ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION by Which? Trusted Traders

HOW ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CAN IMPROVE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN YOUR KBB BUSINESS

comment by Stephen McCluskey, Managing Director at Which? Trusted Traders

You may or may not have heard about Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), but from April 2015, new UK regulations will come into force which set out the common standards for ADR providers. While using ADR will still be voluntary for traders in the KBB industry, we, the team at Which? Trusted Traders, believe that ADR is something that you should know the advantages of.

It’s staggering to know that the number of complaints made against tradespeople last year was 1.3 million, according to Ombudsman Services’ annual Consumer Action Monitor. That’s 2% of all customer complaints made in the UK. As a KBB installer, ADR is a tool that you can use to increase consumer confidence and so improve the growth of your business. Every tradesperson who signs up to Which? Trusted Traders is able to access ADR. So what is ADR and why is it so important for us to offer it to our traders and customers?

As consumers, if a product we buy from a shop turns out to be faulty, we are entitled to a refund or an exchange without having to jump through too many hoops. To encourage consumer confidence, a retailer’s own return and refund policies may often exceed what people are entitled to from a legal point of view – this gives people the confidence to make purchases knowing they are protected if something goes wrong. And, while KBB installation transactions can be more complex than those seen in the retail sector, people are more likely to have confidence in your profession if they feel protected.

Your customers, like consumers in a shop, naturally want to know that any issues with the work you are providing - whether related to the materials you have used, your craftsmanship, or personnel - will be resolved as swiftly as possible.

No doubt, whether you are an independent KBB installer or you work for a larger organisation, you will have a procedure or a set of policies in place to ensure your customers can access your complaints process. At Which? Trusted Traders we believe it’s in your interest that these matters are rectified quickly to preserve your personal and business reputation. But sometimes that isn’t always possible – this can be due to circumstances surrounding the dispute or perhaps a reluctance to resolve the matter on either side. Without access to an ADR scheme, the alternative for the consumer or KBB installer is to go to court which can be an expensive, time-consuming and stressful process.

As a KBB installer these legal proceedings can also result in negative attention for your business. Even if you do go on to eventually win the case, the damage can already be done, either through the press or through word of mouth. It is in these instances that offering your customers access to an effective ADR mechanism can prove invaluable. At Which? Trusted Traders we offer all traders who sign up and pass our assessment process access to ADR through our partnership with Ombudsman Services.

ADR schemes offer an alternative route for resolving disputes between consumers and businesses. Customers who are unhappy with the service of trader belonging to the Which? Trusted Trader scheme first raise a complaint with the trader directly. While most issues are resolved amicably, if a resolution isn’t reached after eight weeks the complaint can be escalated to our ADR provider, Ombudsman Services, who investigate and make an independent and impartial recommendation to reach an amicable resolution. The service is free for consumers to use and remedies can vary from an apology to a financial award. For traders, offering access to ADR shows existing and potential customers that you value good service and are willing to be held to account. Feedback from organisation that have used ADR tends to be positive. A survey by the European Commission survey indicates that 82% of businesses who have used ADR would use it again.

Since its launch, Which? Trusted Traders has offered its traders and our consumers access to ADR. Feedback from both sides has been extremely positive. By offering ADR as part of the Which? Trusted Trader scheme, it shows that we are ahead of the curve and highlights that we, like the traders we endorse, are serious about ensuring there is backup and protection for consumers should something go wrong.

For more information on Which? Trusted Traders and ADR please visit: trustedtraders.which.co.uk/ for-traders or call: 02036 035 701

RIM-EX BY VITRA

ELIMINATES THE WC PAN RIM

The innovative VitrA RIM-EX toilet features a special new rimless design to maximise hygiene. The rimless bowl features a sleek and easy clean surface, eradicating any possible space for bacteria to collect, and making cleaning quick and fuss free.

The new RIM-EX WC features a pioneering and unique ceramic water distribution mechanism. It is designed to precisely distribute water, ensuring efficiency and removing the need for a standard rim. This unique water distribution mechanism is fully removable so that cleaning can be easy and thorough. The bowl’s shape has also been developed to make flushing efficient. In tests designed to examine the effectiveness of the system, the Akdeniz University determined that the RIM-EX WC pans were considerably easier to clean and were 95% more hygienic than standard WCs. This exciting new design has been recognised throughout the industry with the M-Line RIM-EX WC winning a Good Design, Plus X, iF Product Design, and Designer Kitchen and Bathroom award.

The RIM-EX rimless WC range now includes designs in some of VitrA’s most popular ranges; Nest, Shift, T4 and M-Line from its Designer Collection; and S50 and Arkitekt from its Bathroom and Commercial Collection. This gives a wide variety of choice in terms of both design and price. With these new additions, many bathrooms can now benefit from the superior hygiene and ease of cleaning experienced with a RIM-EX WC.

The RIM-EX M-Line toilet is also available with the VitrA Fresh system. The VitrA Fresh flush tank adds a dose of cleaning liquid to every flush, ensuring the highest levels of hygiene with the minimum effort. The tank is located inconspicuously at the back of the WC, making it easy to add fresh liquid. Refills are needed infrequently.

For further information please call VitrA on 01235 750 990 or visit the website at www.vitra.co.uk