Work:

Secure Meters

Understanding awareness, brand equity and purchasing dynamics in the heating controls market

The challenge

Secure is a multinational business operating across the energy and controls sector, offering solutions that span metering, billing and energy management. Within the UK, Secure has acquired established controls brands such as Horstmann and expanded into adjacent product areas including radiator and heating controls, now operating these under the Secure brand.

Despite strong technical capability and a credible product portfolio, Secure recognised a challenge in the UK heating controls market. Competition is intense, brand loyalties are well‑established, and awareness is dominated by a small number of leading brands. Secure required an objective assessment of its current position to better understand where equity exists, where it does not, and what would be required to drive future consideration and demand.

Eureka were asked to deliver an independent, trade‑focused study to:

Establish levels of brand awareness in Heating Controls
Benchmark Secure against leading heating controls brands
Understand installer preferences, satisfaction and drivers of brand choice
Explore purchasing behaviour, channels and routes to market
Identify realistic triggers for trial and switching

The solution

Eureka designed and delivered a quantitative online study targeted at trade professionals regularly installing heating controls, including smart and traditional systems. Utilising our own proprietary database of trades (Voice of the Trade) in the main, with some trade partner support, we circulated a concise online survey optimised for this time-poor audience. Fieldwork was conducted anonymously and unbranded, ensuring candid and unbiased feedback. At the reporting stage, we were able to compare many of the results against our trade norms that allows us to contextualise results against the wider trade environment.

The findings provided Secure with independently verified evidence to:

Set realistic expectations for brand growth
Prioritise messaging and routes to market
Focus product and proposition development around installer‑led needs
Guide future marketing, distribution and engagement strategies

Feedback:

“We commissioned Eureka to undertake a quantitative study that delved into the world of heating engineers in the UK. We were seeking detailed insights from professionals working with and installing heating controls to understand their usage and perceptions of brands in the market and additionally to furnish us with market insights to help inform our long-term strategy and shorter-term tactical activities. Eureka were easy to work with, outlined a clear timeline, challenged us with the weight of the sector experience, and delivered a comprehensive output that has proved invaluable across the business. Not long after this first piece of work, we commissioned them again for a separate study that focussed on internal stakeholders. Thoroughly recommended.”

→ Tom Campbell (Brand, Design and Communications Business Partner EMEA)

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