AA Doing enough to promote themsleves to joe bloggs?

[K.T.S Tom]

We have just had our interim assessment done for the AA, its got me thinking... Do the AA promote themselves enough to the general public? iv never seen them at the great Yorkshire show, Chelsea flower show etc etc. But are always at APF, Arb show its abit ice to eskimos.

 

I push domestic customers a lot to ensure that they are aware we are an AAC but 99% time they are just comparing my price to a fella with his son and a transit van and inevitably go for the cheaper option.

 

Do the AA show case themselves to local authority's? We are one of 5 approved contractors to work for our local authority 2 of them arnt AAC.

 

Don't get me wrong I will continue to be AAC because it benefits us having a 3rd party look at us and it also highlights to our employees we are doing as much as we can to be up to date with all health and safety etc etc but sometimes I feel like im paying the AA for me to promote them.

[Paul Cleaver]

Valid comment

[Ian C]

25 minutes ago, K.T.S Tom said:

We have just had our interim assessment done for the AA, its got me thinking... Do the AA promote themselves enough to the general public? iv never seen them at the great Yorkshire show, Chelsea flower show etc etc. But are always at APF, Arb show its abit ice to eskimos.

 

I push domestic customers a lot to ensure that they are aware we are an AAC but 99% time they are just comparing my price to a fella with his son and a transit van and inevitably go for the cheaper option.

 

Do the AA show case themselves to local authority's? We are one of 5 approved contractors to work for our local authority 2 of them arnt AAC.

 

Don't get me wrong I will continue to be AAC because it benefits us having a 3rd party look at us and it also highlights to our employees we are doing as much as we can to be up to date with all health and safety etc etc but sometimes I feel like im paying the AA for me to promote them.

You are, and to answer your question no they don't, I have never been asked by either domestic or commercial clients to be AAAc! I agree its nice to have an industry body and to be recognised but apart from your 3rd party look over what is the real benefit? I so want there to be one but I just cant find it. The AA sell the scheme to the industry but in reality should be selling it to clients!

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi all, and thanks 'KTS Tom' for sticking with the process...I hope the reassessment went well.

 

The issue of AA promotion, or 'lack of', is contentious as if I too were in your position I would want to see a greater presence in the Local Authority and public sectors to increase awareness and generate new business leads.

 

However, sitting on "this side" of the fence it's a somewhat different picture...one involving a very limited resource both staff and financial. We do what we can, when/where we can...and where an opportunity arises  (we did have a presence at Chelsea this year, albeit on the back of the RHS and APGH (All Parliamentary Group for Horticulture, of which the AA is an active member including 'lobbying' ministers on pan-industry wide issues, e.g. Biosecurity / skills shortages.) We offer 'marketing packs / materials' to AA Members and/or Branches to promote themselves and the AA/Schemes where they are exhibiting at County / Regional Shows etc. and, where an opportunity might arise to 'piggy-back' on, for instance, the Woodland Trust or RHS with whom we have developing relationships.    

 

I'm currently seeking to meet with as many LAs as I can, albeit on an ad-hoc basis as I travel around, to increase their awareness and seek their support / promotion of the schemes (increasingly LA websites link to  https://www.trees.org.uk/Find-a-professional or the homepage.) In practice, those LAs who have ready access to a network of, ideally, 3-4 ArbACs within their area are more likely to follow this approach, i.e. a 'chicken n egg' scenario. I'm meeting various Lancashire LAs both directly and indirectly next week by virtue of delivering a BS3998 workshop / seminar at Myerscough and hence being in the area.

 

The "Jo Public" market is difficult for us to reach directly, bar from putting an ad on ITV between Coronation Street (or GMTV as Check-a-Trade do) given it would cost thousands of pounds and hence we seek to equip the ArbACs themselves with marketing / promo stuff as they (you) are the interface.

 

So, not an ideal answer, and I'd love to have the resources available to do more but hopefully some degree of reassurance that we are doin'summat.

 

Can I suggest also posting in the AA ArbAC FB Group page as you may get further marketing / promotional advice / tips from other approved contractors there

 

Thanks again fer discussin..

Paul 

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

5 hours ago, Ian C said:

You are, and to answer your question no they don't, I have never been asked by either domestic or commercial clients to be AAAc! I agree its nice to have an industry body and to be recognised but apart from your 3rd party look over what is the real benefit? I so want there to be one but I just cant find it. The AA sell the scheme to the industry but in reality should be selling it to clients!

Hey Ian, thanks for your "straight talkin", and valid, contribution here but what other industry accreditation schemes / trade associations are most clients aware of other than, for instance, CORGI / Gas Safe and maybe NICEIC / Fensa...because they're regulatory schemes, which we as an industry don't have, and as such all contractors have the logos on their vans. Hence it's a "by association" awareness (only very recently have I seen Gas Safe on TV.) In the commercial sector, ArbAC awareness is increasing as the scheme is registered on SSIP alongside CHAS / SAFEcontractor etc., commercial 'buyers' to better understand why if it's tree surgery services they require ARB Approved Contractor is the scheme they should choose ("work in progress.")

With the (very) limited resources we have we consider the best strategy is to try to gain 'critical mass' from the industry itself, i.e. by attracting more good contractors to the scheme, and by encouraging LAs to support the cause and link websites.

Hopin yer well..

Paul  

[Ian C]

Fair points Paul and I’m not having a dig at all

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

"CCC" (constructive criticism and concerns) Ian, all reasonable, fair n balanced...mostly

 

ATB,

Paul

[K.T.S Tom]

Thanks for your reply Paul.

 

I do genuinely get both sides and as above I will be continuing to be an AAC to try stay a little bit above the rest of the pack.

 

I don't really buy the limited resources line though, an organisation that in 2017 had an income of £1.3m might be able to stretch to an extra employee or 2.

 

Im just expressing my views. I do believe AA is the way forward to 'professionalise' our industry more which I strive to do constantly but if I wasn't in the industry I would have not heard about the AA and to be honest I wouldn't know where to start apart from local authority's and tree officers.

[Steve Bullman]

1 minute ago, K.T.S Tom said:

I don't really buy the limited resources line though, an organisation that in 2017 had an income of £1.3m might be able to stretch to an extra employee or 2.

Whats not to buy? 1.3 million is nothing in the grand scheme of things, especially as far as advertising on TV is concerned. a couple more members of staff isn't going to make much difference there!

[K.T.S Tom]

5 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

Whats not to buy? 1.3 million is nothing in the grand scheme of things, especially as far as advertising on TV is concerned. a couple more members of staff isn't going to make much difference there!

steve sorry I don't fully understand your point.