Gregor Heating was established 30 years ago and has grown to a large operation with over 100 employees, serving the Bristol and Bath area. They are a heating solution business, installing and servicing gas, electric, oil and solar systems. Until about five years ago, they focused more on the commercial market, but more recently they’ve moved into working in the domestic sector and have about 14 engineers dedicated to working with residential customers.

A way to stand out from the rest

Shaun told us that the central heating industry is very competitive and Gregor Heating wanted something to help them really stand out from the rest, so they decided to apply for membership to Which? Trusted Traders. They had always focussed on providing excellent customer service and felt that an independent assessment from the Which? Trusted Traders team would help show customers that they were trustworthy.

‘The Which? brand is synonymous with quality and with being a consumer champion,’ explained Shaun, ‘so if a customer sees that we have reviews on your website and they’re good and fresh and updated, then it gives us the credibility to get the opportunity to quote for work.’

Award-winning customer service

The Gregor Heating team won the Trader of the Month award for their excellent communication on social media, fantastic reviews and superb customer service. Shaun told us that delivering excellent customer service was at the heart of their business and that they have purposely designed everything they do to promote that, from initial contact with consumers all the way through to the end of a job and beyond.

Shaun detailed how the Gregor Heating team have totally embraced the Which? Trusted Traders model of doing business in the last couple of months, including the way policy documents are written and their open and helpful communication with customers. He told us, ‘I think some people, when they join Which? Trusted Traders, it’s like a badge of honour for them. They put the logo on their vans and they feel like that’s enough but they’re not getting any additional benefits.’ The change in processes took a month or so to embed in all their systems, but it is now bearing fruit, with increased hits on the website and real growth in their domestic business.

Making it easy to get reviews

The team make sure it’s as easy as possible for customers and engineers to generate reviews. The Which? Trusted Traders review form has been downloaded on to all their engineers' tablets, so they can sit down with customers, explain the scheme and email the forms to customers or leave the customers to fill them in. As a result, they’ve seen the number of reviews on their profile increase from 7 to 44 in the space of a month.

Shaun would advise all traders to embed the Which? Trusted Traders standards and policies within their businesses in the same way, to really make the most of what the scheme has to offer. ‘Now it’s nil cost,’ he told us, ‘because we don’t have to work hard at it anymore. It’s become part of the way we work.’ And to cap it all, it’s netted them the Trader of the Month for August 2016.

Very well done to all at Gregor Heating from Which? Trusted Traders.

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