In an industry overwhelmed with new technological advancements and improvements, seating manufacturer StyleRide Seating Systems continues to cement its foothold as a market leader by providing something different – exceptional service.
As a local Australian business that has been operating since 1996, StyleRide has had nearly three decades to master its art, providing 13 different seating products to the Australasian bus and coach market.
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Now, StyleRide in its drive to provide market leading customer service has recently appointed Troy Wells as its national business development manager, with his connections and charm unmatched in the current market.
“Listening and connecting with customers has always been a part of StyleRide’s DNA,” Wells told ABC. “But we want to go above and beyond for our customers and see how far we can go.
“I am excited to be jumping on board and bringing my prior experience in the industry to this role.”
Starting his journey into the industry back in 2007 at Denso, Wells has enjoyed a fruitful career that centred around creating meaningful and successful relationships at Iveco and Bus Corp amongst other companies.
“I was at Denso for a decade and then Iveco for three years,” Wells says.
“The Australian bus and coach industry is a great industry.
“I’ve always enjoyed the people involved, both from a customer point of view and a supplier point of view.”
Taking a short hiatus from the bus and coach industry in 2019, Wells says he is excited to jump right back into it and help StyleRide reenforce its commitment to customers.
“After being involved with the industry for so long, you tend to pick up skills and knowledge that are transferrable from job to job.
“I’m happy to be jumping in and offering my services.”
One of the first things on Wells’ to-do list was ramping up in-person visits, wanting to re-connect with old acquaintances and get out into the community.
“That’s always been my way of doing things, I suppose, is face to face,” Wells says.
“I’m not a massive fan of doing things via the phone or via Teams while it can be necessary. I enjoy the contact with the customer face to face and chatting to them and finding out what their needs are and how we can best help both businesses prosper.
“It also helps build a stronger bond between customer and supplier. In-person banter and rapport is essential, I even find myself not talking product for a while and instead building a relationship and getting to know the people on a deeper level.”
A key factor to success Wells says, is ensuring the customer can trust not only the product, but the people involved as well. Whether it be the popular metro seating models it is renowned for or its latest innovations, StyleRide continues to grow off the back of focused product development and feedback.
“There is nothing more important to a business than honest, straightforward feedback from their customers,” Wells says.
“One thing I really admire about people in the bus and coach industry is their upfront and to-the-point feedback that we can then take back to design and re-work.”
A major focus for the brand in upcoming months is showcasing its bespoke seating options and customisation. With seating models covering the spectrum of Australia’s bus and coach sector – from luxury touring to urban public transport – StyleRide wants to highlight how the customer can customise their chosen product.
In particular, the Sovereign seat model is more of a bespoke type of seat that has found popularity among operators. While there is a factory standard for the model, the Sovereign can be specially built to suit certain requirements, whether it be different needs regarding width, length or armrest styles.
“We have listened to our clients and customers, seeing what they need and what would best suit them.
“I believe the best way is to show the customer all of their options, answer any questions they have, and then let them have the floor to expand on it.
“As a company, you can learn more from a person’s concerns and issues than to simply listen to them praise you or the product.”
The manufacturer encourages operators to take their time in deciding which material they want out of leather, cloth or modern synthetic leather. The company also highlights the importance of testing the seats in person, ensuring the customers are truly happy with the product.
This ideology was front and centre at the recent National Bus and Coach Expo in Brisbane. With a display of some of their most popular and trusted products for customers to try, it was the newest offering, the Pratico that really stood out.
“We have spent time listening to our customers and applying their feedback. The new Pratico is the culmination of our philosophy.
“Our philosophy is personal involvement, continuous improvement and outstanding service. We believe we have been taking the necessary steps to cement StyleRide as a trusted and welcome manufacturer in the industry.”
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