AA approval . is it worth it ??

[combined tree services]

this may sound a bit like some of the other posts but i am reall interested to hear oppinions from both aa approved contractors and contractors that are not , what do you all think to the scheme is it worth it and do you really reap the rewards ???

[Joe]

i know that a lot of council and housing associations will not employ contractors unless aa approved.

[gibbon]

i know that a lot of council and housing associations will not employ contractors unless aa approved.

 

I'm a member of AA and have been AAAC for 1 year. I am still unsure as to whether or not its really going to make a difference long term, but I hope so.

 

What I do know is that currently the AAAC scheme is the only such assesment that asseses every part of your company. It is rigourous and there is a load of bol***ks involved but if you believe that you are doing good work to a high standard why would you not want some kind of recognition for it? It is the only thing that sets you appart from all those shonky cutters out there. Lets face it anyone can get an nptc and insurance but very few have what it takes to reach aaac. If you can do it then why not. I reckon it cost me less than a grand and a whole lot of hours work. The referrals I get from it pay for the annual fee.

[Mesterh]

i know that a lot of council and housing associations will not employ contractors unless aa approved.

 

I think you will find that they shouldnt discriminate against non AA approved contractors by law.

[John Hancock]

i know that a lot of council and housing associations will not employ contractors unless aa approved.

 

That must be because they are ignorant, lazy so and so’s (IMO). Surely it wouldn’t take much time and effort to research your local tree care companies, sort out the good from the bad and then add them to their approved contractors list.

 

I for one, don’t need the AA to tell me I’m a good contractor.

[john@arbtech]

That must be because they are ignorant, lazy so and so’s (IMO). Surely it wouldn’t take much time and effort to research your local tree care companies, sort out the good from the bad and then add them to their approved contractors list.

 

I for one, don’t need the AA to tell me I’m a good contractor.

 

By 'their approved list' do you mean the contractors they use, or the ones the recommend?

[John Hancock]

By 'their approved list' do you mean the contractors they use, or the ones the recommend?

 

I’m talking about the councils/housing association approved contractors list. Why be lazy and rely on the AA approved list when there are so many good companies out there!?

[skyhuck]

I'm a member of AA and have been AAAC for 1 year. I am still unsure as to whether or not its really going to make a difference long term, but I hope so.

 

What I do know is that currently the AAAC scheme is the only such assesment that asseses every part of your company. It is rigourous and there is a load of bol***ks involved but if you believe that you are doing good work to a high standard why would you not want some kind of recognition for it? It is the only thing that sets you appart from all those shonky cutters out there. Lets face it anyone can get an nptc and insurance but very few have what it takes to reach aaac. If you can do it then why not. I reckon it cost me less than a grand and a whole lot of hours work. The referrals I get from it pay for the annual fee.

 

Please don't take this the wrong way

 

But why do you need some organisation to tell you your up too scratch??

 

My work speaks for its self.

 

My customers are the people who's approval I seek, as they pay me, not the other way round.

 

There are some sound reasons for becoming a AAAC, such as wishing to sell you Co.

 

But for me, who has as much or more work than I can cope with and no desire to get any bigger, what would be the point??

[gibbon]

Please don't take this the wrong way

 

But why do you need some organisation to tell you your up too scratch??

 

My work speaks for its self.

 

My customers are the people who's approval I seek, as they pay me, not the other way round.

 

There are some sound reasons for becoming a AAAC, such as wishing to sell you Co.

 

But for me, who has as much or more work than I can cope with and no desire to get any bigger, what would be the point??

 

Because I am in an area where there are already 3 other AAAC firms within 10 miles. When I became self employed 4 years ago I was pricing against these firms and about 3 or 4 who were not aaac. The other firms were shonky on h&s and shonky on quality of work and still are. If you are a new name in the domestic market you need to be cheap to get the work in the first place to build the reputation. I was pricing against the shonky cutters and it bothered me.

 

My LA approached me, as did the national trust, as I knew them through my previous employment. They both wanted to use me personally but encouraged me to get approaved to meet internal pressuresd to use approaved firms.

 

I hear what your saying about why have someone tell you your good. If I wasn't aaac I would still be turning out good work, but I did learn a lot from the process. My employees benifit the most as they get more training and a more secure job. The whole assesment process demostrated to them that I was serious about training them up well and helping them progress their own careers.

[John Hancock]

The thread reminds me of a certain Monty Python sketch……especially because we’re all going to the show at the weekend...

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaE3EaQte78&feature=fvst]YouTube - Life of Brian - What have the Romans done (Immaculate Ed.)[/ame]