Arb Approved - is it worth it?

[showoffsummer]

Where abouts in Northumberland are you?

 

never new there were so many northumberland based arbtalkers! a recreational climb must be organised this summer!

[Rupe]

I thnk its a good thing to do, but as to weather its "worth it", well that depends on how you define worth.

 

If you are looking purely at moneytary returns, then it depends on how well you are doing in the first place. If you are doing fine and have good contracts and income then its just the icing on the cake, probably not going to make a lot of difference, but if you are struggling to get into the contract you want then it might help.

 

I am glad I have done it, but I'm no better off financially as yet, we'll see what happens, but I'm busy with work and always have been. I have had a few enquiries and doen some quotes that came direct from customers looking on the AA website, but the jobs were conny bashing ones, and I stopped doing that kind of thing 10years ago and have little interest in starting again now!

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Arb approved is the way to go my man, its so worth the money and will open doors.

 

it will also make you keep upto date with things and think about things in a more professional and robust way. It will give you sense of pride too, and sets you apart.

 

How do you know this (your first paragraph) Tony?

 

I'm looking at going down the AAAC route too but am now struggling to see how a small business can benefit enough financially as the increase in office work will increase so much.

If the return exceeds the investment then it's worth it. By investment i mean office, financial, physical, mental.

 

 

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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?lm3jyv

[Rupe]

By investment i mean office, financial, physical, mental.

 

So far it has not been worth it by any of those definitions, but its early days yet.

 

Glad you mention mental!! I dont believe anyone can achieve it without some mental strain/impact. The day after the assessment I had to go and finish the job that we did for the assessment. I got there and sat in a heap all day and was useless! Never felt like that before, I was just drained! But I had eaten zero the day before due to the stress of it all!

 

I am still not sure that a small business, especially one that has a good local reputation already, will benefit. I think you need to look at it as personal achievment first and then anything else is a bonus.

[StephF]

Where abouts in Northumberland are you?

 

South East part of Kielder forest, so some of our work is for FC in Kielder, but we get around most of Northumberland except the coast areas & Newcastle. Have no desire to work in City / large towns again after 20 years in North Herts

[Andy Collins]

I think that this curent recession is going to determine a lot more than AA Approval, and I mean no disrespect to anyone doing it or having succeeded in doing it, its no mean feat!

But i would really look at your own reasons for wanting to do Approval. I dont think it will attract more work, or necessarily more money, it may increase the quality of the clients you tender for, those with larger wallets in the domestic market, and the commercial clients who need to see all the paperwork is in order, and by choosing AAACs that is one headache they havent got to think about.

Personally, I have the wealthy type of clients with the big house etc, as do many of us "ordinary" tree companies, I can demonstrate to them that I can do the job, and manage the jobs I dont personally do, i can supply a raft of paperwork when required for the council to approve works on TPO/CA trees, i can positively ID one or two trees, and if your really lucky I may even give you the botanical names too. i can put a sticker in the windscreen telling people not to smoke coz its against the law, and i have a First Aiders badge from the Cubs. i carry my Ins documents with me to show my clients, my NPTC cert to prove I can crosscut and maintain a chain. IMO I cannot see any point in my going for AAAC. I would gain nothing, and spend a lot, I have no delusions of grandeur, or intentions of building a tree trimming empire. Each to their own I suppose.

[skyhuck]

I think that this curent recession is going to determine a lot more than AA Approval, and I mean no disrespect to anyone doing it or having succeeded in doing it, its no mean feat!

But i would really look at your own reasons for wanting to do Approval. I dont think it will attract more work, or necessarily more money, it may increase the quality of the clients you tender for, those with larger wallets in the domestic market, and the commercial clients who need to see all the paperwork is in order, and by choosing AAACs that is one headache they havent got to think about.

Personally, I have the wealthy type of clients with the big house etc, as do many of us "ordinary" tree companies, I can demonstrate to them that I can do the job, and manage the jobs I dont personally do, i can supply a raft of paperwork when required for the council to approve works on TPO/CA trees, i can positively ID one or two trees, and if your really lucky I may even give you the botanical names too. i can put a sticker in the windscreen telling people not to smoke coz its against the law, and i have a First Aiders badge from the Cubs. i carry my Ins documents with me to show my clients, my NPTC cert to prove I can crosscut and maintain a chain. IMO I cannot see any point in my going for AAAC. I would gain nothing, and spend a lot, I have no delusions of grandeur, or intentions of building a tree trimming empire. Each to their own I suppose.

 

:congrats:

[Johny Walker]

dosent it involve loads off paper work etc, thats the 1,thing a dislike about this job p/w,so it a no frome me too

[chrisgilltreesurgery]

Thing is though, I do most of the office work that they require you do do anyway so my thoughts are why not?

 

Its not that much money either and it will be another thing to set me aside from the competition up here.

 

Yes we do good tree work, supply all relevant paperwork when required and have a good business with a fantastic domestic and commercial customer base which has been built up over the last 10 years.

 

The main reason i am going down this rout is that i am wanting to break more into the commercial market as the domestic market is becoming so cut throught up here.

 

Ill let you know how we get on with it.

 

Thanks for all your comments

[John Shutler]

im doing it for the sence of achievement. i need things to work towards otherwise i feel stagnent so after im a AAAC il find the next thing to work towards