Arb approved

[Khriss]

It's realy a paperwork trail to demonstrate compliance with the many -and frankly old - bits of legislation that have existed for a long time , wether its AA or ISO , it's about showing adherence to good practise ( If you have struggled to get the lads to fill in a risk assessment at the beginnning of the day - you will know this !!!! ) And it Should Be Done ..... but is it ?? But without it you aint got a leg to stand on - in court or to yr client , K

[Khriss]

So how does it actually help your business from a buyers point of view? why would they choose you over a non arb approved company?

 

Yr client has an obligation to use a competent contractor that fulfills their obligations under the Acts -they ARE liable in a court if you screw up .. just as you are . It's an arse I kno - but then thats how those barristers buy their Ford Mustangs n Private tuition for Jacinta n her pony ...... K

[Mark Bolam]

I think, and hope, in years to come being AA approved will become the norm for pro companies like Gas Safe or Part P is for plumbers and sparks.

Prices will go up, cowboys will leave town.

That's the dream, anyway.

If I was heading up rather than scaling back I'd go AA no worries. Simply not worth it for me now.

A lot of you are probably already much closer to compliance than you think (or you should be!).

 

 

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[skyhuck]

It was not like that in my experience.

 

Are you an AAAC?

 

If you are did they not stipulate how client equerries where taken and dealt with?

[benedmonds]

Are you an AAAC?

 

If you are did they not stipulate how client equerries where taken and dealt with?

 

I am Arb Approved.

They did not stipulate how to take enquiries, they checked but as long as it met their requirements I think that is good enough.

 

Our industry is full of rogues and it is very difficult for a client to know who to trust, being arb approved gives the client some reassurance that the company they are taking on is not some tip it a scarper firm and we have ticked all the training, insurance, etc, boxes...

 

..I know there are Arb Approved contractors who do shoddy work and I have seen the Bartletts promotional poplar felling, and there are excellent firms who are not approved, but I would hope that using someone who has been independently checked means they are less likely to be dodgy.

[swinny]

I am Arb Approved.

They did not stipulate how to take enquiries, they checked but as long as it met their requirements I think that is good enough

toQUOTE]

 

What requirements do they have? Very interested to know....

 

Would possibly be something that would put me off

[puwer]

I am sure Paul will provide input as required [emoji106].

 

The AA standards do not specifically stipulate how a company manages and records customer Enquiries. The standards state "suitable for the size of business and a logical system to ensure that all get a response".

 

What this means in reality is that a very small company owner may record Enquiries in a diary and then strike through them as they are dealt with, through to a full CRM (client relationship manager) system that a larger company may use.

 

It is very often very easy to assess this element through questioning with a company owner or administrator and simply observing the records a company may make.

 

No requirement for a documented enquiry process/procedure, however where a company holds iSO9001 and has such a process, an assessor may ask to see it and simply ask the company to demonstrate how it complies with its own procedure.

 

Without derailing the thread and just to provide a little food for thought, a large part of the assessment process is about asking a company to demonstrate what it says it is going to do. Particularly for smaller companies, concise risk assessments and policies that are then implemented will be far more effective than reams of paperwork.

 

And lastly for me the scheme is a little bit of a three pronged approach, demonstrating legislative compliance, good practice compliance and consumer protection. A small company having something in place to make sure the people who call them get a return phone call isn't that unreasonable is it, and I would suggest might be one of the reasons a consumer would choose an ArbAC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[WesD]

I am sure Paul will provide input as required [emoji106].

 

The AA standards do not specifically stipulate how a company manages and records customer Enquiries. The standards state "suitable for the size of business and a logical system to ensure that all get a response".

 

What this means in reality is that a very small company owner may record Enquiries in a diary and then strike through them as they are dealt with, through to a full CRM (client relationship manager) system that a larger company may use.

 

It is very often very easy to assess this element through questioning with a company owner or administrator and simply observing the records a company may make.

 

No requirement for a documented enquiry process/procedure, however where a company holds iSO9001 and has such a process, an assessor may ask to see it and simply ask the company to demonstrate how it complies with its own procedure.

 

Without derailing the thread and just to provide a little food for thought, a large part of the assessment process is about asking a company to demonstrate what it says it is going to do. Particularly for smaller companies, concise risk assessments and policies that are then implemented will be far more effective than reams of paperwork.

 

And lastly for me the scheme is a little bit of a three pronged approach, demonstrating legislative compliance, good practice compliance and consumer protection. A small company having something in place to make sure the people who call them get a return phone call isn't that unreasonable is it, and I would suggest might be one of the reasons a consumer would choose an ArbAC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sounds like being taught to suck eggs! If you can't manage to make simple diary entries on a mobile device and ring people back off your own back then you don't deserve to do well. I'd rather not pay for a few initials to make sure I'm on top of my paperwork. If they offer a lot more and jobs are raining in because of it then fair enough BUT if you have high standards and are on top of your game both physically and in the paperwork department then what's the point?

 

 

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[AA Teccie (Paul)]

I am Arb Approved.

They did not stipulate how to take enquiries, they checked but as long as it met their requirements I think that is good enough

toQUOTE]

 

What requirements do they have? Very interested to know....

 

Would possibly be something that would put me off

 

Sorry, been AWOL for a few days.

 

The scheme is not prescriptive here is terms of actual requirements other than the outcome meaning the customer gets a positive response within a reasonable timescale. I can assure you there's no "egg sacking Grannies " involved.

 

Other aspects of the scheme, where there are distinct legislative or industry best practice requirements, are more prescriptive.

 

Please try to get on a Prep Workshop to find out more and ask lots of questions as several contractors did in Cambridgeshire today. There's no charge, but obviously means taking a day off from work ...but it does qualify for both CPD and CEUs.

 

Thanks

Paul

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Sounds like being taught to suck eggs! If you can't manage to make simple diary entries on a mobile device and ring people back off your own back then you don't deserve to do well. I'd rather not pay for a few initials to make sure I'm on top of my paperwork. If they offer a lot more and jobs are raining in because of it then fair enough BUT if you have high standards and are on top of your game both physically and in the paperwork department then what's the point?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

 

Whilst I don't doubt you are "on top of your game " and you have "high standards" how are you reaching this conclusion and what are you benchmarking against....that's an option the scheme and the assessment process brings.

 

I know it's probably the fact that much of your business is repeat custom, and maybe you benchmark by posting here on the forum photos of your pruning, but, respectfully, is that as reliable as an industry recognised accreditation scheme?

 

I'm not naive to think the scheme is perfect, or indeed finished, ie no need to improve and develop it, and I acknowledge some better decisions could / should have been made in the recent past, but overall I do believe the scheme is in a better place than it was a few years ago. If I didn't think this is honestly wouldn't be heading it up.

 

Thanks for your contributions everyone, very valuable.

 

Cheers

Paul