The Power of Long-Term Relationships in the M&E Industry
By Richard Ross, Contracts Manager - Heb Mechanical & Electrical
In the Mechanical and Electrical industry, delivering technical excellence is expected. Competitive pricing, meeting deadlines, maintaining quality, these are the basics. They’ll get you through a project, but they won’t necessarily earn you a second one. What truly sets a company apart, and what has personally made my career most rewarding, is the strength of the long-term relationships we build with our clients. Strong partnerships aren’t just about securing repeat work; they’re about understanding a client’s evolving needs, being able to anticipate challenges, and adding real value at every stage of a project.
Since 2015, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with ASOS, supporting the development and expansion of their major distribution centres across Barnsley, Doncaster, and Lichfield. It’s a relationship built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to innovation and operational excellence
Our work for ASOS has involved critical Mechanical and Electrical solutions, from high-voltage and low-voltage infrastructure upgrades to supporting advanced automation projects. You can read more about our ongoing work with ASOS in our detailed case study here. Being embedded in their growth journey has shown me first-hand how important it is to invest time and effort into truly understanding the client’s business, culture, and future ambitions.
Long-term relationships in M&E projects don’t just happen because you delivered a project on time. They’re earned project by project, conversation by conversation. It's about being present when things get difficult, offering solutions instead of excuses, and being a partner the client can rely on. Particularly when working in live environments, like ASOS’s 24/7 distribution centres, flexibility and proactive communication are absolutely critical. Clients need to know that you’re not just there to install systems, but to protect their operations, their teams, and their reputation every step of the way.
One of the biggest benefits of strong client partnerships in construction and M&E is the efficiency it brings over time. When a client knows your team, trusts your judgement, and understands how you operate, everything runs more smoothly. You spend less time setting expectations and more time delivering value. There’s a shorthand that developsa mutual understanding that allows for better collaboration, faster problem-solving, and ultimately, better project outcomes. It also makes innovation easier. When there’s trust, clients are more open to new ideas, new technologies, and more ambitious project scopes.
Another important aspect is continuity. Having a team that’s familiar with the client’s sites, systems, and ways of working means you can step in quickly, whether it’s for a new project or a fast-paced operational upgrade. For ASOS, this has meant we’ve been able to support them with shell and core fit outs, lighting and power installations for highly automated systems, and ongoing on-demand M&E support, all without disrupting their operations. Supporting operational continuity while delivering complex works is a challenge, but when you know the client inside out, it becomes much more manageable.
At Heb Mechanical & Electrical, we take real pride in the partnerships we’ve built, not just with ASOS, but across many of the sectors we work in. We don’t view projects as one-offs; we see them as opportunities to start relationships that can grow and strengthen over years.
For me personally, seeing those relationships evolve, and knowing that our work genuinely supports our clients’ success, is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. In an industry where reputation means everything, long-term client relationships aren’t just important, they’re essential!