One thing you can be sure about when it comes to Chris Waterman – if he can’t personally solve your problem instantly he’ll know a man (or woman for that matter) who can.

The managing director of family business Waterman Laundry Equipment Ltd in Blackburn has built a network of experts such as engineers who share his determination to quickly sort issues and leave customers happy.

It’s five years since Waterman launched his own business, now with divisions for Electrolux Professional products, supply and fitting of other popular brand names for purchase or rental, plus a parts section with over 350,000 spares from group stock and a knack of getting those tricky things for next day delivery. As well as brand new equipment, the business offers refurbished machines with a 12-months parts and labour warranty in the UK. A lot of that success has been built on the back of 15 years working for big name laundry equipment UK wholesalers before striking out on his own, but Waterman would be the first to acknowledge that others have more than helped to make this possible.

One key part to all this, wife Marcelle Waterman, whose ‘make it happen’ approach to past roles in the NHS, private sector and charities, has turned out to be a transferable skill in office management and liaising with engineers and customers. Their son, Carrick, dips in as an IT and digital expert, but teaching maths is currently his chosen career path. Waterman says: “Our mantra is ‘price, availability, and support’ and it has to be all of those, not just one part of it or we haven’t met our own targets.”

The business with a commitment to being a one-stop shop does not employ engineers, instead Waterman uses what he describes as a ‘collective’ of highly regarded independent engineers across the UK known for their track records of going the extra mile and sharing his ethos. Like him, many have previously worked for much larger businesses, before setting up their own operations.

This means the Waterman team can swiftly match customers in urgent need of an engineer’s visit to someone close, including those with specialist knowledge of a particular brand. On many occasions a callout is unnecessary as Waterman’s first option is to help with a fix over the phone.

As well as annual services, the engineers can sort out matters such as temperature validation for thermal performance, gas safety checks and duct cleaning. Waterman Laundry Equipment’s experts also advise on machine optimisation and how this can cut utility bills.

Whether it’s installation of new equipment or simply a spare part, the aim is to offer best trade pricing. As well as the Electrolux Professional equipment they can source, supply and support brands such as Miele, Ipso, Primus, Lavamac, Huebsch, Speed Queen, Girbau, Fagor, Union, Böwe and many more.

Marcelle Waterman arranging for an engineer to help with an urgent problem

Chris Waterman planning another busy day with the mantra of ‘price, availability, and support’