More than four thousand customers cannot be wrong
With humble beginnings Ecoseal has grown from strength to strength, and its success, well that has been attributed to customer satisfaction and referrals which is of key importance to this company which now insulates the homes of between 50 and 60 customers a week and will soon reach the milestone of the 5,000th customer by Christmas.
Ensuring that every customer is satisfied and that the quality of workmanship carried out in each home is second to none is what Ecoseal is all about, a company which is now the third largest insulation business in the country. Ecoseal prides itself on not only having a quality product, which has a major impact on the warmth of a house and as a result the utility bill, but also on the sales representatives and installers - all certified licensed insulators - who ensure that a professional fitting service is provided and the products are fitted in an efficient and cost-effective fashion.
Speaking to the Advertiser, owner Noel King, who once held the record for being the youngest postmaster in An Post before venturing into the world of field sales, reflected on how the “germ of the Ecoseal idea” started back in 2007 when he, and his wife Naomi, had their home insulated, something that sparked the interest of a number of neighbours.
“It made a fantastic job of our house, we really noticed the difference. A number of neighbours called to the house, asked about it, and we couldn’t have recommended it enough. It had the same impact with my wife’s creche - Naomi’s Creche. Really what started it for me was when the local shop keeper, next to the creche, walked up to the guy that was installing it and asked him to do the shop as well. I felt then that this product was fantastic, it had a massive impact on the quality of the warmth and heat of our house for relatively little money. I felt it was the product for the future, which it is. I’m also in the energy business, working for Energia, Ireland’s largest independent energy company. Energia is always dealing with business customers and their energy consumption so from that perspective I saw the potential, and I could see the way that energy costs were going up and how proper insulation impacts upon those costs. I suppose if you went back 10 years ago, it would have been fairly exotic to have your walls pumped with cavity bead, and many older houses had little or nothing in their walls or in the attic but as the years have gone by, it is not a case of will you do it, it is when you do it.
“That was the germ that started the process for me, then it was research and business plans before Ecoseal was officially launched in 2009. We started small, with just one lorry, and I knew, from my experience in business, that customer satisfaction is essential for success, this is our motto. We have a quality check system after each of our installs, the customer gets a list of questions from our office asking things like if the installer removed all the packaging and wrapping, did they clean up, did they do this and do that, there is a whole suite of questions which encourages comments that are then used on our website. We started out with one lorry, each job led to three or four new jobs. We wanted to avoid the customer being left unhappy because if that happens they are going to tell 10 more people. We’ve tried to focus in on our quality so that the rapid growth that we got was through referrals. The comments given by the customers are a testament to the quality of work that is done, and I have to congratulate our installers too, they are the key ingredient to the company’s success because they make sure the quality is right. Ecoseal now employs about 30 people and we will shortly be on our 5,000th house in the coming weeks.”
Insulating your home with Ecoseal could not be more simple, just ring up and a sales representative will call out to your home, inspect the internal cavity walls and the attic to see what is there, and more importantly what is needed, before a quotation is given. The installers and sales representatives also give customers advice and guidance on grant applications for insulation, a process which is very simple taking about five minutes to complete. The materials used by Ecoseal are all high-end - for example the German manufactured Knauf earthwool loft roll - to ensure a better u-value (heat retention value ) and to ensure it is a safer and healthier product for the installers as well as the customers. The cavity wall insulation process is also quick and very effective. The process involveds small 22mm holes being drilled into the exterior of the house before graphite beads are pumped into the cavity between the exterior and interior walls. Upon completion the small holes are filled with cement putty which is tinted to match the colour of the walls/mortar.
“Your typical semi-detached house will cost €1,500 to complete to the standard required by the SEI (Sustainable Energy Ireland ) which are also the ones that issue the grants. What we do for that €1,500 is, we will insulate the attic with earthwool, insulate all the pipes in the attic with 19mm lagging, insulate your tanks, we will put on a insulated tank lid, attic walkway if needed, if you have a Stira we will provide you with a Stira hood, and we will pump the cavity walls. Completion is in one day. We’re NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland ) and SEI registered and we’re a member of the Construction Industry Federation. All this for €1,500, and a grant of €600 is available from the SEI. So effectively, the real cost is €900 which is about one fill of oil and you have your house ready for the future. If you stuck that €900 into a bank account you’d be lucky at the end of 12 months to get maybe €10 in interest. If you put it into your walls, you will have effectively €900 of interest within two years. Without insulation, you end up putting on the heat later in the winter and turning it off earlier in the year. The impact of insulation is that you don’t have to leave the heat on as long. People see what we’re talking about, they understand and know this is good value. This is not spending on a holiday, this is a common sense spend,” said Mr King.
Mr King places a lot of trust in the reputation and knowledge of his staff, with the majority of the installers and sales representatives being based in the local community, in the catchment areas in the counties of Galway, Sligo, Mayo, and Roscommon.
“People buy from people, the vast majority of the people I recruit as installers and sales reps are all locally based. That’s something I decided when I started the business. I recruited people deliberately who had good reputations in the community. I come from a sales background, but some of these guys when I first met them thought that they couldn’t sell because they were more used to the building trade but it is not about how slick they are, it is about their knowledge, honesty, and the trust customers have in them,” he said.
Ecoseal’s website, www.ecoseal.ie, publishes many of the comments that are received from satisfied customers. Martin Boyle, Galway, said: “Insulation has made a huge difference to the warmth and comfort of our house. Before Ecoseal visited, the house was draughty and cold, now the house feels much warmer for longer. Ecoseal helped us apply for the HES grant, answered all our questions, and I have already made savings on heating. I’m delighted.” James Cawe, Mayo, said: “Rep was very helpful, polite, and highly professional in every way. Very quick response by rep on calling for quotation and work completed fast and efficiently. Workmen cleaned up everything and put everthing that had to be moved back to original place. Great service.”
By installing proper high quality insulation into you home heat loss through the walls can be reduced by up to 70 per cent, the interior of your home can be kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer, temperature will be maintained at a consistent level, draughts are reduced, and condensation on walls and ceilings can be virtually eliminated, as well as many other benefits.
For more information on Ecoseal, located at First Floor, Block 12, Galway Technology Park, Parkmore, Galway, phone 1800 283070, email [email protected], or log onto www.ecoseal.ie
