before the financial meltdown of the financial sector in the 1990s.
The business environment got so rough he was forced to sell the branch in St Thomas.
"We weathered that storm and we are still here and the factory is still operating and we are working, but in all of this, we give value for money and we also give back to our community," he said.
Williams now has 25 permanent staff, and during peak periods, his work crew goes up to 35.
His customers vary from large furniture stores across the island, to the Jamaica Defence Force and walk-in customers.
Expansion
He expanded a year and half ago to Port Maria, St Mary, where he has a small branch.
The expansion cost J$2.5 million, financed from Care's internal resources.
"What we are trying to do now is to plough in back as much profit as possible in the business for its expansion," said Williams.
He hopes to further expand the operation locally, but says there are no plans to export.
"I don't see us going into the export market because that is a tedious situation. It is hard to export furniture now because of this drugs thing. People who used to export have got a lot of beatings (financially). I don't believe it's worth it," he said.
"I am thinking about the local market where I can be more hands-on; where there is a problem, I can deal with it."
For now, however, Williams said his focus is on building out the Port Maria branch. Expanding again comes later.