You probably already know, 2022 marked our 90th birthday. As an independent business, still run by the same family, reaching this grand old age is something we’re very proud to have achieved.
Now, as we head towards the end of 2022, we thought it would be the ideal time to look back at how we’ve evolved for the good of our customers over the years and also how we’ve grown to become one big happy family. Finally, we’d like to end with some exciting news which will help us provide a better service to our customers.
Discovering our values
As a business, we always strive to go above and beyond the norm when it comes to our staff and customers. This is something that hasn’t changed since we first began back in 1932. But why are we so committed to doing this? Well, it’s all part and parcel of our values that run through the heart and soul of Northern Energy. They basically define who we are and how we act at all times.
We decided back in 2021 to sit down and work out what our values actually were. And who better to decide than our staff, some of whom have been with us for over 20 years.
With this in mind, we got members of our team together and asked them what it was that defined and shaped Northern Energy. What followed was much discussion on how we’d evolved over the years and exactly why we always aim to provide the best service possible no matter what.
Thanks to everyone’s involvement, four key values were pinpointed, which together we sum up as C.A.R.E.
First is 'Customer Service'. Our customers and their needs are our number one priority. After all, we appreciate that we’re here for them and without happy customers we wouldn’t be where we are today. It’s thanks to this ongoing commitment to place customers at the heart of everything we do that we’ve created such great services and packages as our Premium Package and Flexi Saver Plan for our oil customers, and our LPG Package for our gas customers. But more about those later!
The next value is 'Appreciative'. We understand how important our customers and staff are. And we never take anything or anyone for granted.
After this comes 'Relationships'. We’re the North’s largest independent oil and LPG supplier delivering fuel across the north of England, but we still maintain the same local approach. Which is why we still treat everyone like an individual whether they’re a member of staff or a customer.
Last and by no means least is 'Effort'. We’re all about going that extra mile. Rolling up our sleeves and doing what’s best, not what’s easy. After all, a bit of hard work never hurt anyone and makes a big difference to your day. This is something that runs through our company and ensures that we deliver on our promises every time.
Recognised for putting customers first
There are lots of awards out there. But the most important one to us is the Feefo Award. This is because it is based on real customer reviews and not a group of judges sitting down and comparing notes.
On Feefo itself, we’re proud to have an impressive score of 4.8 out of 5. It’s thanks to this that in 2022 we once again won the coveted Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award. It shows that our values are not just alive and well, but also that customers are enjoying the benefits of them. Which is something we intend to continue building on.
Of course, looking at Feefo and its awards are just one of the ways we can check that we’re providing customers with a positive experience. Another is to look at how many hassle-free deliveries we made and what that adds up to in terms oil and LPG.
Would you believe that we now deliver over 80 million litres of fuel a year? And that our wagons go to over 20,000 happy customers!
Then, there are our automatic top-ups which are included as part of our popular Premium Package and LPG Package, and the great benefits they offer. They are so popular that 73.8% of our heating oil customer are on the Premium Package. Which explains why we made a staggering 11,927 domestic heating oil top ups in the financial year up to the end of August 2022. And just to show our dedication to always delivering on our promises; of all the thousands off deliveries we made throughout the year, only 26 didn’t arrive on time as planned. That’s 0.2%, though we prefer to think of it as 99.8% on-time deliveries!
Always doing what’s best
As well as providing the very best customer service possible at all times, we’re always looking for ways to give you more. Our Premium Package mentioned earlier is a great example. It’s packed with great benefits such as automatic deliveries, two pence off every litre of fuel delivered, a complimentary upgrade to our more economical premium heating oil and emergency boiler breakdown cover.
A more recent example is our Flexi Saver Plan that we created this year following the sharp rise in energy prices around the world. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to save every month towards your heating oil bill with the added benefit that you will receive our Premium Heating Oil at no extra cost and provides up to 15% improved boiler efficiency.
And our LPG Package customers also receive the benefit of emergency boiler breakdown cover - and VAT paid deliveries too.
And we don’t just do what’s best for customers. We also want to do our bit for the planet. We were the first oil and LPG supplier to offer carbon offsetting for no extra. This has seen us carbon offset over 66 million litres of fuel, which comes to around 136,238 tonnes of CO2. In addition, we’ve planted over 8,300 trees.
Rest assured, we’re not stopping there and will continue to offer new ways to help customers make the most of their money as well as their fuel.
And finally…
Now to end on our big news! We’ve very excited to announce that Kettlewell Fuels has joined Northern Energy. For those that haven’t heard of them, they are a Ripon based oil, gas and derv supplier known for their friendly and reliable service. Which is why they’re the perfect match for Northern Energy.
Our Managing Director, Stuart Illingworth, said of the new acquisition, “Everyone here is so excited to welcome the Kettlewell Fuels team to the Northern Energy family. They share our strong belief in putting customers and their needs first. Like us, they have strong values and are known for their excellent service and value.”
For more information and to learn more about Kettlewell Fuels, take a look at our recent blog post; Northern Energy buys Kettlewell Fuels.
We’re looking forward to telling you more about Kettlewell Fuels joining Northern Energy over the coming months. But for now, we can tell you that having them onboard allows us to reach more people and grow stronger as a business. All with one aim – to keep improving for the good of our customers.