Safety first! With advances in electricals and technology as a whole, electrical installation safety has never been more vital. Our Recruitment Manager and industry expert, James Downing, shares his thoughts on test equipment.
Where there’s a blame, there’s a claim. It’s no secret that we’re seeing a rise in compensation culture, even for the most trivial of ‘incidents’. So, when it comes to electrical installations, there’s no room for error in health and safety.
Technology continues to advance and our electrical products have become our daily lifeblood, so it’s no surprise to find out that accidents caused by faulty or poorly installed electricals are happening more and more frequently. As suppliers of electrical and test equipment, electrical wholesalers have a vital part to play in the promotion of safe installations. But, how?
Smartphones, tablets, computers… While all of these technological advances have made day-to-day life easier, they pose a problem to test instruments. All of that background noise created by such devices can wreak havoc on test equipment, leading to inaccurate readings. So, as technology develops, so does test equipment. That means it’s essential for wholesalers to stay up to date with advances in instrument technology, allowing you to provide customers with more accurate equipment.
It’s undeniable – electrical wholesale sales reps (ASMs, BDMs and internal salespeople etc.) know their stuff. Product knowledge is what allows you to sell confidently and passionately, and leaves customers satisfied. So, test equipment knowledge should be a given!
Your customers are just as busy as you are, they don’t have the time to research and look into what’s happening in the test equipment world! That’s where you come in. Having up to date, specific and useful instrument knowledge to pass on to your clients will not only help to improve safety, but it will have customers coming back again and again.
Excellent service is what brings repeat business, with the electrical wholesale market growing, competition is rife. That means that wholesalers need to be able to meet all of their client needs. There is a huge range of test equipment out there; staying fully stocked can present contractors and electricians with big expenses. A great way to help them run their business economically is by offering test equipment hire.
Whether you do this independently or team up with a manufacturer, customers will appreciate a cost-effective way of meeting their business needs. This is yet another way to become a ‘one-stop shop’ for everything your clients need.
Many electrical wholesale outlets are seeing the benefits of hosting calibration days. Teaming up with manufacturers or third parties is beneficial for your customers but also for your branch.
Independent contractors can’t afford too much ‘down time’, after all, time is money. So, the last thing they want to do is fork out money and waste precious time by sending their test instruments back to the manufacturer to be re-calibrated. Hosting local events where customers can pop into a branch and have same-day calibrations will always prove popular. Especially if you throw in an added incentive such as a promotion or even a nice bacon sandwich or hot pie!
The great thing about such events is that it brings existing or potential customers into branch, meaning you can build those business relationships and promote other products. Everyone wins!
Having up to date test equipment available, keeping salespeople up to date and providing customers with comprehensive support and advice will allow wholesalers to play their part in increasing electrical installation safety.
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