TM meets Arnold Building Services, a heating design and installation specialist which goes above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.
Established in 1978, Arnold Building Services (ABS) is a leading industrial heating specialist, providing installations of gas or oil-fired radiant heating and warm air heating systems to clients across both the public and private sectors.
Central to the company’s success remains an enviable partnership model, undertaken with suppliers, manufacturers and customers alike. “Because the products ABS install and service are often highly technical, we have developed long-standing relationships with the relevant manufacturers to assist us with the operational side of our business: be that Powrmatic, Benson and so on,” confirms Alan Worthy, the company’s commercial manager. The other side of the hinge concerns the accounts ABS holds with a number of large retail customers — for whom it undertakes annual maintenance, related operational requirements and the installation of heating systems where and when needed.
Eight days a week
Alan offers the story of one such client, a FTSE 250 retailer, by way of example. The relationship, he says, “Started off from a tiny acorn, when we got involved with a small number of installations for the customer. Because of the quality and professionalism of the work done, however, the size of the projects continued to increase, further strengthened by our adaptability — very much a differentiator for ABS.” For those working in a retail environment, the last thing one wants is contractors walking around with ladders and disrupting the customers’ shopping experience. Similarly, companies want the aesthetics of their buildings to remain constant so far as possible. To this end, “ABS prides itself on the fact that we go about our business with very low impact, working during the night or throughout weekends to get the job done with minimal disturbance,” says Worthy.
“What you get with ABS is a highly personalised service,” he continues.
“We spend a considerable amount of time, from the initial meeting onwards, in ensuring that our delivery is aligned with the customers’ ethos and operational requirements. The fact that if something goes wrong with a client’s original system — as is almost inevitable in our industry — we’ll move heaven and earth to resolve the problem has been a hallmark of ABS since our inception. If that means that we need to drive a spare part 100 miles up the motorway on a Bank Holiday, then that’s what we’ll do!”
