Rural and Country case study: the lead provider behind 80% of a commercial division's leads

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So, Richard would you like to introduce yourself and talk a little bit about Rural and Country?

Yeah. Hi. So, yeah, Rich Morris, commercial director for Rural and Country Energy. So, we're 14 years in in renewables. We specialized in domestic S or heat seat pumps and some small solar, but really in your your more niche properties really farms and big country homes. We've been in commercial now for for a couple of years.

We've got about three megawatts installed and and away. We've probably got about eight megawatts under proposal at the moment. We're looking at closing another two and a half megawatts in the next two months. So yeah, things go really well. You know, we're progressing that division. You know, so you know, and I think you know, over time we'll probably look to transition more towards commercial and away from the domestic.

And yeah, slow slow slow process in in doing so, but you know, we hope fruitful.

Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant. And I'm guessing then the heat pump side of things is what sort of brought the business up originally, was it?

Yeah. So, you know, the guys, the directors here, they they've been in renewables for 25 years. This particular company now is in its 14th year. But again you know that for us when we were looking at solar only the problem with solar only when you're a company we got 40 employees. We employ all our engineers ourselves. We have our our commercial team.

They're all paid salaries. So not on commission only. And when you do that you've got to have a specific model. And if you're competing in a solar only environment domestically with maybe an electrician or someone like that you know they can get something away for a couple of grands. it's just beer tokens for the end of the weekend. For us, it's a lot more structured.

You know, you know, we're going to be here in a couple of three years time. We're going to be, you know, picking up the afterare calls and such like. So, we have to have a different model. And with Airsource heat pumps, it gave us that little bit of a niche away from the solar only model. And and particularly then when we started going into the you know the the the larger properties you know the the you know the halls the homes the manners the farms and such like you know it gave us even more of a niche. So so that's how that that was the foundations of the company and that's what's enabled us to build the the bridge because you know moving into commercial isn't a cheap process.

you know, you need to you need to have a couple hundred grand behind you to you know, you know, to to float, you know.

So yeah, so that's where we are.

Yeah. Brilliant. And how long have you been working with us so far?

With you guys, so we we've started working with you I think probably about Yeah, probably a year ago. Well, we although we did did some commercial jobs a couple of years ago, we really only opened up the commercial division in in October, November of 2024 as a formal division. And I think you were one of the first people that we really started working with back in the day. And you know, we've been with you now for as long as our commercial division's been open 15 16 months as a division. Even though we did, you know, probably, you know, a megawatt of of installs before we became a formal commercial division. Yeah, probably about 15 months now. So, you know, you're our

you're our first. You never forget your first.

No, you don't. And obviously you guys are one of our top clients as well at the moment. So, that's, you know, that's that's really good for us.

Long that continue.

Yeah, 100%. And we're trying to do things as you know to to improve the service as we go along. I think you know back when we first started you know the process was pretty pretty bare bones. You know the the wait time was you know long and all that sort of stuff. But you know since I've come into the process and you know brought my team in you know we've tried to improve the processes as much as possible. I think when we were doing it when we first started ramping up a few months ago, I I can't really remember what it was like because you you can probably see what it was like more than me from the other side. But I think the way I was doing it was I was ringing you telling you a bit about the lead and then booking it in. But now we're obviously providing the writeups and stuff like that.

All all business is evolution. All business evolution. It's all about you know finding best practice and then and then improving on that best practice, right? And you know when we look back at where we were you know 12 15 months ago and then and where you were 12 15 months ago you know it's chalk and cheese to where we are today. The process now you know you got you got great account manager. We've got Abdul brilliant account manager.

You know he's probably speak to him two three times a day if it's on text or if it's on on a call. So that's great. you you I've got to be honest and I'm not just saying this smoke blow up smoke up your proverbial but you know seriously on a if I need to and I need to touch base with you you know you respond really quickly and out of hours as well sometimes and I try not to hit you out of hours you try not to hit me I mean you'll probably do the same I mean you know we were we were swapping texts on Sunday you know

instigated by you I must say not by me but you know you know you sent the text and I respond responded and if I need you, you're there. And

you know, I think the process has has got really smooth and what I like about it is you know, we get a really good report before the meeting. It's full of information and and you know, and we've found things that we need in the relationship with you to make the lead even more secure if you like and and you've responded to that. You know, you've responded to that. you've added it into your process and it's made it more viable for us moving forward as well because you know there are so many pitfalls you know when you're talking about a commercial so many things that can make it fall over you know it's it's like it's one of them things that you know everything's got to be in a straight line for it to come off and there's so many things that can knock it left and right

and if that process isn't right at the beginning then you know you're setting yourself up almost for failure and

what I really like is that I think we're we're really refining ing the process between us to get

Yeah, I think one of those examples is the the three-phase and singlephase that you mentioned to me before.

That that was something that we didn't even ask and now obviously we have the three-phase singlephase question. You know, if they have solar, you want the feed-in tariff. So, it's all just things that we're just adding into the arsenal so that you can have an overall picture of the lead before you even decide whether or not you want to survey it. We want to make sure that everyone's comfortable surveying stuff. We don't want to just book you in with someone who, you know, on paper might look all right, but there's underlying issues, but we just booked you in anyway and you have to take the survey sort of thing. We want to make sure that, you know, you have all the information there, you decide, you know, I want to survey this and then you you obviously you've had all the information before you even decide to choose it.

No, that's absolutely right. And you know again from our side you know it's it's little things like you know the questions you ask as well before is it grade two listed for example in a building you know because that will have a that will have an impact if it's grade two listed is there curtilage that we can use you know if not is there space where we can potentially get planning permission on a grade two if it's out of sight you know so is there enough roof space that you know, is it a really high building or what, you know, a number of things. So, it is it's just refining that process and, you know, I think that, you know, again, I'm sure in the next 12 months, we'll look back and the evolution over the next 12 months will be as great as it's been in the last 12 months. What I what I really like about you guys is that you are dynamic in so much as you're a you're a speedboat. you know, if there's something needs changing, we talk about it. We, you know, I explain why or you explain why and then and then we move and we go and do it. It's not a case of three weeks later still saying, "Guys, look, that's still not happened." You know, it's an immediate effect.

And that shows that you got our best interest at heart and delivering us the absolute best lead that you can. And that gives us a chance then to you know to go off and and you know do a good proposal for that business and and you know close the business if we can and and then have that sustainability for our company that means that in 10 years time we'll be having this conversation.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know for sure next to you in Dubai instead of some cold

Yeah for me for for all of the teams that you know I run and and build and stuff like that the the number one thing that's the most important to me is if a customer is asking a question or a customer needs something I want to be on the phone instantly like I'm always trying to push like instant you know feedback being on the phone you know any support all that sort of stuff I want to be there you know as as soon as possible So, u that's what I've really tried to nail in the past few months. And you know, feel free to always let us know if if if that's changed. You know, I'll be absolutely gobsmacked if it ever does slip or anything like that. You know, I'm always going to try and keep it as as as quick as possible. So, that's that's that. But what do you think sort of the the most valuable part of our service is to to you guys?

I genuinely think seriously that we're a team. I think that I think our business is symbiotic. You know, I think that you know is it's you know in two corner ying and yang. It's it's we need you and and you need us and we need you to be successful and you need us to be successful. So I think the biggest thing is your your flexibility you know your flexibility and your desire to listen to what we need in order to facilitate that to get the best lead. So, you know, and and also look, you know, the the leads we get, you know, we we get, you know, options on leads.

Some sometimes leads are a little bit small for us and then we we'll say, "No, thank you." And and there's never a are you sure? What about this? And, you know, it's just like, "How about this one? Yeah, we'll take that." And I think probably 80% of the leads you send through, we accept, you know, at the start. Because, you know, our remit, you know what we're looking for, you know, you're hitting that space.

yeah.

And so I just think it's that I think it's the fact that you guys have got a really good system, but the reason you got a really good system is because I really do think that you're focused on our outcome as much as we're focused on our outcome. You know, you're not

you're not just trying to sell that lead, you know, 15 times. You know, that if we're in business, we're going to be in business for you five, 10, 15 years,

you know, and that's be advantageous to us. You know, for us, you know, we've already moved up our number of of design consultants in the last year. And again, we got, you know, we got an aim to double that size again by the end of this year. So, you know, we'll be we'll be working at double the size that we are, you know, at the moment. You know, we're probably we're probably proposing

some in the region of three to four megawatts a month at the moment, you know, there or thereabouts. So

you know if we can if we can double that output again by the end of the year then you know it helps everyone you know we'll be doubling our spend and you know everyone will be happy

100%.

Pound skill she won't be happy

of course. What's the sort of average size system that we're send you out to the site for at the minute?

Yeah it's good it's a good question. So it does vary. So sometimes we'll get a you know a 60 70 80 kilowatt size system. You know we've had a couple of meg size size opportunities off you as well that we're closing in on which is really good. But I would say around if we were to take an average of everything that we've had from you guys, you know, from the highest to the lowest, we're probably looking at between, you know, 150 to 200 kilowatts as an average,

which is which is a lovely lovely size for for commercial is really comfortable, really nice, you know, not overly massive. You know, you can you can you can fit it in three, four weeks. So you haven't got to have like a team of engineers, you know, you put a meg site on,

you know, you got to have two or three teams of engineers there to get it done in in like 16 weeks.

Yeah.

You know, whereas this get it done, we can do 50 kilowatts installed in a week, you know, per team, you know, so we can do, you know, one team, four weeks. That keeps them busy, you know.

Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant.

And I'm actually curious on this one. From from a feedback perspective, what what do you what do you think the differences are between us and other lead generation commercial lead generators that you've worked with? Good and bad,

your communication, right? So, so I've had seven different leads providers in the last year.

Okay.

Yeah.

I'm down to two. You guys provide us with 80% of our leads.

Yeah. The biggest difference I mean I have one I won't name them but I have one they're based in Manchester and the lead was significantly cheaper per lead. But they and I could you know kick it back etc. But it it was absolutely it was shite, you know. It was it was, you know, they were all crap. And when you start when you start kicking stuff back to start with they're all happy.

Once you get to the point that you're at, you know, 60% 70%. So I probably I wouldn't say reject 20% of your leads. They're 20% are probably too small for us. I say to Bill, we'll leave that one and then it can, you know, goes off to someone else. It might be more appropriate for but there's never any kickback on it. 80% or take.

With this one, it was, you know, we were kicking back 67% of the leads and in the end I ended up having a a phone call with the MD. And he ended up, you know, you know, having a a bit of a ding-dong on the phone. I mean,

yeah,

I don't like getting into arguments at the best times anyway. But if I'm going to get into an argument, I'm not going to do it on a phone, you know. Let's just meet up and we'll, you know, we'll just we'll sort No, no, no, no, not like that. But, you know, you know, we'll shake hands and we'll we'll come to a conclusion. Let's let's work it out, you know, but you know, don't you know, don't start shouting at me down the phone if you wouldn't shout me face, you know, to my face. So,

really,

do I want to work?

Yeah. But do I want to work? Of course, I don't want to work here. So, so there was that.

you know, I like the fact that, you know, we we pay for the appointment once it's sat and we can get proposal away. That's when we pay for it. I like it. That's that's a good system for us. So, that's different. You know, it's I I just think that the communication literally if I look at my phone now, I mean, I've been on the phone, we've been on this call now for maybe 15 20 minutes, and in that 20 minutes, if I look at my I bet you, I can guarantee it.

It will happen all the time. There you go. I've got five messages from Abdul. Right. you know, telling me that. So, the last one I can see telling me that my meeting tomorrow is confirmed.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's Monday. Yeah.

Information. And undoubtedly there'll be one or two on there saying, "What do you think of this?"

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

So, it's just that communication, you know.

Yeah. That's exactly what we're trying to achieve. So,

you got a brilliant dashboard, you know, you got a brilliant calendar.

Yeah. Yeah.

You know, I like the way I like the way you you lay out your your information on the on the appointment

and that you guys we've covered it already. You guys listen.

Yeah. No, that's that's 100% the way we want to be. And also any of these you you know, you you cannot quote or anything like that. You know, always try and feed it back to us so that we can get you that information. You know, try and prevent it in the future. What we want to do is minimize mistakes from our side as much as possible. So always always feedback feed that back to us whenever you can.

No, we'll do. Look, we're still we're still in a a learning curve ourselves, you know, and you know, we're each month we're getting more and more refined into what we're doing. I mean, you know, we're we're getting good results at the moment, but nowhere near what we're going to do in a year's time where we'll be more refined. So, you know, the the fact that we're able to have that that that conversation and it's taken as a positive, you know, so you know, I really and I don't say this lightly, I do see you as an extension to our marketing team.

Yeah. No, I appreciate that.

Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

We've engaged you on our domestic team now as well for other things.

Yeah. Yeah.

And you know, we wouldn't do that lightly. you know, so you know, you're working on both sides of our business, which is great.

Yeah. No, I appreciate that. And I got one final question. So, all of the to all of the solar installers in your area would you recommend us to to use our services?

I wouldn't in our area, I would say definitely don't use the services. To be honest, it's such a hard game. I'd probably pack up. If I'm really honest, scaffolding is where it's at. So maybe going to scaffolding. Definitely don't do commercial solar.

no guys, look, look, I don't care where you are. There's loads and loads of business out there. There's there's enough to be done. If we all do it right, there's enough for all of us to to make to make a nice living out of it and and businesses, you know, and it only get better as we're going on. And and you know, fundamental to to that is the is the process at the start. And the process at the start is make sure you're getting good quality leads.

And if you want good quality leads, then 100%, you know, I'd endorse these guys. So, you know, it's it's not, you know, you could say that someone's a competitor. Yeah. We might be counter quoting against something, but the whole point is the more people have solar, the more everything rises up. There's loads of opportunity for all of us out there.

100%. Yeah. No, I appreciate that a lot, Richard. And I will end this