Steve Depport
Operations Manager, Metro Group / Carpet 1st
Steve joined Metro 12 years ago following a 10-year career with Brintons and has been responsible for building the group’s big reputation, especially for its marketing and merchandising expertise. He has announced that he will retire at the end of March 2025.
OVER THE YEARS...
Q What’s the best thing about the flooring trade
A
The people in this trade are its greatest strength. It has been a joy to work with, and for, so many genuinely good, honest people.
Q What’s the worst thing about the flooring trade?
A The fact that it writes itself off sometimes as a ‘cottage industry’. It is very unusual to find any market where independents have a greater share than national chains. Flooring and independent retailers should celebrate their own success.
Q What should you have done differently?
A
I would have joined flooring earlier. I spend half my life in sales in the grocery trade, from Smiths Crisps to Vimto and markets as diverse as cheese and frozen pastry. Dealing with the major supermarkets, who dominate grocery retailing, gave me a great grounding but was nothing like as enjoyable as this trade. I was very fortunate to be looking for a new challenge at the time Brintons were looking for someone with good sales experience but who knew nothing about carpet. You can insert your own joke there. They wanted a fresh pair of eyes, sometimes that is what all business needs.
Q If you had to single out one thing, what do retailers need to do better?
A Cut down on what they display, too much choice just confuses everyone. Focus on less choice but a better understanding of what customers need.
Q What do manufacturers need to do better?
A Realise the strength of independent retail. The cost to suppliers of national chains failing makes independent retail a more sustainable and profitable route to market.
"It is very unusual to find any market where independents have a greater share than national chains. Flooring and independent retailers should celebrate their own success.
BUYING GROUPS
Q Why aren’t more retailers part of a buying group?
A
A lack of understanding of the benefits of group membership. A mistaken belief that membership will take away their independence. Groups are there to provide support in the background, saving time, improving profit and providing marketing guidance.
Q How should a retailer choose between groups?
A Simply look for the one that matches with their own view on their business. All the groups offer increased profit and rebranded ranges. All of the groups also offer something slightly different. Within Metro our point of difference is a unique Marketing Service that can deliver everything from a business card to a shop front, all designed, made and installed in-house. If that is what you want for your business, join Metro. If that doesn’t interest you, look at one of the other groups. My take is ‘join a group’, you won’t regret it.
Q What’s been the biggest change you have seen over your career?
A
The rise of hard flooring. I started my flooring career at Brintons 22 years ago and peoples houses still had mostly carpet on the floor. At Harrogate this year, the amount of hard flooring was staggering. Most homes now are split roughly 50/50.
Q What’s the biggest single trend you see coming in our sector?
A Driven by the rise of hard flooring, carpet manufacturers have seen their share of flooring in people’s home halve. The choice is either fight for a bigger share of that smaller market or embrace hard flooring. Many have already started this move and I only see it accelerating over the coming years.
Q What advice would you give to a young person thinking of a career in flooring?
A Go for it. Get as much experience, training and exposure to different markets as you can. Hard work and application will be recognised and rewarded. Some manufacturers are seeing the potential in training younger people with no flooring experience.
MORE PERSONAL...
Q What was the most fun you’ve had in your career?
A While at Smiths Crisps, meeting Graham Souness while dressed as the yellow Monster Munch character!
Q What are you most looking forward to doing in the future?
A Spending more time with my family. (Doing more of their DIY and decorating for them!). Caravan holidays with my wife and family. Riding my bike more. Watching Everton at our new Bramley Moore Dock stadium.
Q What are you most looking forward to NOT doing in the future?
A Planning. I have spent so many years planning my working life, other people’s working lives, arranging diaries, that I don’t want to plan anything anymore. My plan is not to have a plan.
Q If you hadn’t ended up in this industry, what might you have done? A Played right back for Everton, we can all dream can’t we?
