BEHIND THE BIZ :: Kik Connect
Ben and Nicole Kikalis are living the small business dream. They’ve been married for two years and working together at Kik Connect for a couple of years now and…….. so far, so good!
Probably because they’re two of the most down-to-earth people you’re ever likely to meet.
We caught up with Ben and Nicole (and their gorgeous kelpie/border collie cross fur baby, Rain) to chat about their awesome local solar and electrical business, why they love what they do and how they help Highlanders wanting to make a difference to the planet (and their electricity bills!).
Ben, you’ve been an electrician for over ten years. Why the move into solar?
Ten years is a long time to be doing something, so I was wanting to try something new.
Solar has a lot of similarities to electrical work, in fact it’s probably a bit more difficult to get your head around so it was a way to challenge myself too.
And you’re both pretty passionate about sustainability and the environment too, right?
Nicole :: Definitely. We’ve been a little frustrated with the lack of foresight around environmental issues we’re seeing at government levels, so this is our way of trying to help the planet, and help locals do that too (and save them some money on their bills at the same time).
Cool. Well, let’s start with solar. You install new solar systems and also maintain or upgrade existing systems.
Ben :: Yep, we’ve been installing lots of new systems for people who are building a new home or renovating, so take the opportunity to put some solar panels on while they’re doing that.
We’ve also been getting a lot of calls from people with existing systems that just aren’t functioning efficiently, and they can’t work out why. It might be dust from a building site or ash from the bushfires has built up on the panels, or lichen.
Lichen??
Ben :: Lichen is a big problem in the Southern Highlands.
The freshness of the air here is actually really good for lichen growth. The cleaner the air, the more it wants to grow.
When lichen grows on solar panels, it reduces the effectiveness of the panels which means you’re paying more.
Nicole :: Maintenance is really important. We’re trying to get our customers into the same mindset of servicing a car.
If you service a car regularly, it takes care of you.
If you service your panels, you’re taking care of your investment, and your investment will take care of you. You’ll get maximum return if they’re used and maintained properly.
Ben :: Another thing to mention is when we install a new solar system, we come back in twelve months to do a complimentary clean.
Okay, so let’s talk about rebates. Customers can get a rebate when they install a new solar system, can’t they?
Ben :: Yes, the Federal Government offers a rebate. So for a 6-kilowatt solar system (which is the most suitable size system for most residential homes) customers can save $3000 on the install.
Nicole :: We manage the whole rebate process for our customers, there’s a fair bit of paperwork involved.
And you do electrical work too. How does that work?
Ben :: Quite often when we’re onsite installing a solar system, customers will ask us to do a bit of an audit of their house and sheds (we install a lot of solar systems on sheds because it keeps the system off the main residential house).
We’ll check out things like what lights they’re using, when things like pool pumps or the hot water system are running and recommend some ideas and solutions so they can run their home more efficiently which helps the environment and saves money on their electricity bills.
Nicole :: We do all sorts of electrical work too. We’re always happy to help our customers with whatever they need doing on that side of things.
You really back the products and systems you use too, don’t you?
Ben :: Most of the installs we do are with Hyundai solar panels.
We have found them to be one of the better ones on the market. They have a generous warranty and are high quality panels.
Nicole :: Those panels are probably the best looking on the market too. Aesthetics are very important to us.
One of our favourite projects was installing a solar system on a new build in Bundanoon.
It was a black barn style house with a dark roof, and the Hyundai panels are quite dark too, so it looked great and had a really nice seamless finish to it.
And you’ve got your brother Jake on board as an apprentice too, Ben?
Ben :: Jake joined us last year. Employing local (not just family!) is very important to us. That’s what we’ll do as we keep growing.
Actually, one of the things our customers mention to us is that they like that the person they speak to on the phone and who does the quote on site is part of the same team doing the install. It gives them a consistent customer service experience.
Nicole :: Seeing it’s just the three of us, that’s easy to do. Customers love it.
Awesome! So do you love living and working in the Highlands?
Nicole :: Definitely. It’s so beautiful here.
We go to these magnificent houses, and you can imagine the views we get from standing on people’s roofs!
Ben :: We live in Joadja so like how quiet it is there but how close it is to everything.
We’re only 20 minutes from Mittagong, Bowral or Moss Vale.
And we really enjoying driving around the Highlands, down country lanes or up long driveways – it’s a really nice part of the world.
Kik Connect is a small, local and family run business offering solar installation and electrical services across the Southern Highlands.
Fully accredited and always working to a high standard, Ben and Nicole and Jake focus on giving their customers savvy and tailormade solutions and an honest and positive customer experience.
Get in touch with the team here.
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