Posted 17 February 2023 by
Keith OsborneMatt Newman, head of sales at Piper Homes, tells us why this family-run, values-led business thrives on entrepreneurialism, agility and ability at its new homes developments across the Midlands – and why they are looking forward to meeting buyers face-to-face at The Midlands New Home Show next month.
Matt, can you tell us a bit about your role as head of sales at Piper Homes?
I started with Piper in 2019 as a senior sales manager and I have progressed my career up to head of sales, running both regional divisions. As we’ve grown, our teams have grown and a key part of my role, above all else, is to ensure our sales advisors have what they need and require to ensure sales are achieved; but also to make our customer journeys as stress-free as possible. We have a fantastic team and work ethic, we all help each other out and that is something as a leader in this business I push, our core mission and values. Although I am heavily involved with the day-to-day running of the sales team, my role also includes strategic planning on new sites in helping the business growth plan.
Piper Homes is privately owned and family run, how do you think this benefits your buyers?
We still and will always have the family feel, we really care about people and our customers and they are not just a number or a “plot” to us. Each and every one is part of the Piper family once they reserve a Piper home. The owners of the business started Piper from a very altruistic viewpoint. Whilst it is a business, it is much more than that to them and this permeates throughout, and we are very focused in achieving those aims. Being privately owned we have the entrepreneurialism, agility and ability to navigate our business in any environment to ensure our success and do what is right for us and our team, as opposed to “that’s the way it has to be done or has always been done”. We care about our product, acquisition of the right land, high quality and specifications and the professionalism in its delivery. The end result is that we have built a fantastic house, for our customers to make their best home.
The company has really grown in the past 6-7 years, what do you think the success is behind that?
We are very clear and take great pride in our growth plan and strategy. All who work for Piper are on that same journey and contribute to our success. The leaders of our business have laid the foundations of our mission, vision, values and purpose. Our culture is unique in that we have teams who know what their personal values are and are aligned to the overall business mission. It is really living those values, with the right people, in the right place; creating the right environment and empowering our teams which is our recipe for success. Fulfilment, belonging, clear strategy and true leadership has gotten us where we are today. We pride ourselves on our designs, quality product and professionalism. We are doing things differently. Great news is we have just found out we are featured in the FT 1000 for a second year in a row!
'The Ambrosia' house type at Pippinfields, Coventry
How important is it to you that you work with local partners and sub-contractors in the areas you build in?
It is something we take great pride in, with recently expanding into the East Midlands we are always on the lookout for local contractors and partners. Long standing relationships with partners and subcontractors who share our values is so vital to us as a business. They are an extension of our brand, we take pride in who we work with and we want them to grow as we grow, supporting each other on the journey.
And as a local company, how do you work to support communities in the area?
We have and continue to work with local communities we build in to contribute monies and support into local education, sports facilities, highway improvements and other ventures. What’s more, we go above and beyond in providing homes for all with our affordable housing. This means we are creating opportunities and the ability for people to live in their desired location and in a new build home. Homes for all is a key driver in our business with “Piper Living” being a division of our company which last year was over 65% of our business. You will often see our staff involved in extracurricular activities, whether it is delivering talks in schools on health and safety, or doing a fun run for a local charity. Giving back to communities is not just an “expectation”, it’s at the heart at what we believe is needed to make positive change.
Which schemes are you marketing for sale at the moment?
We have four schemes we are currently marketing. The four that are live now, are:
- Pippinfields, Pickford Green in Coventry: show home due to launch in March, proving very popular with a great mix of homes, including two-, three- and four-beds with two-bed bungalows.
- Village Meadows, Abberley in Worcestershire: this scheme is set in a beautiful part of the country and we only have one plot remaining, our four-bed detached show home (great incentives available to grab the last home.)
- High Oakham Ridge, in High Oakham, Mansfield: our first Piper scheme in the East Midlands, show home due to open end of February.
- Plum Meadow, Pershore, Worcester: first prices just released, great interest in the development to date.
Are eco-friendly and cost saving systems becoming more important to your buyers since the cost-of-living crisis?
I think energy savings have always been an important factor when choosing a new home. But even more so now with the cost-of-living crisis, customers are raising this more and more with us as it is a huge worry. Piper have been using air source heat pumps for a few years due to the rural setting of our developments and it offers cost savings to our customers, which is important to us.
'The Pershore' house type at Plum Meadow, Worcester
Are you offering any great incentives to buyers at these developments?
On a range of our developments, we have fantastic incentives available to help our purchasers take that step to reserve their Piper home. They are tailored to suit our customers’ requirements as opposed to a standard, one size fits all. We strive to help our customers get the best deal and also help them as much as we can in purchasing their home.
What else is in the pipeline over the coming months?
We have an exciting few months ahead for Piper with the launch of three more schemes: Tilsdown Gardens will be in Dursley, Gloucestershire; The Maples, Northfield in Birmingham; and Byrons Place in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire. We have 12 sites in for planning at present with a lot of very exciting land opportunities in the pipeline and coming over the horizon. Our expansion out into East Midlands is very exciting and means we are now able to offer our Piper product to more people in the Midlands.
And finally, we're looking forward to seeing you at The Midlands New Home Show at the Birmingham NEC on Saturday 4 March 2023, what can visitors expect from the Piper Homes' stand?
We are really excited to attend our first Midlands new home show! We have our fantastic new branding to show off, our amazing developments and home plans on display and we want our customers to leave the show understanding we are not your typical developer. We want people to find out who Piper really is!
We will be there to answer any questions that potential customers may have about any stages of reserving a new home, whether that be private or affordable. We understand it can be daunting but we want to make the process as stress-free as possible and will guide people through the journey to owning a new home. Furthermore, we will have team members who are available for any advice on the customer journey, construction elements with “meet the builder”, or any questions the visitors to the show may have. Our staff have a wealth of experience, with many years in the industry and we are there to help and also have a fun day celebrating Piper, our product, and welcoming new members to our Piper family!
Find out more at from Piper Homes.
Show Ambassador Laura Hamilton talks about The Midlands New Home Show here: