Mel Butler is Group CEO, Zuno Group, one of the UK’s leading home heating and cooling specialists. With more than 35 years experience in the heating and home services industry, Mel has played a key role in transforming how homeowners access and manage home energy upgrades through digital technology. Installer caught up with Mel to find out what installers need to know about Zuno:
A Gas Safe registered installer since the age of 21, Mel now heads up the Zuno Group of companies, with the installer and engineer community at the heart of the business. Known for his strong understanding of both engineering and customer experience, Mel is passionate about simplifying the installation process for homeowners and installers alike.
For installers who haven’t heard of Zuno yet, what is it?
Zuno is an all-in-one platform built for heating, cooling and renewable energy installers, designed to make the job easier by bringing work, materials and tools together in one place.
I always see engineers spinning plates each day and understand that it can be a struggle to keep up. As a former installer myself, I thought there had to be a better way of doing it.
And that is the foundation of Zuno.
Through a single app, installers can access jobs from leading brands like E.ON Next, Tesla, BOXT and more, to fit around their schedules and own work, while also ordering complete installation packs and materials directly to their own jobs through zuno.store.
I am proud to say it is an industry first; we are offering something that no one else has before.
My goal is to make life simpler for heating, cooling and renewable installers and engineers by bringing work and material supply together in one place, instead of engineers having to sort everything separately themselves.
Engineers should be spending their time doing the skilled work they are trained for and paid for, not chasing deliveries or dealing with unnecessary admin. Zuno is designed to take all the extra admin tasks off their plate so they can focus on what they do best.
What was the thinking behind launching Zuno.store?
Honestly, it came from years I spent as an installer and really understanding the day-to-day pressures that engineers face.
For most engineers, the day starts with a trip to the merchant, queuing at the trade counter and praying everything they need is in stock.
If they don’t have just one fitting or a flue extension, that would mean another trip, and potentially even more throughout the day. That’s lost time, lost fuel and lost earnings.
And if it’s being delivered, you’re relying on everything arriving on time, at the same time, in the morning when you need it to start the job.
In my experience, sometimes I wouldn’t get to site until 9am, just because everyone was stuck at the merchants or you’re waiting for the delivery and not everything arrives as ordered.
Installers are spending too much of the working week chasing parts instead of getting on with their actual jobs. We work directly with the industry’s leading manufacturers to ensure we always have stock in our distribution centre.
The whole idea is simple: one store, one supplier, everything you need for the job and delivered the next day, with trade credit accounts available so the installer isn’t out of pocket.
What’s actually included in these installation packs?
The packs are built by the installer to include everything they need to get the job done.
We are covering boilers, air conditioning and EV chargers, as well as heat pumps, solar and battery storage. Installers can get one complete pack delivered with the key products and accessories needed for the install.
Engineers don’t need another bricks-and-mortar merchant. We have modernised the industry to deliver an Amazon-style fulfilment.
The whole point is speed, convenience and getting the right kit the first time.
Our pickers at our distribution centre are all specialists with industry experience, so engineers can arrive on site confident they’ve got what they need, and get straight to work instead of wasting time.
There are already merchants and online suppliers out there. Why should installers care about this?
This isn’t just another ordering website – what makes Zuno different is that it brings jobs and materials together in one platform.
It saves hassle and helps them have more cash in their wallet at the end of the month.
We estimate that engineers could get back up to 29 working days a year, currently spent sourcing materials with trips backwards and forwards to the merchants.
Depending on workload, that could mean up to £10,000 in extra earnings opportunities annually.
Installers are already flat out, so getting that time back will be a game changer.
So, is the main selling point convenience?
Convenience is a part of it, but it’s more about helping installers work smarter and run more efficiently.
A lot of installers are basically running a business on their own. The phone’s constantly going, customers want answers straight away, and before you’ve even started the job you can lose half the morning.
If the materials are already on site and everything’s there the first time, the whole install runs smoother. You turn up organised, start on time, and even better – the customer notices the difference.
Too much of an engineer’s time is still spent on things that take them away from the job itself. We want engineers spending their time installing, earning and growing their businesses – not sitting in traffic, queuing at trade counters or chasing missing parts.
What kind of installer is Zuno aimed at?
Anyone who wants to work smarter, save time, and make more money. The engineers’ worlds are changing, and we are using technology to enable engineers to do what they are best at and earn the most money.
As a former installer, I’ve always felt engineers don’t get the recognition they deserve. They’re the people creating the value on site, yet too much of the industry is built around suppliers, systems and processes rather than the engineers themselves.
That’s what we’re trying to change. Whether it’s ordering materials for their own jobs or accessing additional installation work to fit around their own work, everything we build is designed to put engineers first and help them run more professional, profitable businesses.
Whether you’re a sole trader, growing your business or part of a larger installation team, the aim is the same: less hassle, less admin and more control over how you work.
