who's a professional ?

[daveindales]

If you look through Yellow Pages nearly everyone claims to be a professional or an expert in tree work. Is there a definate line between being a cowboy and a professional?

 

Do you need a 'qualification' to be considered a professional? or is possessing the relevent NPTC tickets enough?

 

I left college in 1995 with an HND and felt very much a professional. I could reel off botanical names with ease. I knew all the ins and outs of trees and the law.The list goes on. However, when it came to practical tree surgery I had an awful lot to learn.

 

I started working for myself straight after college and now I will tackle most trees with confidence. However, I now can't spell half the botanical names and have forgotton many of them. When it comes to phloem and xylem, I struggle to remember what it's all about. Am I more professional now or when I left collage. Or was I ever a professional?

[Dave Martin]

If you look through Yellow Pages nearly everyone claims to be a professional or an expert in tree work. Is there a definate line between being a cowboy and a professional?

 

Do you need a 'qualification' to be considered a professional? or is possessing the relevent NPTC tickets enough?

 

I left college in 1995 with an HND and felt very much a professional. I could reel off botanical names with ease. I knew all the ins and outs of trees and the law.The list goes on. However, when it came to practical tree surgery I had an awful lot to learn.

 

I started working for myself straight after college and now I will tackle most trees with confidence. However, I now can't spell half the botanical names and have forgotton many of them. When it comes to phloem and xylem, I struggle to remember what it's all about. Am I more professional now or when I left collage. Or was I ever a professional?

 

Well you have forgotten how to spell college

[daveindales]

Thats exactly what I mean. Could spell anythging years age

[Dave Martin]

Thats exactly what I mean. Could spell anythging years age

 

Eye no wot ewe meen .... thank god for predictive text on the phone to ..cheque:001_cool:

[TheTreeWiseMen]

Either Bodie or Doyle.

[Dominic Phillips]

Isn't a professional someone that if not knowing can find out the answer, particullary in the case of botanical names.

 

This is of course while not being a cowboy.

[Andy Collins]

In my eyes a "professional" is someone who has a broad knowledge of his career, whether learnt through college or on the tools for several years. But more importantly, a "professional' approach to the work, caring for the tree, the property, the client is paramount. BUT its no good spouting all the spiel, being punctual, having matching t-shirts, if the lads look like grunting gorillas, eff and blind on site, throw kit about carelessly, break garden ornaments thru carelessness. Nor does it create a good impression if the truck is full of rubbish, fag packets and dog ends blowing out all over the place.

So to be a "professional" you must care about more than just qualifications, do follow-up calls, check the lads were polite and courteous, and that the client is happy with everything carried out by your team, and if they do have reason to comment on any problems, address them to ensure a better service.

[Mozza]

In my eyes a "professional" is someone who has a broad knowledge of his career, whether learnt through college or on the tools for several years. But more importantly, a "professional' approach to the work, caring for the tree, the property, the client is paramount. BUT its no good spouting all the spiel, being punctual, having matching t-shirts, if the lads look like grunting gorillas, eff and blind on site, throw kit about carelessly, break garden ornaments thru carelessness. Nor does it create a good impression if the truck is full of rubbish, fag packets and dog ends blowing out all over the place.

So to be a "professional" you must care about more than just qualifications, do follow-up calls, check the lads were polite and courteous, and that the client is happy with everything carried out by your team, and if they do have reason to comment on any problems, address them to ensure a better service.

 

 

 

Yup, what Andy said!

[Stephen Blair]

i agree with Mozza on this one lol

[daveindales]

Think thats a pretty good summing-up Andy