UK Enterprise 2020

52 | UK Enterprise Awards 2020 Many people take their heating systems for granted, but when it stops working, it’s time to find someone who you can trust to get everything back on the go again. Ricky Stubbs, owner and visionary of Advanced Heating System Group Ltd, has made his name in the provision of the best possible service to clients. Just one year again he started his own firm and it has already achieved incredible things. We take a closer look to find out more. Best Gas & Heating Engineer - Essex Jul20059 In 2019, after 15 years of experience in the management, maintenance and installation of various heating and hot water systems in both domestic and commercial settings, Ricky Stubbs founded the Advanced Heating Group. The aim of the company was to ensure that clients could access the services they needed, when they needed them, with exceptional customer care at every point of the process. Ricky’s career started with British Gas where he learned his trade from some of the top professionals in the industry. It’s a background that has placed him in good stead for the work he does today. Gas & heating engineering requires an extraordinary breadth of knowledge, including system design and installation, wiring and fault diagnosis as well as the complexities of boiler breakdowns. Ricky’s ability to deliver all of these services to a high standard is just part of the reason behind his impressive success so far. The other aspect that has allowed Advanced Heating Group is his commitment to putting the customer first at every step. While the firm is only a year old, Ricky has been looking after entire families for well over a decade. This impressive record has been achieved through his long-standing network of residential client who have been impressed by his customer service reputation. When someone turns to Advanced Heating Group for work, they know that they will receive a thorough service from start to finish, with the core values of the company placing this as the top priority. Every customer is treated with the same respect regardless of the value of the job, and every project is handled in a tidy and professional manner. Doing this is of immense benefit to all parties, and allows Ricky to have an incredibly positive impact on the community. The strong reputation that Ricky has developed has allowed him to gain work in a variety of fields. Many end up pigeon-holed in either a domestic or commercial setting, but Ricky has proven himself equally capable of working independently as he is working as part of a larger group. His strong reputation for soundness has allowed him the chance to support building installers with their repair work and technical fault finding. Some commercial contracts have seen Ricky installing boiler systems, hot water and gas safety interlock systems as well as the various kitchen requirements of pubs, hospitals, office blocks, restaurants and hotels. The team that Ricky has nurtured are carefully chosen individuals, each as committed to quality and customer service as their boss. A strict and proven two stage selection process is used which enables the team to ascertain if an individual works by the same principles as they do. A staff onboarding form is used to highlight each engineer’s specific skill set and to understand what qualifications they hold. Naturally, their individual gas safe number is cross referenced against the gas safe register website as part of the risk assessment processes. The second stage is to ensure capabilities from an equipment perspective, inclusive of relevant waste carriers licence(s), insurances and a driving licence check. High standards at this stage ensures client satisfaction in the run. As Advanced Heating Group is based in the South East region of the UK, it is in incredibly close proximity to London, Essex, and Kent. These areas have very dense populations, with plenty of opportunities for work. The clear demand was what encouraged Ricky to go solo with Advanced Heating Group. The team has been proud to work for many clients, some of whom have stories and properties around the country. Their growing trust in the services that Advanced Heating Group can provide will allow the company to continue expanding in the future. Despite this positive outlook now, when Ricky started Advanced Heating Group a year ago, there were many challenges that has to be worked out. Start-up costs and credit applications for accounts were two of the biggest difficulties that Ricky faced. To overcome these problems, he has collaborated with an independent merchant in his hometown. The trusted relationships that has allowed Ricky to thrive throughout his career have once again come to the fore and allowed him to achieve success. Not only did this decision allow both businesses to grow, it has added immense social value because both are local in nature. The desire to ensure that the team champions an approach that puts social value into the values of the company is another one of the factors that has led to the business flourishing. To strengthen the company’s links with the local community, Advanced Heating Group has recently sponsored the local football teamWhite Ensign. This Southend- based club was formed with its origins in the Navy and has everything from youth teams right down to grassroots level kids’ football. The club is an integral part of the community, holding golf days