VIEWPOINT SERVICING, SPARES
AND SUPPORT Ethan Thompson, head of spares at Baxi
WITH SERVICING AND maintenance continuing to account for a significant proportion of heating engineers’ workload, the availability of spare parts has become increasingly important across the supply chain. When an appliance requires repair, customers are looking for a fast resolution, placing greater emphasis on merchants to help installers source the right components quickly. Aftersales support can be something of an unsung hero, in many cases having as much impact on a job as the appliance itself. Sudden breakdowns or planned servicing can both require unexpected replacement parts and engineers need confidence that they can get hold of them easily and quickly.
Identifying the parts needed can be tricky, even for seasoned installers, which means that merchants have an opportunity to strengthen their position as an invaluable installer resource by creating access to the right spares. While the heating sector continues to evolve with new technologies entering the market, the number of boilers and other longstanding heating appliances already installed across the UK remains substantial. As a result, keeping existing systems operating efficiently and reliably will continue to be a priority for installers and their customers for many years to come. Understanding how genuine spare parts fit into that picture can therefore help merchants better support the trade.
Minutes count when a homeowner finds themselves without heating or hot water and delays or errors in sourcing the right spares can lead to repeat visits. These inevitably increase the cost to the installer and disruption
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are required. In response to this, the team at Baxi looked at how they can help make routine work more efficient for installers, freeing up their time for other jobs. Bringing together the components commonly required for annual servicing and maintenance into a single package can make servicing more straightforward. It means that merchants can recommend Baxi Care Kits, saving their customers valuable time and showing a clear understanding of the challenges they face.
for the homeowner. The longer it takes to get the appliance back up and running, the more at risk the installer reputation is. Merchants who work with manufacturers that place a strong emphasis on spare parts availability can help minimise these challenges.
For example, Baxi’s dedicated aftersales division manages a portfolio of more than 16,000 spare parts sourced from over 200 suppliers, supporting both current and legacy residential and commercial installations. Maintaining a broad parts portfolio helps ensure installers can continue supporting homeowners’ appliances throughout their service life, reducing downtime when repairs are needed.
Identifing components Many heating products have numerous variants, making accurate identification essential before a repair can take place and digital tools are simplifying this process. Parts Arena provides access to exploded diagrams, technical documentation and comprehensive parts lists covering recent and discontinued appliances. Resources like these enable installers to identify the correct component quickly, while
also giving merchants greater confidence when supporting enquiries at the trade counter. By reducing uncertainty, they can also help avoid incorrect orders and unnecessary return visits.
The value of quality Engineers have access to a range of replacement components from different sources. However, genuine parts continue to offer important advantages, particularly where safety, compatibility and long-term reliability are concerned. Baxi genuine spare parts are tested and approved for use with compatible appliances to ensure they perform as the installer needs, matching the performance of the originally installed part. All Baxi spares are supplied with a manufacturer’s warranty, providing additional reassurance for installers and their customers. In conversations at the trade counter, merchants can reinforce the value of quality, reliability and peace of mind rather than focusing solely on price. Feedback from installers has shown that identifying the components typically replaced during scheduled maintenance can sometimes be time-consuming, particularly when multiple parts
Aftersales support Quality spares are crucial and so are the operations that go into getting them into installers’ hands in a timely fashion. Baxi’s overnight replenishment model supports its network of field engineers by ensuring replacement parts are delivered before the working day begins, helping maximise first-time fix opportunities and reducing disruption for engineers and homeowners. While much of this activity happens behind the scenes, it demonstrates that robust aftersales support must be in place to keep heating systems operating reliably.
As servicing and repair work continues to form a significant part of installers’ day-to-day activity, spare parts are becoming more than simply replacement components. Understanding the value of genuine spares and the impact that good availability and technical support can have on an installer means that merchants can offer a higher level of service to their customers. Providing the right parts, expertise and advice is a key part of delivering superior service, whether the customer is a homeowner with a broken boiler, or the heating engineer hoping to fix it for them. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net September 2026
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