AA Affilaite Contractor Member to ARB Approved Contractor

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi all, I hope you're well and having / had a good BH Weekend, albeit very variable weather...still, what else would we talk about?

 

How's about why you're not ARB Approved...if I may be so blunt?

 

I guess the answer from many / most is because you don't have t'be yeah. However, I'm sure many of the many of you would welcome an equivalent CORGI / GAS Safe Scheme to differentiate your business, skills, knowledge and competencies etc. and get the recognition you rightly deserve.

 

Well, currently, ARB Approved is the best option that goes someway to achieving this and whilst we have some fantastic contractors on the scheme ("thank you"), and yes some who are still "work in progress" (also thank you), there's plenty of scope for more.

(REMEMBER there's probably never going to be a Government lead requirement to be approved / accredited as we're simply not a significant enough, nor hazardous enough (except to "our own") industry and unless Labour get in de-regulation will remain the order of the (Tory) day )

 

The other reason many contractors tell me they don't become ARB Approved is because there's too much paperwork involved. The reality is "yes" there is paperwork involved but the amount varies dependent on the size of the business and the type of work / contracts you undertake (since 2011 the 'amount' for small businesses has been significantly reduced and that's why those in the 1-5 people and 6-9 people categories now account for almost 2/3rds of the 300 or so ARB Approved Contractors nationally.)

 

The 'Affiliate Contractor Member' is an assessed (desk-top) membership category that goes 25-30% of the way towards ARB Approval and hence acts as a "stepping stone" guided and supported by us.(Cost is £250+VAT per year and this includes the £50 assessment fee at application.)

 

Lastly, for now, if I may, can I challenge you to ask yourself "why" the general public knows about CORGI / GAS Safe?

(yes I acknowledge it is a legal requirement and hence has a much higher status in that respect but has CORGI / GAS Safe ever written to you or been on main stream TV, or the broadsheets particularly...or is it because every van you see carries the logo...yours could be carrying the 'ARB Approved Contractor' logo and thereby helping the cause..!)

 

Thanks for reading...and I hope you sleep well

 

Cheers all n tc out there:thumbup1:

Paul

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

PS Here are the forthcoming FREE workshop events http://www.trees.org.uk/Training-And-Events/Course?id=4064C348-E789-4DAF-8918-C5C29CE6050E an opportunity to find out more (and to qualify for 25% discount on the initial assessment fee if you come along...and apply for assessment within 3 months.)

 

PPS I know I've smelt Affiliate wrong...deliberate of course

 

Cheers,

Paul

[skyhuck]

Paul, I think you are bang out of order comparing your scheme to CORGI/GAS safe.

 

They are both legally required for any gas work and the actual operative doing the work must be qualified, not simply the firm.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Paul, I think you are bang out of order comparing your scheme to CORGI/GAS safe.

 

They are both legally required for any gas work and the actual operative doing the work must be qualified, not simply the firm.

 

Ooops, that's not a good start then reason I did so is because it's often cited to me "by comparison."

 

This was in no way intended to mislead people about the ARB Approved Scheme and it's standing / status, i.e. a voluntary, industry 'best practice' standard scheme as opposed to a legally required status = "Top Trumped" all round.

 

So, can we start again with the above context defined? (didn't mean to spoil yer BH

 

Cheers,

Paul

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Ooops, that's not a good start then reason I did so is because it's often cited to me "by comparison."

 

This was in no way intended to mislead people about the ARB Approved Scheme and it's standing / status, i.e. a voluntary, industry 'best practice' standard scheme as opposed to a legally required status = "Top Trumped" all round.

 

So, can we start again with the above context defined? (didn't mean to spoil yer BH

 

Cheers,

Paul

 

PS Sorry, after my initial panic here I took a slug of coffee n calmed...n realized I'm not drawing a comparison in the context of status / standing really but more using the example to highlight "why" most people know about CORGI / GAS Safe, i.e. by seeing the logo on the vans (that's certainly why I know about it and having now asked the question at tens of workshops it seems true for many others.)

 

So I'm not really comparing scheme for scheme, or at least not meaning to (apologies), and you're absolutely right that ARB Approved isn't, and never will be, a legal requirement and if I "overstate" it's status that's coz I believe in it and I know it helps businesses coz just about everyone that's gone through the process has told me so.

 

Paul

[skyhuck]

No problem Paul

[skyhuck]

PS Sorry, after my initial panic here I took a slug of coffee n calmed...n realized I'm not drawing a comparison in the context of status / standing really but more using the example to highlight "why" most people know about CORGI / GAS Safe, i.e. by seeing the logo on the vans (that's certainly why I know about it and having now asked the question at tens of workshops it seems true for many others.)

 

So I'm not really comparing scheme for scheme, or at least not meaning to (apologies), and you're absolutely right that ARB Approved isn't, and never will be, a legal requirement and if I "overstate" it's status that's coz I believe in it and I know it helps businesses coz just about everyone that's gone through the process has told me so.

 

Paul

 

Do you have the figure for firms who having been on the scheme chose to no longer remain on it?

 

I know of a few.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Do you have the figure for firms who having been on the scheme chose to no longer remain on it?

 

I know of a few.

 

What's the old adage about all publicity is good...even bad publicity.

 

So, with the "warts and all" approach, yep we do have annual attrition from the scheme which is on average around 3% (about 6-8 per year.) There are various reasons for this including businesses sold, business who fold, businesses who retire and yes a few who don't feel they get any benefits...often these are business who have been less active than others in attracting new business and promoting themselves on the back of the approval. Thankfully, and of course because the scheme is a good place to be , we attract 'more' every year so growth, albeit has slowed, but is still upwards.

 

The vast majority stick with the scheme year on year and often grow and expand their businesses...if that is their aspiration of course (I don't have specific 'facts n figures' here) but most seem quite happy and satisfied with the service we offer...that's not to say we couldn't do more but we do what we can with a relatively small resource (approx. 3 FTEs at Head Office.)

 

Next 'searching' question please...but the reply will have to wait a little as I've been summonsed for a walk...by the dog .

 

Cheers,

Paul

 

PS I know the scheme's weaknesses, and I know there's much work to do to raise awareness, but I believe we are moving in the right direction...we just need a few (lot) more helping hands to push us along.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Paul, a while back I recall a mention that AAAC included membership of FSB. Is my memory serving me correctly there?

 

If yes, is this also the case for AAAC lite?

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Paul, a while back I recall a mention that AAAC included membership of FSB. Is my memory serving me correctly there?

 

If yes, is this also the case for AAAC lite?

 

Hi Kevin,

 

By 'AAAC' lite I presume you mean small business, i.e. "fewer than 5 employees" (which is the same as the 1-5 people business size including the employer.)

 

FSB is available to AAACs but not included. Joining as an AAAC waives the FSB £30 registration fee, a "one-off" fee, and means the AA Charity Research Fund gets a £50 introduction fee (currently funding SRT research.) FSB membership costs from about £160 per year...payable to FSB.

 

Do you possibly mean 'Trustmark Registered Firm' membership, which costs an additional £40 per year and can only be accessed, as a 'tree surgery business', via AAAC.

 

Sorry, why do I always give complicated replies