Regional installers working nationally?

[Guest Helen]

This is just a thought and I know similar schemes have been set up but I wondered what you all think?

Recently we have been given a CCTV & intruder alarm job to do for a well known national chain of jewellers. The job is slightly out of our area but we are going to do it for obvious reasons. They have indicated that as they refurbish each store around the country they would also like the security updating as well as reviewing the maintenance contract. This is obviously out of our scope but if I were to form a group of well placed installers around the country perhaps it could work? The group would have to all work under one name when tendering for national jobs and each company would hold an equal share in the group. When working under the group name, each company would have to install the same panels, same detectors etc and all paperwork would have to be uniform and duplicates held in one place.

This is just an idea at the moment and it might not be a very good one! I just think that this gives independent installers the chance to compete against the nationals whilst keeping their own regional business. It also gives our customers the chance to have all the benefits of choosing a small independent company in terms of customer care and all the other things we're good at but having national coverage at the same time.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Helen

[Guest dale]

Smashing idea Helen, but what about if a dodgy outfit joins and gives the group a bad name... I wouldnt like to think that my reputation was been damaged cause some idiot cant install systems properly.

Would need a strict management structure (to keep the colaborative companies in check) and a central point of contact for all the customers.

Plus profit sharing would also be a big sticking point - I wouldnt want my company lining the pockets of another company (been there done that!)

But there are people on the group whos work I would trust (even though I aint seen there work) who I would happily work with - so could be a spectacular idea... if we all work together and don't get greedy we could rival the big boys in yellow!

Dale

[Guest Helen]

I'm not saying it would be easy to manage!

A board of directors would have to be made up of one person from each company (and I'm only suggesting the group would be formed with a maximum of ten installers). Each company would have to be regulated - both by SSAIB/NACOSS and internally by the group. You will also be keeping your own company with your own good reputation so if things were to go drastically wrong, in the worst case scenario you wouldn't be risking your name.

Each company would claim the same hourly rate for all installation and maintenance work carried out by them. The remaining profit would have to be used/divided in whatever way the board decides at the end of the year. That way the installers doing the lions share of the work get the lions share of the profit. The group would also have more buying power and be able to negotiate better prices on equipment. It does need a lot of thought but I think it could work?

Helen

[JB_]

Allready doing it where i work.

[black knight]

there is several groups of this type already in existance - the company i work for is part of the "Plexus Association" which covers the entire country apart from east anglia, south east and northern ireland where there is currently vacancies for a suitable company.

[jonnyboy]

Our firm is based in Leeds but we do work nationally. We send 1 engineer away for a week usually so installations are no problem. Faults and call outs are dealt with by a local (NACOS) registered firm, we talk their engineers through problems/programming if they need us to. Because we do the installations ourselves problems are minimal and your not relying on another firm for the whole job, only services and faults.