Our new joint venture partner, Lee McDermott, is about to get busier as he prepares to move his business – Impact Gardens & Driveways – into new, larger premises in Macclesfield. As part of the Zicam Facilities Management (FM) Group, Lee and his team will also operate Impact Grounds Maintenance from the new place; here he tells us what the move means for business and how customers will benefit from the investment.

Investing in our customers

This is a great move for Impact Gardens & Driveways and one that will support my business and the wider group as we grow together. The new site has a workshop, storage area and sizeable office space to underpin expansion, but not only that, it’s also a positive statement for our customers, showing there’s financial backing from a larger company that will ensure all their needs and requirements are met as we develop.

I’m also really keen to share the space. Once we’re up and running, it will be a nice opportunity for the other joint venture partners to use it as a base when they’re operating out of this area. Although we’re separate entities and still have our core businesses to run, we’re now in partnership together under the Zicam umbrella and this is a great opportunity to strengthen that connection.

Business as usual…just more of it

It’s important to me that all customers understand that we’re backed by Zicam and that as part of a larger partnership, we’re in the best position to meet all requirements.

The customers of Impact Gardens & Driveways won’t see any difference at all to what we offer, how we work, or the way we deliver. They will get the same great service from me and my team and will stay part of a boutique, small(ish) group of clients who want detailed design and landscaping and a bespoke approach to high-end garden design and/or outdoor kitchens. That will stay the same.

What will change is the grounds maintenance side of the business. As Impact Grounds Maintenance we’ll be operating on a ‘no job too large or small’ basis. Whether it’s a full landscaping project, repairing a fence panel, or simply sending a digger operator for the day, our service we will be quick and responsive. The investment from Zicam has already allowed us to purchase the tools and equipment will enable rapid response to a customer request so, in effect, ‘we’re ready when you are’.

The perfect partnership

As a group, the businesses under the Zicam umbrella company are in the perfect position to provide a full, responsive facilities management package. For example, if a customer wants electric vehicle chargers installing, they’ll probably see my team as Impact Grounds Maintenance digging the trench, then Carl from GasCare under Impact Electrical laying the cabling, followed by Zicam who’ll install the chargers, then my team again who will restore the grounds to their former glory.

It’s a seamless process with the added benefit that all projects will be centrally managed from one location. One central point for all the partners and, most importantly, one simple point of contact for customers.

In that respect, the success of our group lies with the size of our individual businesses and the ability to move with speed and agility in response to customer need. Large facilities management providers may come with the big brand name, but they also have the drawback of slow response time because of their size and complexity. Customers will often find themselves in a helpdesk queue, then in a queue to raise a ticket, then on hold to speak to a line manager. You get the picture.

The beauty of having small companies as part of a larger group is that we’re swift and responsive; we can adapt our schedules quickly and get operatives to site within hours rather than weeks.

We are all customers of multiple companies and, as people, what we want is to have our problems recognised and fixed as quickly as possible. And quite simply, as a group of companies, that is exactly what we offer:

• Fast response
• Honesty and transparency
• Expertise
• Excellent customer service

If you’re interested in finding out more about our facilities management packages, please feel free to contact Impact Gardens & Driveways, or Zicam Group Ltd.