New Member Series: Practical problem-solving at the heart of AKA’s approach

For AKA Commercial Services, national growth has been built on the same qualities that have shaped the business from the beginning: a family-owned approach, practical problem-solving and strong relationships.

The Melbourne-based mechanical and fire services specialist has been operating for more than 30 years and today has a team of 32 supporting clients across Australia.

For Jesse Sandor, Commercial Manager at AKA Commercial Services, the business is best described as solutions focused.

“We are a family business, but we operate at a national scale,” Mr Sandor said.

“For us, it is really about solving problems and getting a good result for the client.”

That practical approach has helped AKA Commercial Services build relationships across the Large Format Retail sector, including with Beacon Lighting, Kitchen Warehouse and HomeCo, as well as working alongside NHI Group on fitout projects.

For Mr Sandor, collaboration is an important part of delivering the right outcome, particularly on projects where retailers, landlords, contractors and specialist service providers all have a role to play.

“We enjoy working with good people and finding the solution together,” Mr Sandor said.

“In a lot of cases, there are different parties involved in a project, so understanding where we fit and how we can work together is really important.”

It is also one of the reasons AKA Commercial Services has joined the Large Format Retail Association.

While the business already works with a number of LFRA members and organisations across the sector, Mr Sandor sees an opportunity to build greater awareness of AKA Commercial Services among the people within those businesses who may not yet know the company or its capabilities.

That focus on practical outcomes also extends to the way AKA Commercial Services approaches building performance and sustainability.

The business identifies energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact and responsible resource management as important considerations across its services, including mechanical systems. AKA’s work has included HVAC upgrades designed to improve building performance and energy efficiency, demonstrating how mechanical services can support broader sustainability objectives.

For Mr Sandor, the opportunity is to approach these challenges in the same way AKA Commercial Services approaches its broader work: understand what the client is trying to achieve, identify where improvements can be made and develop a practical solution.

That solutions-focused mindset is something he wants AKA Commercial Services to become increasingly recognised for across the LFRA network.

“We want people to know that if there is a problem, they can pick up the phone and talk to us direct,” Mr Sandor said.

“That is the simplest way to describe what we are about; building good relationships, problem-solving and delivering a great outcome.”