Blockbusters Drainage and Plumbing Services has secured a win due to the company’s outstanding customer service and impressive charity work.
Based in Lewes, East Sussex, Blockbusters provides 24/7 plumbing services across all of South East England.
These services include a comprehensive range of drainage and plumbing services, including drain unblocking, CCTV drain surveys, pipe lining, irrigation systems, sewer cleaning, soakaways, septic tanks, as well as water leak detection, drain installation and Saniflo maintenance.
Read on to find out why the company decided to become a Which? Trusted Trader and the benefits the endorsement brings.
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Over 30 years of outstanding customer service
Kieran Connolly, managing director of Blockbusters, founded the company in 1989 after completing a heating and plumbing apprenticeship. He ran the business and worked by himself with only one van.
Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength. The team now consists of over 30 engineers and 15 office-based staff.
Every year, the team performs CCTV surveys on around 40 miles of underground - approximately the distance between Manchester and Leeds!
Despite being busy, they are still committed to providing brilliant customer service.
‘We understand that spending money can be daunting,’ says Kieran. ‘That’s why we believe communicating is important. At Blockbusters, we have good interpersonal relationships with each other and focus on nurturing positive relationships with our customers. We believe working well together puts the customer first.’
This commitment to customer service is reflected in their reviews. On the Which? Trusted Traders website, Blockbusters has a 4.9 star rating, based on 197 reviews.
A satisfied customer from Surrey left this review earlier in the year: ‘We have used BlockBusters a few times, both at home and for my business. They are very efficient, make themselves available as quickly as possible, and always exceed expectations. Their charging structure is clear and straightforward.’
Another customer from Sussex said: ‘From the minute I contacted the company my problem was dealt with very efficiently. I felt valued as a customer and I was made to feel confident that the problem would be solved. The engineer carried out the work and, to date, I haven’t had any more problems. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this company again and would indeed recommend them to other people.’
Providing a fast and quality service in time-sensitive situations
Blockbusters understands that issues with plumbing need to be dealt with quickly and effectively, which is why it offers 24-hour on-call support.
Earlier in the year, the company received a call from a recently widowed woman who dropped her wedding ring down the toilet. Not only could Blockbusters’ on-call engineer offer her advice over the phone to prevent any further issues, but their in-person engineer arrived within the hour.
Using a CCTV camera to locate the ring in the drains, they were able to gently retrieve it and return it to its rightful owner.
On another occasion, a man called as he was having issues with a blocked toilet. Not only did the Blockbusters’ engineer fix the initial blockage, but they also provided a free CCTV survey of the drains to investigate what caused the blockage.
The survey revealed further blockages in the drain, which could have caused issues in the future. The engineer was able to address the problems during the appointment, leaving the drains almost as good as new!
‘As a company, we aim to communicate well and give our customers the best advice to look after their own facilities after we complete the job,’ says Kieran. ‘Payment is taken upon completion to ensure the customer is always happy before we leave.’
One of our Trusted Trader of the Month judges said: ‘I really like the customer focus and importance placed on a partnership with the consumer to ensure that they are making informed decisions. I am also impressed by the proactive approach to the blocked loo - not just fixing it but looking into the cause of the blockage to prevent the same from happening again.’
Giving back to charity and the local community
Not only does Blockbusters support the community with their work, but the company also gives generously to charity, donating to a number of local charities including the Clock Tower Sanctuary, which helps young people experiencing homelessness, and the Beachy Head Chaplaincy, a search and rescue charity.
As well as making financial donations, Blockbusters recently provided VIP football tickets for the Beachy Head Chaplaincy to use in a raffle.
The company also donates to charities that work on a national and international level, including UNICEF UK, British Red Cross, Water Aid and Cancer Research.
‘As our company is heavily involved in the supply and discharge of water, we felt it was our duty to support Water Aid financially,’ says Kieran. ‘Water Aid aims to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to some of the poorest places in the world. With Blockbusters’ help they have been able to provide 28 million people with clean water and decent toilets.’
Which? Trusted Traders provides customers with confidence
Blockbusters displays its Which? Trusted Traders awards prominently on its vans, social media, email signatures, invoicing sheets, and online advertising.
‘We have always recognised that Which? is well-respected for providing an excellent, honest service,’ says Kieran. ‘Our business has benefited from Which? Trusted Traders simply as it gives more confidence to our potential customers when they are looking for a reputable company to carry out works.’
Blockbusters even shows its outstanding Which? Trusted Traders reviews as a widget on the homepage of their website.
‘We aim to prove to our potential customers that we are a Trusted Trader,’ says Kieran. ‘They know where to find our reviews and we hope they find comfort in picking us. Our reviews reflect who we are as a company!’
Congratulations to Blockbusters for winning December 2023’s Which? Trusted Trader of the Month award.
- More on Blockbusters
- Tips for traders on making the most of your endorsement
- How to be the next Which? Trusted Trader of the Month