ON THE SPOT//JUSTIN CHAPMAN NICEIC and ELECSA employ 80 engineers across the country to assess contractors’ work and provide up-to-date technical advice. To many contractors, they will be the face of NICEIC and ELECSA. Here, we turn the tables and put them in the spotlight » Justin Chapman West and South West London
Stand out with an online video NICEIC and ELECSA are offering contractors the chance to boost their business with a personalised video promoting registered electricians. Earlier this year, NICEIC and ELECSA launched their first-ever TV and online commercial. The Cage was a 30-second film highlighting the hidden dangers of electricity in the home and the importance of using a registered electrician. The commercial aired on TV in Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout Easter and was promoted across social media throughout the UK. In total, it has been viewed by more than 8 million people since its launch. Contractors can now have their own tailored copy of The Cage to include their company name and details. The film can then be used on a website or as part of a marketing strategy to promote their business to more customers. Mark Smith, marketing and communications director at NICEIC and ELECSA, said: “Video content is now one of the most effective ways of marketing a business. “However, electricians are generally very busy people and finding time to create a film that tells customers who they are and what they do is both time-consuming and costly. “We want to help them by providing a ready-made film that will mark out their business as professional and generate more opportunities.” Contractors looking to create their own film simply have to log into the portal at www.thecagetvdownload.co.uk using their existing NICEIC or ELECSA registration details. They then supply some simple information that they would like to feature on the commercial, which is created instantly for the contractor to download. The cost of the film is £60. The film can then be used on company websites, shared on social media or emailed off to prospective clients at the click of a button. “The NICEIC and ELECSA brands have already been proven to win our contractors more work, and this is just another way of using modern technology to help our registrants stand out from the crowd,” added Smith.
How did you become an area engineer? I previously worked at the NICEIC headquarters in Dunstable as a customer relations engineer, before an opportunity arose to become an area engineer. How does your typical day go? Meeting contractors at their office, undertaking an officebased audit and then going to various locations to assess their electrical installation work, including answering questions on BS7671. What are the main issues that contractors might forget or overlook? Not making use of the comment box on an EIC to record observations about the existing electrical installation. What’s the strangest thing you have come across during an assessment? Nothing too bizarre or out of the ordinary yet, but I am waiting for that day to come. What’s the strangest request you have had? I had one contractor ask me if I minded stairs. Confused at first, I asked why. He said we had to walk up 24 flights of stairs to get to the top of the Nestlé tower in Croydon to view a bird-scarer installation he had put in. The building was being decommissioned, with no services – including lifts.
As you can imagine, my thighs were burning when we finally got to the top. What interesting jobs have your contractors been involved with? One contractor did some work for the Manor Racing F1 team. In one of the buildings we visited there were some of the world’s greatest rally cars on display. In the workshop area there were engineers preparing Aston Martins for track racing. What are your interests outside work? I do enjoy walking with my dogs, as it gets me out of the house, whatever the weather. If you could have a superpower what would it be? Teleportation would be great way to avoid the long queues and plane travel. If you had a day off tomorrow, what would you do? On my last day off, I went to Spa-Francorchamps, to watch the Belgian Grand Prix. Favourite book, film and TV programme? Books are not my thing really (apart from BS7671, obviously). I do tend to read various magazines though. My favourite film would be Jerry Maguire and TV programme is Bones. What’s the best bit of advice you have received in your career? The effort you put in is always what you will get out.
Connections Autumn 2016
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