If there is one thing I have learnt from working at Somerset Estates, is that it’s invaluable to ensure you work with the right partners. We want to work with those who, at their core, share our values and put the needs of their customers above all else. 

So, when the opportunity came to share a coffee with Chris Jones, Managing Director and Stewart Keir, Marketing Director at Ideaworks, I couldn’t resist. We got chatting about what’s important to our businesses and how we make sure everyone in the company keeps and shares the values to ensure our clients get the service they deserve.

The first thing that really struck me was just how important it is to Ideaworks to always strive to ‘do the right thing’ and ‘make it easy’ – these core values are something they share with Somerset Estates. Stewart mentioned that: “these simple phrases give the power of responsibility to staff at all levels to ensure that we are always acting in our clients’ best interests to deliver amazing experiences‘’.

(Ideaworks Showroom, Great Portland St)

Simple values like these are often essential, particularly when you’re managing 143 people across multiple countries, like Ideaworks. This makes perfect sense for me at Somerset Estates, where our biggest assets lie in delivering a sustained personal and trusted service in managing luxury properties. Our clients expect nothing but the highest quality service, where nothing short of excellence will do.

I asked Chris what ‘make it easy’ meant to Ideaworks as a value and he explained that: “It applies to anything that you do, from creating a drawing for the electrical supplier, to ensuring that when a client gets a bill they are absolutely clear about what they are paying for.”

Chris and Stewart continually strive to set the bar ever higher in all that they do. Ranging from the quality of information they provide for design teams to the 24-hour aftercare support team looking after their clients’ ongoing needs for decades after completing an installation in their home – or any of the thousands of touch-points in between. 

Chris cited the perfect example when something went wrong at a client’s property in Switzerland. On this occasion, there was an issue at Christmas. When clearing a rack room, one staff member unknowingly brushed steel filings into the core IT for the running of the home – the entire home. The on-site team quickly realised that something had gone wrong and the classic line of  “stuff doesn’t work” was used. Two Ideaworks staff members sprung into action. They drove overnight in a pool car, taking turns at the wheel every few hours, to get there by the morning. Before the owner had risen out of bed to realise anything was wrong, the problem was fixed.

Their ideology is one I can resonate with.  At Somerset Estates we are similarly passionate about providing our clients with an exceptional and personal service when maintaining their homes and properties. We had a similar Christmas nightmare at one of our client’s residencies. During a weekly and routine security check, I noticed the beginnings of a water leak near the property’s AV room. Acting quickly, our rapid response maintenance team were able to get to the site within the hour to investigate the cause of the leak and carry out emergency repair works before any major damage was caused in the property. Our team decided to perform more regular checks of the property over the festive season to ensure that there were no further problems. 

As our Founding Director, Philippa Somerset says; “It’s important that clients feel valued, understood and have peace of mind that everything’s in order no matter what time of year it is.” It’s incredibly refreshing to hear that similar sentiments are reflected in the attitude of other companies too. 

So, we all agreed that quality of service is vital. It counts for everything. Stewart commented that as a service industry: “Consistently ‘making it easy’ buys brand loyalty through our clients and the professional teams with whom we collaborate.”

Philippa agreed, saying; “The level of quality and client experience is pivotal for us. We too are a service and people industry. Clients want a reliable, seamless service. Every aspect of the chain needs to uphold core values.” 

Stewart was clear when he said: “Our product is experiential. Ease of use, long-term reliability and safe, secure systems and aftercare support as well as the ability to evolve with changing technological demands, all contribute towards the quality of the experience.” 

Somerset Estates chooses its partners carefully. As Philippa commented, working with the right partners is ‘fundamental’. Our partners reflect upon us, so we only want to be associated with those who share our values and commitment to clients. We are passionate about creating valuable relationships and growing together in the industry.

Stewart couldn’t have agreed more. “Successful projects depend on collaboration. Where collaborators share the same vision and purpose to provide an amazing experience for our collective clients, a successful outcome and a happy client is guaranteed. With Somerset Estates, we recognise a synergy where our values align to provide our clients with the very best experience possible’’.

Personally, I have noticed how involved Ideaworks becomes in all its projects, from ideation through to installation and wondered whether and how this elevated the end product. 

Stewart said, “Since the end-to-end product is an experience, early engagement is essential. We like to take end-to-end responsibility for a fully integrated service. Our in-house teams of specialist designers/suppliers/installers cover disciplines from lighting and window shading to AV, IT, Integrated controls and aftercare. Being able to coordinate these disciplines in-house makes for a complete and cohesive experience for our clients. Taking responsibility for design, supply, installation, commissioning and aftercare leaves us with nowhere to hide and reinforces our focus to ‘do the right thing’.”

(Ideaworks have developed the MeSh Control System)

And Chris’ last words really captured what it’s like from the client perspective. “We think it’s very daunting, after all, they are building a home and at the time they engage with Ideaworks it’s a shell or a plot and the end-date can be 2-3 years away so they might not know what they want. However, there will always be the initial installation of background technologies that all clients need i.e. the lighting control and infrastructure backbone based on how they will use the property. Entertainment systems can come later and not be tackled until the use of each room is determined further down the line. The use of the house will change over time and it’s important to have implemented a solution that can be flexible to the changing needs of the family.”

When you choose to work with partners there are certain things that just jump out and make you realise you’re working with the right people. When we broached the question of client retention Chris made the firm point that, “We don’t lose clients. We have over 98% client retention,” and that he “has lost only one client in 22 years and at a later date they returned.” When we work with Ideaworks and complete a project together, we know that our clients are in very safe hands. 

If you would like to speak to a member of the team from Ideaworks or Somerset Estates please get in touch at info@somersetestates.com

Written by Rachel Milliams (Operations and Marketing)

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The London square, from its initial development in the mid-seventeenth century to the present day, is a very ‘English phenomenon’ which would come to define the physical landscape of London’s metropolis, apprise urban planning and bring about social change. Over time, the squares have had a huge impact on the values of many prime residential properties surrounding them and for many, continue to do so.

Originally, the simple act of using railings to enclose the wide open spaces of London’s grand seventeenth-century piazzas was mainly designed as a form of social control to curtail the riotous activities of the general populace who congregated there. Although the number of squares remaining (around 300) have drastically reduced, a considerable proportion remain synonymous with wealth and are surrounded by some of London’s most desirable residential real estate.

Sloane Square, although without a park at its centre, is a typical example. Found on the boundaries of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea the estates on all sides are made up of luxuriously-furnished private apartments, terraced houses and designer stores. In July 2020 the average property price stood at nearly £1.3 million and £3.5 million respectively.

During the 1680s and the 1690s, London’s residential squares began to spread from the West End to the suburbs in order to accommodate the social aspirations of the rising professional and mercantile middle classes who also required a healthier way of life. Devonshire Square, New Square, Lincolns Inn and Bridgewater Square were all built during this time.

Bloomsbury Square, one of the earliest London Squares (laid out in the 1660s) and home to the wealthiest members of the aristocracy, gradually became less fashionable. By the mid-nineteenth century, the houses were occupied by middle-class professionals. Later, in the twentieth century, most of the houses had been converted into offices. Current occupants include Le Cordon Bleu, the German Historical Institute and The History of Parliament.

In the early eighteenth century, the growth of pre-eminent stately garden squares such as Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Grays Inn and Kings Square had already gained international acclaim for their unique character which still very much exists today.

The prestigious gardens of Grays Inn, known as The Walks, are a prime example. Home to an impressive marquee in Summer, it provides a wonderful setting full of grandeur for traditionally Britishsummer parties.

In earlier times these fast growing garden enclaves became the responsibility of the privileged residents who lived around them, so they were encouraged to make ‘civic improvements’ by considering ways in which design features and planting could be improved.

Now the responsibility can still be shared by residents or certain institutions who pay for their upkeep, or in some cases managed by borough councils. In any event, they give character to a property in such a way that is truly British and add a traditional element which, as many of them are listed, can’t be taken away, making them highly sought after now and hopefully, for hundreds of years to come.

With current guide prices for properties in Kensington Park Gardens starting at £2,000,000 rising to £3,995,000 in Cadogan Gardens, for prime locations such as Ennismore Gardens you would be approaching the £12,000,000* mark. And whilst London prime residential property yields continue to be stable at 3-3.25%** they nevertheless remain a solid long-term investment that you can truly enjoy.

So, as the London square continues to evolve, they are still seen as synonymous with privilege and wealth. They continue to be an inherent part of the urban plan as well as being firmly placed on the canny investors hit list.

If you’ve bought in London or are considering the move and need a trusted contact in London to assist, we can help put you in touch with the right professional. Please email info@somersetestates.com or call +44 (0) 2034572857 and we would be delighted to speak with you.

*Savils, 2020, **Knight Frank UK Residential Yield Report 2019

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