25 years with Taskforce: Meet the heart of the office
Taskforce’s success story isn’t just down to delivering efficient work on your heating and plumbing systems – it’s about the people who make sure every job is handled with care, day in and day out. Whether it’s a scheduled service, a system upgrade or an emergency callout, it all comes together thanks to a strong team. And for the past 25 years, our office manager Carla Bateman has been right at the centre of it all, helping to keep things running like clockwork.
Carla’s journey with Taskforce began after a simple chat with Matthew and Rachel Bowns, who’d just started the company. Carla had known both of them for over 30 years and worked with Rachel in the corporate world. One day, she was chatting with them about how she wanted a change from corporate life and the next day, they called her with an invitation: “Come and work for us.” And she did.
In those early days, the company worked out of Matthew’s home office, a compact, functional space overlooking the garden. “I loved it, and it meant a great deal to me to be there when Rachel and Matthew’s children were born,” she recalls.
“I knew Taskforce would be a success as their vision was all about customer service and being the best we can be, so it was great to be in at the beginning and help achieve that.”
Growing together: from one engineer to a full crew
Carla’s role back then was simple but crucial, handling everything from bookings to bookkeeping. Today, she manages bookings for four engineers, oversees daily operations, manages the finances as well as leading a team of four office staff.
“Now, I’m freed up to focus on calls, scheduling appointments, and ensuring materials are ordered,” she explains. “It’s a busy, reactive business, no two days are the same, and it keeps us on our toes.”
What does she enjoy most about her role? “Interacting with our lovely customers. We offer a great service. I know I’m biased, but I believe that completely,” she says. “Taskforce prides itself on our rapid response times, often attending emergency calls on the same day, and if the issue can’t be fixed immediately, it’s usually resolved the next day.”
Over the years, Carla has gained a deep knowledge of heating and plumbing and often helps clients troubleshoot directly over the phone. “I’ve been known to stop by a customer’s house on the way home just to reset their boiler programmer!” she says. “And it’s great to help some customers over the phone with a problem and save them an engineer visit – for example, talking them through re-pressurising a boiler or defrosting a condensate pipe.”
Alongside her role at Taskforce, Carla also co-manages PCB Home Maintenance with her husband, Paul, who oversees Taskforce’s bathroom and refurbishment projects, with Carla ordering the materials.
Adapting with the times
Technology has evolved significantly since the early days of two computers in the office. Today, the team works with multiple screens and a job-tracking board that Matthew set up, with further support technology planned for the future. But one thing that can still baffle her is the terminology associated with the industry. “Even though I’ve been here all these years, the jargon from the engineers can feel like a foreign language,” she admits. “I’m still learning every day.”
A Family Atmosphere
“Working for a family business means that a lot of the time, it’s like spending the day with your best friends,” she says. “Although it’s hard work and it can be very pressurised, I really enjoy it, and knowing we’re offering a valuable service to our customers is very satisfying.
“Looking back over my time here, I’m really proud of how much the company has grown and the number of happy customers we’ve served through the years.”