EFT Energy Consultants specialises in saving its clients’ money by assessing all aspects of energy consumption across every element of usage. Through using this information, the company can provide both short and long term solutions, allowing clients to identify substantial cost savings from day one. Chris Jenkins, director of EFT Energy Consultants, tells us more about the business and his views on the way forward for businesses in Wales.
Interview Questions:
- Tell us about your business?
EFT consult is a specialist solutions provider that advises clients as to the benefits of being energy efficient on the basis of cost and performance.
We identify waste energy and provide designs to eliminate the waste to enhance building performance and save considerable monies in the process. This is done while providing very tax efficient solutions and finance of the same.
- What are your plans for the next five years, and where do you see your challenges and opportunities?
We are in the process of expanding our market place and see substantial opportunity with the ever increasing energy prices rising year on year. This is helped by the rise in clients now better understanding the benefits of being more carbon efficient and its subsequent financial benefits.
- What do you wish you had known when you started out in business?
What the government intended to do. As we fine tune our business to not only energy prices but to government legislation, it is not easy when the government changes its parameters so often, which alters the focus of what we are trying to achieve. i e, the green deal, feed in tariffs etc.
- Looking back at your career, are there things you would have done differently?
There are always things we could have done differently but we cannot change the past. We look at any mistakes or issues that we did have and use them as lessons to improve the future, which is something we can change.
- What do you think are the most important qualities for success in business?
Trust, integrity and honesty with your clients. We do not want a short relationship with our clients, but a long continuing relationship built on these three very basic points. We want clients to come to us without too much thought in the knowledge that we will at all times look after their interests.
- What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting a business?
Plan as best you can but don't be afraid to change it as you proceed.
Take advantage of everyone who wants to help. Listen to them all and then form your own opinions.
- What are your top three tips for success?
Perseverance, performance and trust.
- Should the UK opt in or out of Europe?
Not sure. When someone tells us the correct facts, then perhaps we could all make a decision. The government can't even give us basic figures, such as how much we put in and how much we get back as a simple equation! If we opt out, our government will be tied up for a number of years getting us out and lose focus on running the country, but if we could have the facts, I am sure that Britain would have no issue standing on its own.
- What do you think Wales’ strengths and weaknesses are as a place to do business?
Wales, and us as a Welsh company, often undersell ourselves and are our own worst enemies. We need to stand up, be counted and tell the world what we are good at. We sometimes spend too much time looking at issues rather than solutions.
- What can Wales do to attract more inward investment?
Wales needs to sing its own praises and make the world aware of what we have to offer. There is too much press about the negative aspects of Wales and not enough about the positive.
