Proclene Ltd is an environmentally friendly, family-run upholstery and carpet-cleaning service based in Gloucestershire and operating all over the south and west of England. Craig and his team pride themselves on providing a professional service, with the emphasis on quality, rather than price.
Find out how you could be the next Which? Trusted Trader of the Month, or read on for more about how Proclene Ltd won the award.
Proclene Ltd has been trading as a limited company since 2012, but Craig grew up in the trade. He started cleaning carpets at the age of 12, to help out his dad, and was left in charge of the business at just 19 after his father passed away. Although existing customers were loyal, he found it difficult to attract new customers. ‘No one took me seriously because I was so young. They thought I wouldn’t know what I was on about,’ he explained. So Craig started up a car-valeting business instead, before opening a carpet store and then eventually coming back round to create Proclene Ltd, his own carpet-cleaning and upholstery business.
‘I just like providing a service to people that they appreciate,’ Craig said. ‘We do everything in detail, to make sure that the customer isn’t just satisfied but delighted they made the right choice in choosing Proclene.’ The Proclene Ltd team is definitely a family affair. The staff of eight includes Craig’s fiancée, her sister and her sister’s fiancé. None of Craig’s five children are currently working for him, but he thinks there’s a good chance his six-year-old will join him, as ‘he reckons he’s the boss already.’
The Which? Trusted Traders difference
Craig is a big fan of the way Which? Trusted Traders reassures customers that Proclene Ltd provides a good-quality service.
‘I believe in the old-fashioned approach – the customer is always right, and you do everything to please that customer,’ Craig said. ‘I jumped at the chance to become a Which? Trusted trader – it’s a great way to recognise traders of the right calibre who prove they do a good job and provide excellent customer service.’
Being a Which? Trusted trader has really worked for Craig and Proclene Ltd. ‘We had one van on the road before joining the scheme, and now we have four,’ he told us. ‘We doubled our turnover last year, and this year we’re going to triple it. My experience is that the accreditation really helps us gain work.
We get a lot of quality customers – the majority of enquiries are more serious and the jobs are bigger as well. Whether customers have come through the Which? Trusted Traders website or my own or from other advertising, the accreditation helps them choose us.’
A worthy winner
The Which? Trusted Traders judging panel was impressed by the way Proclene Ltd was so engaged with the accreditation scheme, and worked really hard to complete all its outstanding actions. It also makes terrific use of the logo. ‘We put it on everything,’ says Craig, ‘Letterheads, quotes, invoices and on the vans.’
Proclene Ltd has also completed its profile page and has plenty of reviews on the Which? Trusted Traders site. Craig told us, ‘I explain to customers that we’re Which? approved, and both domestic and commercial clients appreciate that.’
It’s not always been easy. ‘I feel like the process gets stricter every year,’ Craig said, ‘But if it means reassuring the customer even more, then we’ll make sure we do what we need to, to keep our accreditation.’
Well done to Craig and the team, November 2016’s Which? Trusted trader of the Month.