CUSTOMER STORIES
Jones the Gas
How Jones the Gas built their business on quality rather than the cheapest price with Gas Engineer Software.
BACKGROUND
The beginnings of Jones the Gas
Dean Jones spent more than 20 years at British Gas before going out on his own. The leap wasn’t really planned, but came about thanks to changes at British Gas and COVID. We caught up with Dean to share how his business has gone from strength to strength over the years.
“It was almost like a perfect storm, because COVID was happening. I was furloughed at the time.”
— Dean Jones, Director @ Jones the Gas.
The furlough gave him something most people never get before they go solo: time to prepare properly. He researched the van, the tools, the uniform, the signwriting, and the software.
“I wanted a system that could grow with the business rather than having different bits of software for different jobs. The fact it handled scheduling, certificates, invoices, service reminders and customer records all in one place made it an easy decision.“
Nearly five years on, Jones the Gas has transformed from one-man-band in North Wales to a team of five: three Gas Safe engineers, an apprentice, and Kaye running the office with GES.
THE CHALLENGE
Escaping the pricing trap most sole traders fall into
Dean is open about his early days as a sole trader. He worked incredibly hard but wasn’t making enough money simply because he’d priced himself too cheap.
Eventually, Dean rebuilt his pricing to factor in every cost the business carries (vans, fuel, tools, insurance, training, wages), divided by the days he actually works, with profit on top. Then he stopped apologising for the number.
“When I first started, I set my prices too cheap.”
“Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. Focus on quality, communication and looking after your customers. Invest in good systems, invest in training, and don’t cut corners. Your reputation becomes your biggest asset.”
Jones the Gas saw significant growth as a result, and setting higher prices gave him extra room to prioritise his customers and offer a genuinely best-in-class service… but he couldn’t get there on pricing alone.
Going the extra mile for customers means doing the little things competitors don’t bother with, staying organised, and having a solid system for the admin and paperwork to back up the engineer. This is where GES came in.
THE SOLUTION
Using GES to get the systems right
“The diary keeps everyone organised, customer records mean every engineer knows exactly what’s been done before, certificates and invoices are quick and professional, and the automated service reminders are brilliant.”
Charging more only works if the customer can see why. For the admin and paperwork side of things, GES provides a proper system for his team and allows them to offer the best service possible.
“A lot of the repetitive jobs happen automatically now, so instead of sitting in the office chasing paperwork or reminding customers about services, we can spend that time looking after customers or growing the business.”
Clean, digital certificates, accounting integrations, and tools for engineers are at the core, but ane great example is how his team record the job as they go: Photographs of the boiler, inside the boiler, the condensate trap before and after, any generally part they’ve changed all land in the customer’s record through Gas Engineer Software.
“Sometimes when we finish a service, we could have 15, 20 photographs on there. Customers absolutely love that.”
From a business owner’s perspective, the GES dashboard provides Dean with a clear view of the health of the business, the jobs being done, and the money coming in.
GROWING THE BUSINESS
Focusing on repeat business & referrals
“The majority of our work comes from reminders and recommendations. Looking after people properly means they keep coming back.”
Time for your annual boiler service,
Hi :firstname, just a quick reminder — it's been almost a year since we last serviced your boiler. Your next service is due on . Want me to slot you in?
— :companyname
Gas Safe :gas_safe_id
Above: GES lets you send 100% automated yet personalised reminders to your customers
For Dean, success is a simple recipe that boils down to looking after their customers. Genuinely happy customers are the best marketing a trades business can ask for:
“We’ll find ourselves go to work in one house in a street and before you know it, we’re in nearly every house in the street.”
But keeping track of hundreds of customers, their service due dates, and sending out reminders is a huge admin burden. GES has helped Dean, Kaye, and the team secure repeat business year after year from their loyal customers with automated service reminders.
“The GES service reminder system has become a huge part of the business. A lot of our customers are busy and genuinely appreciate being reminded when their boiler service is due.”
The results
Expanding the team, setting a standard, and focusing on what matters
Dean shared that GES saves the team at least 10-15 hours a week. But above all, it’s provided Jones the Gas with a system they could grow with. Today, Jones the Gas is more than Dean as a one-man operation. He’s got the help of his wife, Kaye, several engineers, and even an apprentice.
“Expanding the team has transformed the business. Kaye has taken so much of the office work off my shoulders, which means I can spend more time doing what I enjoy and focusing on improving the business. Bringing the engineers on has allowed us to help more customers without compromising on quality.”
With Dean investing every last penny back into the business, the years ahead look promising for Jones the Gas.
Special thanks to Dean from Jones the Gas for taking part in this case study.
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