GROW

Andrew Padmore’s idea of offering flexible work opportunities to mature professionals has put his utility consultancy business on target to hit a £1 million turnover within the next year.

The strategy has enabled him to tap into a pool of talent among the over 40s who don’t want a nine to five working life.

His company, Tredomen-based Utility and Environmental Solutions, provides a one-stop-shop for business clients who want to save money on energy, telecoms, water and waste contracts – while ensuring they are environmentally responsible.

From the outset, just two and a half years ago, his business plan was to recruit two parallel professional teams: one of utility experts who negotiate the right deals, and another of consultants who liaise directly with clients and ensure they fully understand their businesses and needs.  The combined workforce has grown to 12 – and he plans to double turnover in the next year.

He said, “I realised that there are many people out there who have a lot to offer but want to work in a way that suits them – and not a nine to five routine. Some want work to fit in with their lifestyles and family commitments, while others are semi-retired and want to work part-time but don’t want the hassle of running a business themselves. That is why we decided to recruit our client advisers as associates – people who are not formally employed, but who work for us on a flexible basis, either from home or from our offices. They come from a variety of professional backgrounds and are in their 40s, 50s and early 60s. Their job is to get a full understanding of the clients’ needs so our other team of utility professionals secure exactly the right deals.”

Andrew, now aged 40 and with a family of four children, set up UES after ten years of thinking about it. He had worked in the energy, telecoms and water industries and was convinced he could deliver lower cost and higher quality services – particularly for clients with an interest in environmental performance.

“After deciding that the business model was right I left my job with a major utility company,” he recalled. “Then I was able to get some cracking people to join me. We tested the business model for nine months and had great feedback from our first clients. They loved the way we work – taking the time to understand their businesses and not baffling them with jargon. And if we don’t save them money we don’t get a fee.

“The business has taken off so far through referrals by satisfied clients. We never cold call businesses.  We are now recruiting a marketing manager to help us grow from a Wales-based business to one that operates throughout the UK – and internationally for clients operating in different countries.”

Andrew is delighted by the rapid success of UES. “The driver for me was that I’d seen big customers get poor deals with some utility providers. There was a lot of overpayment and poor service. I knew we could deliver something better. We are very pleased that our business model is working so well for the company and for our associates who have the flexibility to work as they want. We can tap into a lot of experience and deliver a service that really pays off for clients."