Magicman are pleased to announce the appointment of Kate MacDonald as Sales Executive Construction Services for the
Midlands, Eastern, Central and Wales areas.
Kate
joins us with 5 years’ repair industry experience and over 10 years’ experience
selling into the construction industry.
Mark Henderson CEO Magicman Group said: “
“Kate is a confident and
extremely competent lady whose strong work ethic and personal attributes enable
her to make and maintain meaningful and long term relationships with clients. Her
fastidious attention to detail ensures that all clients are handled with great
skill and care and I am sure she has a long and bright future with the company.”
Kate has
had hands on experience on sites and works closely with site management teams,
building strong working relationships with national and regional construction
companies. From surveying through to project management of larger jobs,
Kate ensures a smooth and defect free hand over for our clients.
Kate said:
“I am delighted to be working
for Magicman and have found the support from all corners of the business quite
overwhelming. I feel empowered here to
be the best I can possibly be, for the benefit to both myself and our customers.
Joining Magicman enables me both to expand on my knowledge of repair services
as well as offer a wider choice to my customers.”
For more information about Magicman’s services, please visit: magicman.co.uk
Why Corporate Social Responsibility, a clear career path and opportunities for staff development, should form the core of your recruitment strategy.
In Construction News recently (Issue 7492) Mark Farmer, author of the eponymous Farmer Review (also known as Modernise or Die ) talked about the ongoing woes of tier one contractors losing control of their supply chain. “The supply chain is so scarce,” he said, “that they are calling the shots.” As a preferred supplier to many of the Top 50 construction companies in the UK, several global insurance giants and the cream of the cruise lines, that is an opinion that certainly chimes with us. At Magicman
we have never been busier and there are no signs of this trend slowing any time soon.
As a result we have ramped up recruitment. Our rolling training programme is in full swing once again and we are looking for men and women with the right attitude, aptitude (and a clean driving license) to enrol. Along with many employers, we are finding recruitment more of a challenge than it used to be, even for us who in recent times have attracted a growing number of defectors from competitors as well as re-joiners who have dipped their toes in waters new and hot-footed it back.
‘Full UK employment’ is high on the news agenda, making job seekers more discerning than ever and on the lookout for benefits beyond the traditional perks of a generous holiday allowance and a company Toyota Prius. In a poll carried out on behalf of Global Tolerance who work for positive social change,
42% of people said they want to work for a company that has a positive impact on the world. This includes criteria such as having a good environmental record. 36% said they would work harder for a company that benefited society.
The results are even higher for participants born between 1981 and 1996 known as Millennials. Having grown up surrounded by media and technology in a way no other generation has before them, they are brand savvy and approach employment almost like shopping, aspiring to associate themselves with company brands they admire as consumer brands or those with higher levels or CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). 62% want an employer with a positive impact and 53% would work harder if they had one.
Many twenty-somethings believe that their job is an extension of their private persona and that values are not something you can clock in and out of.
While Forbes published results as an infographic of a PWC poll of over 4000 Millennial graduates across 75 countries, it confirmed what Magicman have always believed, that Training and Personal Development are the benefits workers value most.
Magicman have long offered a bespoke and extensive training programme for directly employed Repair Technicians. As far back as 2014 during an ISOQAR audit, our training system for Technicians was reported as ‘exemplary’. The following year we invested over £200,000 in a new facility adjacent to our HQ in Brighton which opened as the Magicman Training Academy in Feb 2016.
Directly employed trainees are paid from Day 1 and their accommodation and food costs provided for the duration of their attendance. After successful completion and certification, Technicians receive a uniform, tools and a fully stocked Magicman van. Technical support and additional training continue after they begin working for customers, mostly in the UK but some far afield, such as in the Caribbean or off the coast of Alaska. We like to describe Magicman as a nationwide company with international capability.
In 2017 we turned our attention to innovation by increasing our Research & Development provision in keeping with the 10th recommendation of the Farmer Review. A dedicated R&D lab and workshop was established under the stewardship of Kevin Maxted, Head of Technical Services. Here Magicman damage new materials and substrates and find engineered solutions to permanently restore them. It is what sets us apart from companies who offer purely cosmetic repairs.
Please meet our latest technicians who successfully completed training just over a week ago and are presently ‘buddying up’ with more experienced technicians, helping customers out in the field.
Congratulations and welcome to Team Magicman to Daniel Slatford (top photo being congratulated by Mark Henderson) and clockwise from top left, David James (next to CEO Mark Henderson), Mark Cruickshank ,
David Bowman, Michael Manchester and
Joe Stewart.
As a company with strong environmental credentials, Magicman appeals to those with more than egocentric ambitions and a desire to travel. At the core of our proposition, we ask customers to repair or restore rather than replace damaged items, thereby minimising waste to landfill and reducing the production of harmful greenhouse gases that are side products in the manufacture and transportation or replacement items. Furthermore we have just transitioned to ISO 1400: 2015, the latest standard demonstrating good governance and social responsibility regarding Environmental Management Systems.
Some predictors contend that as the Baby Boomer generation retires, Millennials are expected to fill 50% of the workforce as early as 2020. If you want to attract them, you at least need to be aware of their needs. The solution then is not necessarily to ‘Modernise or Die’, that will happen regardless but perhaps it is time to shout more loudly about your corporate values and training programmes.
On a practical level that begins on the frontlines and from within.
We recently reminded frontline staff why people should buy from Magicman so that they were able to fully answer questions from the public. After all if you wear the uniform, customers expect you to be informed about your employer and will and do ask questions. We are also ensuring that recruitment messages are included on the livery of our nationwide fleet of vans. The latest additions to the fleet carry it already and the rest being rolled out as we speak.
For over a year Magicman have worked hard to attain the higher standard of ISO accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to customer focused systems and employee excellence.
In May 2017, during our annual ISOQAR audit, Magicman Limited successfully
transitioned to the new ISO Standards ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001: 2015. Our
transition is a mark of Magicman’s professionalism, the quality of the
management systems and their commitment to meeting the needs of their customers
and stakeholders that they were able to transition to the higher and latest
standards in two key areas.
ISO
9001: 2015
This
is the standard that assures customers that companies have fully implemented
and maintain a Quality Management System that meets the requirements for
certification by UKAS. It is an indicator of a company’s ability to fulfil or
exceed the needs and expectations of their customers and stakeholders, both
professionally and efficiently. 9001 focuses on customer experience but also
about how companies treat their own employees and competency levels of staff.
ISO
14001: 2015
This
demonstrates good governance and social responsibility regarding the company’s
Environmental Management Systems. It confirms that Magicman have effective
measures in place to reduce their impact on the environment. They achieve this
by limiting waste production, preventing pollution and reducing energy usage.
It also ensures that they comply fully with current legislation and
regulations. It gives customers confidence that a company is seriously
committed to protecting the environment.
BS
OHSAS 18001: 2007
Magicman
still hold BS OHSAS 18001: 2007, the future version of which is currently being
written. This certification relates to Occupational Health and Safety
Management Systems and demonstrates a company’s serious commitment to
protecting its employees, customers and the general public through improved
management of risk assessment, reduced incidents and accidents and a decrease
in staff absence.
Magicman
are eagerly awaiting ISO 45001, the replacement for BS OHSAS 18001, in the
first quarter of 2018 so we can
transition to that too.
Chips,
dents, scratches, burns or stains on any hard surface both internal and
external can be easily and in most cases undetectably rectified by Magicman’s
unique processes. Savings to the client of 50-80% are normal practice, a
powerful argument in support of Magicman’s repair
don’t replace mission. Not to mention the obvious environmental benefits.
Their
team of mobile technicians are available to perform on site repairs or
restoration in a fraction of the time it can take to arrange for replacement
items to be ordered, delivered and installed. With a history dating back
to 1993 Magicman has over the years supplied specialised repair services to
many landmark building projects both at home and abroad. Magicman are a
certified Living Wage Employer
Across multiple industries both at home and
abroad, the Magicman Group continue to lead the on-site repair and restoration
industry as they have for over 20 years.
The ISO is a
set of international standards adopted in 150 countries. Since they began
operating in 1947, ISO have published 16,500 international standards. ISO is
derived from Ancient Greek ISOS, meaning equal.
Welcome to the monthly photo competition from specialist repair company Magicman. We operate nationwide within the UK, on cruise ships around the world and internationally on major builds such as hospitals.
Magicman is a traditional repair service with 24 years’ experience in hard surface restoration
but the way we conduct business is very much with one eye on the future, not stuck in the past. One innovation is the desktop survey. Rather than conduct an on site survey (still available as a charged service), customers can upload photos of damage via Magicman’s website or through our phone app. They receive an assessment by an experienced technician quicker than a representative attending in person. Best of all there is no charge to the customer for this service and no obligation to proceed when they receive their estimate.
Photos are at the centre of many of our operations. Our fully trained and certified repair technicians and glass polishers, record their work through photos, many of which are exceptional and are entered into a monthly competition. The best, the unusual and the unique are shared online. June’s winner is a repair to an office desk.
Office workers are all used to access ports and holes cut into a desk or workstation. But there is no need to throw furniture away along with outdated fixtures and fittings. Magicman are able to save office furniture from the skip by restoring what may seem like impossible-to-repair damage. This example required great skill to achieve because of the glossy finish.
Our first runner-up is a ceramic tile in a washroom. Magicman frequently repair scratches, chips, cracks and drill holes to both wall and floor tiles but they can even restore completely broken tiles as with the example above.
Our second runner-up could be classed under the heading ‘deliberate damage’. When a worktop cannot be fitted in once piece, and the join is visible, Magicman can effect the same repair as if it were a crack or split in the surface and blend it in to match the grain or pattern of the original surface.
Our final runner-up is a couple of small but deep gouges to a wooden floor. Magicman technicians are part repair man, part artist. After addressing the damage, they then use colour mixing skills to match the grain and the colour by hand.
To receive a free no-obligation estimate, please send two photos of the damaged item (one close, and one a bit father away for perspective) along with your post code to enquiries@magicman.co.uk. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response but often it will be within a few hours.
Please come back next month for more amazing repairs or follow us on Instagram or Pinterest.
Every month Magicman technicians all over the country send ‘before and after’ photos of the jobs they attend back to head office. When it comes to surface repairs, they cover everything - wood, laminate, ceramics including wall and floor tiles, stone, brick, uPVC, plastics. corian, marble, glass and so much more.
Repair to holes in tiles when access pipes are moved
Magicman’s mission is to restore and extend the lifespan of items that would otherwise go to landfill, saving money for the customer and helping the environment. Of course that has led to many imitators but there is one outstanding difference between us and the competition, Magicman repairs are engineered and not simply cosmetic.
A hole in a bath that won’t reappear thanks to an engineered solution
Cosmetic repairs are by definition superficial and are ‘designed to cover up a flaw or deficiency’. Damage is filled in and covered up. It may make the surface look new and wonderful for a time but generally they don’t last. That is because they are achieved using materials such as repair wax that often falls out or breaks again before too long. Magicman offer superior engineered repairs which are permanent.
Not all damage is accidental but ugly access holes can be repaired too
The first priority of a Magicman technician is to eradicate or resolve the problem and then to make it disappear to the untrained eye. They do this by reinforcing the substrate and supporting the repair using the best materials, often products unavailable to the public because of the health and safety training required to use them properly.
Paint spillage can be fixed… even if splashed on acrylic, ceramic or glass
It’s a matter of ethos. If a Magicman technician thinks the repair won’t last, he or she won’t attempt it. Furthermore when a Magicman van arrives, it is fully stocked with the best industry products currently available so that the technician is ready and prepared to carry out any works that you might require right away.
Colour and grain matching is just one aspect of our repairs
Magicman repairs can take place anywhere in the home, inside and out, as well as in motorhomes and boats, commercial properties like hotels, restaurants and leisure centres, museums and galleries, hospitals and government buildings, We work nationwide but internationally too, on major builds abroad and on cruise ships all over the world.
A damaged surface can be made beautiful again no matter how detailed
Even though Magicman have been in the business for 24 years, we are not sitting back. Our dedicated R&D department continually test new materials and source the finest products as they become available.
Almost impossible repairs can be achieved outdoors as well as in
This means Magicman are able to offer the largest range of restoration solutions on the market to the broadest selection of hard surfaces.
All forms of brick and stone can be renovated and even recoloured if necessary
And we will look at any job, no matter how big or small or how unique! One of the advantages of Magicman is our scalability, from one technician in a van, to teams of 6 to 8 or even more.
After 24 years in the business no job is too different or unusual
So why settle for a cosmetic repair when Magicman’s engineered solutions are second to none? For more information visit our magicman.co.uk.
All the repair and restoration solutions presented in this post are winners and runners-up in Magicman’s Repair Photo of the Month competition from March to June 2017. Photographs are of genuine Magicman jobs carried out for real customers and are taken by the technician who carried out the works in every case.
Magicman are best known for making dents, scratches,
holes and burns disappear but for once they decided to create some damage – to
the running costs of a children’s hospice by covering their entire running
costs for 10 Days.
Pictured holding Magicman’s Pay for a Day certificates: Juliette MacPherson, Mark Henderson and his daughter Holly, and Chairmen of Chestnut Tree House board of trustees Derwyn Jones
Chestnut Tree
House, has become a
charity close to the heart of Mark
Henderson, owner and CEO of the popular surface restoration company, after
he was moved by the testimony of parents at the Snowman Spectacular Fundraising Ball last year.
Chestnut Tree House provide specialist care and support
to around 300 children with life-shortening conditions and their families
across East Sussex, West Sussex and South East Hampshire. The cost of providing
this vital service is in excess of £3.5
million per year, yet the hospice receives less than 7% central government
funding.
It relies heavily on the support of individuals and the
local business community to continue providing vital care to local children and
families. Although Magicman provide a nationwide service, their headquarters,
call centre and training academy are in Sussex.
Mark is especially keen to champion the Pay for a Day scheme which
encourages individuals and companies to donate the entire running costs of the hospice service for 24 hours. So much
so that he has committed Magicman to Pay for 10 Days this year, a total
contribution of over £68,000.
Juliette
MacPherson Fundraising Development Manager at Chestnut Tree House said:
“Since we opened in
2003, the number of children we care for has increased from 30 to over 300, and
during this time the children we are caring for have become more complex. We
are only able to reach more families and increase our services thanks to the support
and generosity of the local community.
“The support from people like Mark and
companies like Magicman is invaluable to us. It costs £6,850 per day to provide
all our specialist care services – both at the hospice and out in the
community. Less than 7% of this comes from central government so we rely
heavily on the support and generosity of the local community. Paying for 10
days of care is extremely generous, and we are so grateful for Magicman’s
on-going support.”
When Gavin
Paisley relocated to beautiful Moray on the coast of Scotland, he was
looking for a new lease of life, not only for himself and his family but for
thousands of everyday items.
By
launching his new business venture as Magicman’s
Independent Licensed Operator for Aberdeenshire, Gavin represents the UK’s most
popular restoration experts. Magicman
is an innovative service that specialises in repairing damage of all types to
almost any hard surface including chips, scratches, holes, cracks and burns to
kitchen worktops, bathtubs, shower trays, wall and floor tiles, doors, window
frames and much more.
It means that damaged items that would normally go to
landfill, can be rectified for a fraction of the cost of replacement and can be
brought back into use, often within hours. Magicman’s mantra of ‘repair not
replace’ is significantly contributing to sustainable building and reducing
landfill by repairing hundreds of damaged surfaces nationwide on a daily basis.
Gavin
began his career in building supplies and specialist filtration equipment but
then spent most of the next 20 years working in the finance industry in the
Channel Islands. Recently he made the decision to relocate back to Scotland
with his wife and young son and take up a fresh challenge.
Magicman
Gavin Paisley said:
“Typically office based in my previous roles, swapping the pen for
a brush was an obvious career change for me. I like to meet people and this job
gives me plenty of opportunity to do so. I take personal pride in ensuring I
deliver a great and memorable client service to the very best of my ability
each and every time. Magicman and its high standards of technical
specialisation, continuous training programme and background support help me
achieve this.“
Like all
their technicians, Gavin undertook an extensive 5 week course at the Magicman
Training Academy in Brighton where he was trained to work with resins, paints
and lacquers that are unavailable to the public, to permanently repair
wood, metal, uPVC,
ceramics, laminate, acrylic surfaces, stone and even marble.
Often customers are astonished at the unbelievable results.
When
asked about Magicman’s newest independent operator, CEO Mark Henderson said:
“Gavin is an excellent and most welcome addition to the Magicman franchise
network enabling the North of Scotland to now benefit from our unique
professional services.”
Having taken up the challenge of a fresh approach, Gavin is well placed to
offer his services to the whole of Aberdeenshire and surrounding areas. If other repair services tell you
an item is beyond saving, contact Gavin and remember to repair not
replace.
For more information visit magicman.co.uk or email damage photos along with your postcode to enquiries@magicman.co.uk (attachment limit 8MB).
The return of Magicman’s popular monthly Repair Photo competition is a double-whammy of perfection featuring the best repair and restoration work of 2017 so far.
February winner - difficult colour matching to scuffs and scratches
One of the benefits of hiring a Magicman is that he or she will work in-situ. In short, we come to you. Why that is so important is easily lost on customers until they see examples like the winners in January and February’s repair photo competitions and then all becomes clear.
The winning repair above by Magicman technician Marius Jasevicius was performed on a badly scuffed and scratched dividing wall panel. Even if the panel had been removed and sent to a workshop, the chances of ancillary damage during removal and re-installation is high. If the customer had chosen to replace the item instead, they would have run the additional risk of the new stock (if it had been available at all) not matching the colour perfectly as it would almost certainly be manufactured in a different batch. Magicman technicians are fully trained in colour matching. Whether they mix RAL colours by set formulas or by eye, they can skillfully blend into the most unusual colouring or match detailed grains, patterns and textures.
February runner-up: damage surrounding a new fitting disappears
Runner-up repairs by Magicman technicians John Smith (above) and Derek Grogan (below) also take place on difficult to match surfaces, either due to the grain as pictured above or in the case of the vintage furniture aboard a cruise ship pictured below, complicated by a high lacquer finish.
February runner-up: vintage furniture gets a new lease of life
Magicman technician Jon Goodall was January’s winner. External works are a regular event for Magicman but a job that involved tinting some new red brick work to match the existing sand coloured materials is far more unusual.
January winner: colour matching new brick work
Runner-up Graham Hood demonstrates that even the biggest hole in a bathtub is no reason to rip it out when you call Magicman.
January runner-up: nobody wants a see-through bath!
Whether the restoration needs to take place on walls that are internal or external, on furniture that’s out at sea or on a permanent fixture like a bath, Magicman can travel anywhere to carry out the works. Magicman technicians carry the best industry products currently available and arrive ready to carry out any works that might be required.
Congratulations to Marius, John, Derek, Jon and Graham, all well deserved winners and runners-up. Join us again next month for more amazing Before and After photos of incredible repairs taken by the technicians who performed the works.
Thank you if you were a customer last year. We very much hope to be of service again in 2017 and so have introduced many improvements to our free app which will make your dealings with Magicman a better experience.
In 2016 Magicman introduced a FREE app for Apple, Android and Amazon Fire mobile devices. it enables customers to obtain a FREE no-obligation estimate for repairs to damaged items without having to use our website.
It’s so easy to use and allows customers to upload photos of damage direct from their device or its photo library for Magicman’s technical team to assess.
Recent updates been have added to make the following improvements:
Register your account and avoid re-entering your details every time
Use the built-in Address Book to remember site locations
Save photos to or upload from iCloud (Apple users only)
Coming soon:
Fingerprint sign-in with Apple iTouch
Save photos to or upload from Drobox
Why not give it a try now by downloading the Magicman app for free from Apple, Android and Amazon Fire App Stores?
Contact us on 0345 458 1010 or enquires@magicman.co.uk
For Magicman’s last repair competition of 2016, we looked to works conducted outdoors and on the move.
On a day as cold as today, it seems pertinent to point out that, weather permitting, Magicman can repair or restore damage externally as well as internally. The winning entry for December’s photo competition, pictured above, demonstrates this perfectly with an extreme repair to an external stone shelf by Magicman repair technician Ryan Kimber. Whether it be stone, uPVC or powder coating, there are many external surfaces that fall within Magicman’s areas of expertise, however we do sometimes have to delay bookings when the weather is very cold or too wet. This is due to meeting the conditions required by the specialist materials we use, ensuring that the work is permanent and value for money for the customer.
As well as serving construction and insurance companies, Magicman also operate within the maritime sector, sending teams of technicians as riding crews aboard travelling cruise ships and other pleasure craft. The teams restore furniture and fixtures, often across many decks and cabins, to the high standard expected by passengers and thereby protect the reputation and extend the lifespan of the vessel.
Our runners ups this time were all works completed in December aboard ship by Magicman technicians John Hayes and Dean Price. Whether working during turnaround or at night while the vessel is travelling, our technicians aim is always to minimise disruption to passengers and restore all surfaces to their original beautiful colour and lustre.
Whether indoors or out, static or or on the move, there are few damaged items or types of surface that Magicman cannot restore to their former glory, including shower trays, tiles, spas, brass and glass. For more Before and After repairs, please visit our Instagram or Pinterest pages or join us again next month.
