Making the connection

It may be a small family firm, but that hasn’t stopped Mainlink Maintenance from offering a professional and personal service with tenant satisfaction very much at the heart of delivery

When Mainlink Maintenance was established in 2001, the directors wanted a name that encapsulated what they saw as the company’s essential purpose – a ‘main link’ to professional services from a committed partner.

The founders – Shaun Mealey, Jim Millar and Alan Sothern – established the company with the aim of employing local people to meet the repair demands of social housing in the North West, informed by their own long experience of working in the sector.

It quickly laid the foundations of the company’s growth with its first client West Lancashire Borough Council. The contract was to provide responsive and planned maintenance to some 3,500 of the authority’s properties. In 2008, the contract was renewed for a further four years, demonstrating how the business has gone from strength to strength.

Other clients have soon followed, including Helena Housing, Stonham Housing, various charity organisations, and it has sub-contracted for Connaught in the North West. Over the years, the company has also expanded its services to include disabled bathroom adaptations, internal refurbishment and kitchen replacements. Such work has seen the company grow to employ 15 staff and sub-contractors with an annual turnover in the region of £2 million.

“We’re a small family firm,” says Angela Sothern, business development manager. “Our continued success is dependent on the loyal dedicated workforce that we employ and the diverse range of knowledge and experience that we have. Our mission is to provide an outstanding service to our clients and residents by working in partnership and exceed expectations. Our motto is really simple: ‘working to improve buildings, homes and communities’.”

Last year, the company put its skills to good use at Parbold Village Hall. Mainlink’s team were tasked with carrying out general refurbishment work but also the installation of water and energy saving features. These included toilets, re-wiring new lighting, insulation, new external doors and redecoration.

“With an assured grasp and high organisational competence, Alan Sothern and Mainlink took on a complex array of grant funded, energy efficiency improvement at Parbold Village Hall in 2009,” said Michael Bonsall, vice chairman of the Parbold Community Association. “Mainlink carried out these improvements to high quality and with excellent organisation, flexibility and good-will that allowed the facilities to continue being used by various bodies including a full-time pre-school. The work team was always considerate, helpful and anxious to complete the best possible job.”

Mainlink recruits its staff not just for their skills but also for their attitudes, as Angela Sothern says: “Ultimately we are working with people, so all trades staff wear uniforms and carry photo identification and our code of conduct sets out the standard required.”

In terms of its trades and services, Mainlink presents a well-stocked portfolio: its skills include joinery and carpentry; kitchen and bathroom replacements; plumbing and heating repairs and installations; disabled bathroom adaptations; plastering, painting and decorating; electrical repairs and installations (NICEIC standards); fencing and groundworks; roofing works; general building, including ceramic tiling, paving and bricklaying; garage doors and building refurbishment.

The company also offers an emergency out-of-hours repairs call out service 24 hours, 365 days a year. As if this isn’t enough, given that it is a small family-owned business, Mainlink also has an aftercare service and guarantees its repairs. Clearly, this is a company with faith in its abilities, but not blindly so – gathering tenant satisfaction information and feedback on repairs is a routine part of the work, so that Mainlink can examine its performance and constantly identify ways to further improve delivery.

Mainlink is SAFE Contractor accredited, among others, including CHAS , ConstructionLine, as well as maintaining a commitment to equal opportunities. In 2009 the company achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditations, confirming its commitment to quality and environmental management.

“We have always been proud of the service we offer our clients and the way that we conduct our business,” Angela Sothern says. “With the award of these certifications, this has been confirmed by outside experts who are used to judging standards on a daily basis in a wide variety of trades and
industries.”

Mainlink may be a small family firm, but it has got its eye firmly on the future, with a desire to grow the business and continue providing skilled local employment. It’s that local connection that helps it give that local touch.