I catch up with Dale and the team at DME Ltd
Words: Paul Chapman
Images: DME Ltd
Dale Montague Electrical Ltd started as a sole trader in 2015 but in four short years has grown to employ an ambitious team of five. Some of the team have joined through the apprentice scheme where, Dale has taken young people from Chesterfield College and continues to support them. We catch up with Dale Montague, Rebekah Tucker (soon to be Montague) and Tom Bargh to take a look behind the business.
“Working for DME feels less like a nine to five and more like a family business. Alongside learning the trade, I have also learned some life lessons which I am grateful for.”
Dale Montague previously worked for Keith Sanderson Electrical and when Keith decided to retire, Dale set up as a sole trader as Dale Montague Electrical (DME).
Within two years, DME had become a limited company and Adam Watts had joined the team as an electrician’s mate. He is now a fully qualified electrician after completing his NVQ and AM2. “Since joining DME I have had various opportunities to better my career, in which I have become fully qualified and built some strong customer relationships”, says Adam.
“Working for DME feels less like a nine to five and more like a family business. Alongside learning the trade, I have also learned some life lessons which I am grateful for.”
James McGowan went to college with Dale, and joined DME as a fully qualified electrician in September 2018. “Since joining DME over a year ago, I’ve seen business grow and improve. It’s a great working atmosphere and I’m enjoying my time here with Dale and the team”, says James.
Tom is the most recent addition to the team, he joined in September this year, and is an apprentice at DME, whilst continuing his study at Chesterfield College. Tom says “I’m thrilled to do my apprenticeship with DME, it’s a brilliant company to work with, they’re all really nice people.”
“I really enjoy industrial work, it’s interesting seeing the larger installations and I love to learn new stuff, we’ve recently been working with large motors on a site and that great to see how it all went together.”
Rebekah is perhaps the most important member of the team, she ties them all together, fronting calls, keeping the accounts up-to-date and generally making sure the right people are in the right place with the right equipment to get things done.
“I was juggling two jobs before coming to join Dale. I came on board as director in 2017 when the guys needed some support to move the company forward. We have a small base in Sheepbridge, ideally located for the guys and to service our expanding client base in Chesterfield, Sheffield and the surrounding area”, explains Rebekah.
“It’s great to be in control of our own future, we are quite ambitious, and it just makes it easier for us to control our growth. I’m studying accountancy so we can become a bit more self sufficient. We are a small team of electricians, they all seem to love what they do, they also drive me mad at times but it’s worth it.”
On top of this you may have seen them on TV, they helped with wiring a sensory garden in Grassmoor, and have completed other electrical work for a disabled guy in Nottingham as part of supporting Alan Titchmarshe's ‘Love Your Garden’ show on ITV.
Dale adds, “although the commercial work is interesting it’s great to get feedback from people and recommendation on the domestic work. People trust their home to you so you need to respect it and do a good job. On our website it says 'We pride ourselves on being client focused. We aim to build long standing relationships, rather than one off jobs. We are a local, professional and friendly company that takes the time to ensure all jobs are left clean and tidy to help keep customer relationships’, and I like to think we achieve this.”
DME offer both a domestic and commercial service. Domestic covers household rewires, lights, sockets and vehicle charging points, CCTV, under-floor heating and things like external sockets. “We get a lot of work doing power points for external lights for Christmas lights, and in the spring, more external sockets and lighting schemes for gardens etc”, adds Rebekah.
Commercial work includes PAT testing; large-scale industrial installations, motor work and they have recently started installing defibrillators.
DME ensure they maintain a training schedule and the team regularly take the necessary time out to achieve the latest statutory regulations.
DME like to support their local community and recently sponsored charity football matches and a snooker event in Sheffield. On top of this you may have seen them on TV, they helped with wiring a sensory garden in Grassmoor, and have completed other electrical work for a disabled guy in Nottingham as part of supporting Alan Titchmarshe's ‘Love Your Garden’ show on ITV.
They have also helped wire up a bathroom hoist free of charge, for a girl in Hull recently, this came from NIC EIC who regulate the training and work of electrical enterprises in the UK.