January/February 2021

Contract The View Talk from Certass TA
'HERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED US'
As challenges continue into the new year thanks to Covid-19 and Brexit – not to mention
changing regulations and new energy requirements – Jon Vanstone, chair at Certass Trade
Association, reassures installers that support and guidance is readily available.
L
ast year was so tough for many, and the way
2021 has started, it feels almost like we are
in an extended December 2020. There is so
much ahead for our market to face with changing
regulation and new energy requirements to add to
the inconceivable and hugely stressful impact of
Covid, combined with Brexit.
Certass Trade Association (TA) started 2020
aiming to improve its already impressive
relationship with its membership base and
invested considerable focus towards online
communication. Such is the importance that
Certass TA places on its members, we agreed
that the best place for myself was talking to
fitters and the supply chain on a daily basis.
The strong connection we have built with our
members, and the ability for them to liaise with
us at all levels, has meant that, as the bestconnected
association in our market, we have
been able to properly represent the views of our
members to other sectors and government.
Rather than work with the few biggest members
in hidden committees, we have been available
to the many and have learnt a huge amount
by doing so. Certass TA is effectively run by its
members, and those who want to engage with
us on any topic can do so easily through our
Facebook forum, over email, online chat or by
calling the office.
Due to our relationships with decision makers for
construction and our understanding of what our
membership need and care about, I hope many
will say that they get real value from the fees that
they pay.
All associations and membership bodies should
continually strive to improve their offering to
members, yet so many fall into the trap of seeing
how much money they can amass by additional
offerings from resellers on which the association
makes a mark-up.
We took a decision years ago to spread
membership fees to a month-by-month basis,
as it helps those who trade with us to not be met
with any large one-off bills at the start of the
year. This has meant that when the economy hits
a problem for our members, so does it for us and
we really are ‘in it together’.
Jon Vanstone
“Changes in regulation
are coming this year and
it is our job to ensure
our members know what
must be done”
Through my chairmanship of the BEIS-sponsored
Trade Association Forum, I am very aware that
many large associations in 2020 took annual fees
from members for a 12-month period. Yet simply
furloughed their staff when Covid hit, right at the
time when members needed them the most.
Businesses sat on millions of pounds built up
over years from membership fees, just to not give
back in time and effort when the proverbial hit
the fan. Yet, post-event, these same associations
talked about all that they did for members, when
the market remembers a very different story.
FIT Show may have been correctly delayed until
the end of September, but I cannot wait for an
opportunity to meet many people I have spoken
to on a weekly basis in the online forums. Video
calls don’t quite do it for me, probably due to
my age, or the fact I can too clearly see my own
face. However, I want to be at the show to talk to
people about what we did in 2021, as 2020 was
just the beginning of our new phase of work.
In spite of rising costs, Certass has held its pricing
in 2021 as we look to maximise benefit to members.
We will be challenging government to do more for our
industry and hope that local installers choose to be
part of our team, as we quite simply see ourselves as
their campaigner. We will be using our connections
and knowledge of situations to ensure our members’
voices are heard, whilst they concentrate on
fitting quality products with skill and care.
Changes in regulation and requirements are
coming this year and it is our job to ensure our
members know what must be done and what is
simply a choice. We are not going to pretend that
consumers look for logos or marks, as there are
so many out there that the average consumer will
always take a recommendation from friend or
family over anything else, rather than deal with the
over-abundance of badges and what they mean.
We look forward to celebrating any member’s
success in 2021. We will give tools and guidance
to help them operate in the market, but most
importantly we will be open and available for
those times when it is hard and problematic, as
that is when you need us most.
Contact Certass Trade Association:
01292 292 095
certassta.co.uk
@CertassTa
18 T I JAN/FEB 2021 PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST