JKE are a family owned and run security system installation and maintenance business based in Derby. Our team work across the country but mostly around the Midlands providing CCTV (or VSS), intruder alarms, access control systems and other security tech installations. There’s many years of experience across the team with Dan leading the field with the most years in security systems.
Family fun at JKE
Let’s introduce you to team Mather. First there’s Dan Mather, he’s the Founder and Managing Director, next is Tom Mather who is the Operations Manager (and brother to Dan), then there’s Denise Mather (Service Desk Administrator) who is Mum to Dan and Tom (plus two other ‘boys’ but they are in rail not security!) and finally Jack Mather (Business Admin Apprentice) who is Dan’s son.
In this blog we thought we’d ask each family member the same questions and see what answers we got!
Q1: What do you love about working with your family?
Q2: What do you love most about your job at JKE?
Q3: What happens if you don’t agree with a family member during the working day?
Q4: What family secret can you share about a family member working at JKE?
Q5: What does JKE mean to you personally?
Q6: How long have you been working at JKE?
Q7: Do you talk about work when you are not at work?
Q8: Who is the most annoying / fun / chatty / serious / daft out of the family members you work with?
Enjoy getting to know team Mather better.
Here’s Dan’s answers:
A1: Knowing that we are all working towards the common goal!
A2: The part I love the most is in the building of the team and of the business. It is a proud moment when through the stresses and the struggles, you get a win that makes it all worthwhile.
A3: I tell them that I don’t agree, explain my rationale behind it and then we proceed to finding a resolution. I am not always right, just usually 😂
A4: Mum still thinks she’s the boss after 43 years in charge of the family! I just let her think that!
A5: Everything, I started the company at the most difficult time of my life with a vision and motivation. Over 7 years later, the vision just gets bigger. It has enabled me to support myself and my family and give a great service to our clients.
A6: 7 Years (I am the founder after all!)
A7: I heard a great quote the other day, I believe it was from Steven Bartlett, that if you think of work when you are not there, you are in the right job! Some of the greatest (or whackiest) ideas come at a time that I am going about my daily life.
A8:
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Annoying – Jack
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Fun – Me 😀
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Chatty – Definitely Denise!
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Serious – Denise
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Daft – Tom with his haircuts
Pictured: Dan training Denise on the remote tools we use for security system installs and customer communications (they are in the same office at this point!)
Next up are Tom’s answers:
A1: The mutual respect and togetherness we have for each other and getting to see family members more often.
A2: What I love about this role is getting my teeth into the business and helping the growth of the company.
A3: On the very rare occasion I have a disagreement with a family member, this is usually squashed and sorted with a simple conversation sharing our points and understanding where the other person is coming from, in this industry, we can’t afford to hold grudges.
A4: A secret I can share would be that we all feel our roles take priority over the other persons
A5: To me JKE personally means family reputation
A6: I have been working for JKE for 6 years and 5 months
A7: When we are all out together there are spells where work is discussed
A8: I would probably say I’m the most annoying and fun, Dan is the most serious, Denise is the most daft.
Pictured: Tom and Dan at the very first JKE exhibition
Here’s what Denise answered:
A1: I love working with my family as it means we get to see and speak to each other every day.
A2: I run the JKE support desk. I love the interaction I have with all the staff and customers.
A3: We haven’t really had a disagreement we all communicate well with each other, so we are able to talk things through.
A4: Dan likes to think he is the boss when actually it is me. Please don’t tell him LOL.
A5: JKE means a great deal to me as it fills me with pride that all the family can work well together, which makes a great atmosphere.
A6: I have worked here for just over 2 years.
A7: I only work 2 days a week so when we see each other out of work I will ask how things are going and if jobs I have asked to be done are completed!
A8: The whole team is fun and good to be around but to answer then chatty mmm that’s me, serious is Dan, daft that’s probably me too!
Pictured: Denise’s first day in the office as our service desk co-ordinator (not as Mum!) within the family business
Finally Jack’s answers:
A1: I like working with my family because we all know each other and it is more of a comforting workspace.
A2: What I love most about my job is that I am always learning how to do new things.
A3: We sort it out until we find out who is right.
A4: Denise makes the best hot drinks and looks after us all.
A5: It’s important to me because it’s my family.
A6: Just over 1 year.
A7: Depends.
A8: I am the most fun, Denise is the most chatty, Dan is the most serious and Tom is the most daft.
So there you go, a bonded family who bring their best selves to work each day, now there’s more than just the Mathers in JKE but they are the backbone of the business working to drive the best in customer service, security installations and system maintenance.
Every customer and every order for security systems is valued because it makes a difference to our family because that’s the nature of being a family business!