sparks
ELECTRICAL NEWS
october 2014
10
contractors’ corner
Training and development by Nick du Plessis
Educating the public with positive proactive marketing
RECENTLY, I was with a group of electricians who
were undergoing further training andwe got
to discussing the current state of the electrical
industry.Therewere, as usual, a lot of gripes – the
main theme being that people always complain
about the cost of services and are continually try-
ing to squeeze electricians for‘a better deal’.
Now, this is not a bad thing because, as consum-
ers, we are all under financial pressure – petrol
and food prices are always increasing and, in
Gauteng, we have the additional burden of eTolls.
Listening to the group, it became apparent tome
that while electricians are familiar with industry
regulations and standards, the general public is
clueless about their legal obligations to repair,
replace or remove items of non-compliance.This
got me thinking about how little education is
actually out there to assist the everydayman (or
woman) to know right fromwrong.
In this country, anyone can go into just about
any store and select any piece of electrical equip-
ment – fromamain switch right down to socket
outlets –without a salesperson blinking an eye
or asking any questions. As long as the customer
is willing to spend their hard-earned cash in the
store, they canwalk out with anything they like.
The reality is that the public doesn’t know any
better and, the fact that these electrical compo-
nents are readily available doesn’t helpmatters
much at all. I believe that, as qualified electri-
cians or as people who actually understand the
rules and regulations, we should‘take the bull
by the horns’and look for every opportunity to
give advice and guidance to the public.
Now is the time for electricians to start
promoting themselves, so, to help you on your
way, here are some pointers to add to your
marketing arsenal:
• When you’ve completed an electrical job or
project for a homeowner or the office recep-
tionist or even a buddy from the pub, remind
them that the regulations are clear about who
is permitted to work on electrical installations
andwho is not.
• Remind them that cutting costs now could re-
sult in a very expensive overhaul if and when
they sell their house.
• Always have your contractor’s registration
card with you and show it to people so they
are aware such a card exists and remind them
that they should always check the credentials
of anyoneworkingon their electrical systems.
• Show them the various types of instruments
that are required to conduct the relevant
tests as well as what type of documentation
is required by a registered person.
• Explain that agoodelectricianwill always con-
duct a test to ensure the equipment is work-
ing and all safety elements are connected.
• Explain that the guywho iswilling todo a job
very cheaply usually isn’t qualified; and that
clients will end up paying extra to have the
job done again to ensure it does comply.
• Explain to clients andpotential clients that, in
the event of an accident or fire, an insurance
company has the right to request a copy of
the Certificate of Compliance to ensure that
all the electrical work has been tested and in-
spected. If the electrical work was not signed
off as compliant by a registered person, any
insurance claims could be adversely affected.
• Highlight the fact that when anyone pur-
chases electrical items to install themselves,
they do not have the training necessary
to scope the equipment correctly and the
consequences could be dramatic at best and
fatal at worst.
• Always have a copy of your Code of Practice
available to show clients that you work from
a standard set of rules and that you are not
making up the rules as you go along (and
that the rules are not linked to your current
financial needs).
• Explain some safety tips to the user before
you leave the premises. Do not assume they
know. For example, show the user how to
test the earth leakage and explainwhen they
should use it andwhy.
• Explain the benefits of regular mainte-
nance. Perhaps you could even set up a
‘service process’ with your clients where-
by you call on them every 12 months or
so to check their installations and iden-
tify any electrical items that may require
maintenance and/or repair before little
problems become expensive problems.
Dentists and optometrists remind their pa-
tients to make an appointment to ensure
their teeth and eyes are still in ‘good shape’
and, if necessary, undergo ‘maintenance
procedures’. Why shouldn’t electricians of-
fer the same kind of service? This shouldn’t
be seen as creating work for yourself but
rather as delivering a service to customer to
ensure safety.
• Always give ‘worst case scenario’ examples
of what happens when things go horribly
wrong with an electrical installation. Add
some of those awful details that no one
wants to hear: that electricity kills and it is a
reality that someone could die or their home
could burn down if they use counterfeit
products or if they take the cheapest quote
froma dodgy unregistered person.
• Always act professionally. Remember that to
achieveourqualifications,manyofusstudied
for about asmany years as it takes tobecome
a doctor. You don’t see a doctor looking, act-
ing or talking in an unprofessional manner ...
So, let’s get out there and proactivelymarket
our industry positively – let’s all use every
opportunity we get to educate the public and
change peoples’perceptions of electricians and
the electrical industry.
It can only be a win-win situation because
everyone will benefit.
