Business built on trust: Nationwide Energy Consultants and Epos Now’s brilliant partnership

No business operates in isolation. Whether it’s suppliers, customers, partners, agencies or consultants, every business survives on the strength of its relationships. Few people understand this as keenly as Dean O’Hara and James Willis, whose company is built on strong ties with hospitality businesses. 

Dean explains: “We found that many pub operators had skill sets more focused on front-of-house activities. So, we delivered solutions that supported the back end of the business, allowing them to focus on what they did best, which resulted in growth for both us and our customers.“

Now, after twenty-four years, we've got many of the UK's biggest breweries and pub companies using us as their preferred energy broker: Greene King, Admiral Taverns, St Austell, Shepherd Neame, Hall & Woodhouse, Wells & Co., Trust Inns. We’ve worked with many for over fifteen years. They bring us in because we've built trust, transparency and honesty, and that's why we've been so successful.”

With their well-established relationships as the bedrock of their business, the Nationwide Energy team naturally had their ears to the ground, listening for what might come next and how they could better help the businesses relying on them.

“We were frequently being asked, ‘Do you do merchant services?’, ‘Do you do EPOS?’” Dean tells us. “It was a lightbulb moment that, because of our place in the market, there are other problems we can fix.”

James takes over. “When we started looking at systems, we came from a place of ignorance, but we knew we needed something that could evolve.”

“What really impressed me about Epos Now early on was the scalability. It has levels of complexity if you need them, without being complicated. That’s what Epos Now does really well; it’s very intuitive. And during Covid, the Eat Out to Help Out app, the VAT Rate Change Tool – the fact that they put something together within 48 hours was absolutely amazing.”

From the very start, Nationwide Energy knew which way to go. Dean and James tell a story of a business that needed something simple enough to implement quickly, but the first POS company they spoke to said it would take two months.

“A brewery came to us and said, 'Can you help?', and right away we got them set up with three Epos Now systems and a kitchen screen. We’ve done this across three different sites, and it was smooth and successful every time.”

James continues: “It’s really quick to get up and running, and good value for the hardware. Add to that the ability to add layers to suit everything a business needs, and it’s made us big advocates.”

When looking for a company to do business with, they might say all the right things, but it’s hard to know what you’ll get once the work begins. Fortunately, some businesses are as good as their word. That’s how Dean, James, and Nationwide Energy operate, and they know it’s no different with Epos Now.

James tells us, “Epos Now is one of my favoured partnerships because how you approach your business and customers is synonymous with what I experience as a partner. The team is quick to get back to me and really responsive to questions. They’re one of our most accessible partners.

James continues, “Epos Now has made a significant investment in my team. They not only organise informative partner days, which help expand our network, but they also regularly attend meetings in our office and are always available. I can’t think of a single instance when I asked for a call and didn’t get one.”

Nationwide Energy works with businesses across the hospitality industry, each with different needs, often growing rapidly, and with limited time to learn their new system. Thanks to their confidence in Epos Now’s system, these challenges become opportunities to shine.

James tells us, “Our customer base wants to make money and data-driven decisions in an environment where they don't necessarily have much time to think. Epos Now lets you see those trends in your business – how much stock you’re buying for four or five sites, your performance difference, which product has the highest growth – and it’s customisable.”

When it comes to sales and product management, Dean has seen how simple it can be. “It's so easy for businesses to change pricing, add or remove products, or run special offers.”

And for specific business needs, James and Dean know they’re covered. 

“When you’re with a customer,” James says, “without any prep, you can just go on in the Epos Now AppStore and type in anything they say. An app will pop up with a description of what they’re after, and you can show the customer right there. It has something to solve any problem.”

Despite the difficulties facing the hospitality industry, Nationwide Energy has a bright future thanks to strong ties with partners and customers. But Dean and James aren’t ones to get complacent.

“We’re an established business in a challenging time for the licensed trade,” James considers, “but last year was our best year yet, and this year is looking even better. These last two months have been our best in twenty-four years. Now we’re focused on growth and trying to avoid the growing pains that come with it. With Epos Now helping us on that journey, we’re working to stay on track. It’s very hard to see how the relationship could be richer.”

As Dean and James finish their visit to Epos Now’s offices, it’s all smiles, handshakes, and talk of a quick stop for food and drink, showing how a good business relationship can turn a workday into something that feels more like a day out.

James concludes: “We are recommended by some of the largest hospitality brands in the UK. So, it’s vital we work with people who share our values and understand the importance of our relationships, and that’s Epos Now.”