October 2019

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The Right Perception SHAKING OFF THE ‘COWBOY’ IMAGE By Ben Milton, co-founder of Paddle, the app which connects tradespeople and homeowners “in seconds”. Over the past few years, the overall UK roofing market has steadily grown, with the demand for roofing supported by the growth of domestic renovation maintenance improvement (RMI). And with the RMI market only set to grow in the coming years as many homeowners look to ‘improve, not move’, things are looking positive for the industry. Unfortunately, however, the actions of a small minority mean that roofing contractors don’t always have the best reputation amongst homeowners, which has the potential to stall growth. As a tradesperson myself, it’s an issue that I know affects the construction industry as a whole – with a small number of ‘cowboy’ tradespeople unfairly influencing the public’s perception of those working in the sector. As a result, whilst you undoubtedly work hard to keep your customers happy by carrying out projects to the best possible standard, you may at times find it harder than you should to win the trust of potential new customers straight away. It’s therefore important to ensure that you stand out from the crowd. Below are my top tips for safeguarding your reputation and positioning yourself as a reliable roofer. 1Make sure you have an online presence With the majority of homeowners now tech savvy, we know that they are increasingly searching for tradespeople online. Not being able to find any information about your business anywhere online can put potential customers off and you could be missing out on lots of potential business, so having a strong online presence is crucial to building both your business and your reputation. However, not every roofing contractor has the necessary knowledge, resources or time to build and regularly update a high-quality website. If this is the case, signing up to a tradesperson directory, website or app which connects you to homeowners can be a more efficient way of ensuring you can be reached online. It’s also worth considering how social media could help your business, as more and more consumers turn to Facebook for recommendations and reviews. It can be time consuming to run a social media profile to its full potential but if you are going to invest in setting up a Facebook page, for example, it’s worth putting in the time to get it right. Remember, however, that Facebook pages that go unpopulated for weeks and months can often be worse from a perception perspective than not having a page at all. 2Get recommendations Generating recommendations from satisfied customers is another fantastic way of building your reputation as a contractor. As a result of the negative perception of some tradespeople, members of the public are becoming very cautious about who they part money with when it comes to having work done on their property and a large proportion will only select a roofing contractor if they’ve been recommended to them. Whenever you complete a job, make sure you ask your customer if they’ll give you a recommendation. If you do have your own website, implement a review section and refer your customers there. Alternatively, make sure you choose a tradesperson directory website or app which allows users to recommend you and encourage them to do so. 3Be transparent and readily available to communicate With homeowners leading busier lives than ever before, many don’t have time to sit around and wait 24 hours for a tradesperson to reply. They expect you to be readily available and if you’re not they’ll move on to someone else to get the job done quicker. As a result, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re easily contactable at all times. Consumers will also have different preferences when it comes to the way they like to communicate with tradespeople. As such, it’s important to allow potential customers to contact you in a way that suits them via a range of communication channels – whether that’s a phone call, instant messaging or a video call. It’s important that whatever tools you use to communicate with customers offer them this range of options, to keep lines of communication open at all times. 4Join a competent person’s scheme / trade body Another great way of enhancing your reputation is by joining a competent person’s scheme or trade body. Gaining accreditation from an independent body will help to reassure homeowners that you’ve been audited, increasing the likelihood of new business coming your way. Some schemes may even offer you free marketing opportunities just for being part of the scheme, so it’s worth asking when you join one. Once you have joined a scheme or become a member of a trade body, make sure you let your customers and potential customers know about it by displaying it on van stickers, putting the logos on your website or marketing collateral, or mentioning it to customers when you first engage with them. This helps to make it clear that your work is not only of a high standard, but also complies with industry regulations, in many cases. Contact Paddle www.justpaddle.com 64 TC OCTOBER <strong>2019</strong>
The choice for decking and paving supports With the demand for useable rooftop space ever increasing, Areco is leading the way with its range of fixed and adjustable supports for paving and decking applications. We have worked with Hotels, Landscapers, Roofing Contractors and Builders to provide attractive and practical solutions. To complement our range of supports, Areco have several ranges of Composite and PVCu Decking Systems available. New ranges of Fireproof Self-Extinguishing pedestals will soon be available along with Aluminium Decking Bearers to complete the range. With a stock of over 20,000 units, we are sure to have the right support for your project. Please contact Areco with your enquiry. • large stock range • technical knowledge and advice • nationwide express delivery • competitive rates tel: 01922 743553 www.areco.co.uk t: 01922 743553 e: sales@areco.co.uk ARECO, Unit 2A Coppice Park, Coppice Lane, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands WS9 9AA
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OCTOBER 2019 An Inspector Calls Per
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I V Editor’s Comment MATT DOWNS E
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REGULARS 18 NFRC TECH TALK In the s
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October 2019

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