In this article we talk about Technological Development and Investment, Better communications, Ensuring full compliance and Environmental improvement.
Technological Development and Investment
Over the last two years, we have invested in technology and systems in order to provide an even better service to our customers. Firstly, the implementation of a comprehensive management system that supports our project management, P&L management, and scheduling of our engineer’s activities has been highly successful and provides efficiencies in schedule management. We have also developed a catalogue of materials, products and services, in order to ensure we are always fully equipped with the right materials, and at the right location when we need to be in order to fully support our very important customers, helping to keep your businesses operational at all times.
Better communications
Secondly, we have invested in a customer relationship management system, through which we can now record communication with our customers, both current and future, and ensure we are ‘top of mind’ for project work, which is essential as we grow the business over the next few years. It is vital we continue to provide excellent service to our customers and respect the loyalty of those who have been customers of KBS for many years, whilst also seeking out new markets in which we can develop our offer.
Ensuring full compliance
From a compliance perspective, in April of 2022, we saw the changes to the BS7671 Electrical Standard – (Amendment 2) implemented across the industry. Considering the changes to the BS7671 guidance, on electrical standards, we have taken the update course, and implemented changes in our internal procedures to ensure we are fully compliant with Amendment 2. I can confirm that all our engineers have now taken the update course and are fully compliant with the updated regulations. The Amendment 2 regulatory changes bring even more protection to our own people, and for our clients with higher-level imposed protection for residential surge on current devices. We are delighted to be fully up to date and compliant. I don’t anticipate any further updates until 2023/4.
KBS welcome these updates to procedures and any impact on improved health & safety for our engineers and operatives, but also for our important clients’ piece of mind. We will continue to invest in our engineers, to upskill them and afford them every opportunity to be the best they can be, so that KBS remains the ‘partner of choice’ for all mechanical and electrical installations.
Environmental improvement
Over the last year or so, I have seen real changes in the operating procedures and the introduction of more prefabricated containment. We have seen an increase in demand for installation of both ‘air to water’ heat pumps, and ‘water to water’ heat pumps, with increased / many air purifying installations, and retail businesses desire to now go purely electric. Our retail customers are gearing up for Net Zero Carbon by 2030, and taking big steps, as part of their strategies, to commit to ongoing reduction in their carbon footprint. We are seeing much more decommissioning of existing gas supply and an increase in the requirement for pre-electric energy monitoring stations/systems.
This year we are busy implementing an increased number of projects involving the install of BMS and EMS systems and we welcome this as an area in which KBS are specialist. In the past year, we have invested in our marketing with a re-brand, bringing the business forward to appeal to a more visual generation, with a more modern look and feel, and with our new website, which we update regularly with news stories, and project information. This is all part of our ongoing strategy for 2022-2030 which aims to grow the business retaining our focus on our people, our service, and excellence in engineering capability.
Over the last two years, we have had consistent and managed growth – despite the economic difficulties – and we are on track to achieve our target for 2022. We are very grateful to all our customers for their loyalty, and we will continue to work hard to ensure we deliver and invest in our continuous improvement.
That is my commitment to our customers, and the KBS promise.