Finding work

[Milo12]

Hey guys
I work alongside an electrician while getting my qualifications, I’ve got my Level 2 and 3 and going for my 18th exam soon and at some point I’d be looking at doing an NVQ.
Work has been a little slow as we’re just starting out and I was just wondering if you guys had any tips for building up a customer base or on kinds of businesses we can look at trying to get work with?
Any help would be really appreciated as I’d like to get more experience and work for us, especially if I were to book in to do the NVQ

 

[binky]

you're usually better off with your own work, but as you don't have a sizeable customer base yet, then site work may suit you.

Other than that, local advertising rag is good for work. Sign written van helps a lot, get a few fliers made up and post through letterboxes of the neighbours you have done jobs for, but most of all ask happy customers to recommend you to friends and family aand leave a few business cards. Apparently social media can also be good, but I never really got the hang of that.

 

[poni]

I’ve got my Level 2 and 3 and going for my 18th exam soon

do you need to do the 18th exam, as you have completed level's 2&3 to the 18th ed already?

then an NVQ, would the AM2s not be better? or would you need to do both

 

[Murdoch]

And if you want to do your own work and you live in England or wales you need to read up on CPS membership too

 

[Tony Soprano]

do you need to do the 18th exam, as you have completed level's 2&3 to the 18th ed already?

then an NVQ, would the AM2s not be better? or would you need to do both

The AM2 is part of the NVQ. You have to do the Am2 and an evidence based portfolio. This is the issue a lot of older guys have. Because they haven’t done the portfolio or the Am2 (NVQ) they can’t get a gold card

 

[surrey bloke]

As someone who looks for sparkles from time to time I would say responding to telephone calls promptly . Also a decent website giving details of the work your looking for .
I do know some folk who pick up bits of work from “mybuilder” . I have looked for sparkles on the NICEIC website but getting folk to answer the phone is sometimes challenging. Some will not answer the phone after a certain time in the day. Others will not answer the phone during the day ???

 

[mort2376]

I have looked for sparkles on the NICEIC website but getting folk to answer the phone is sometimes challenging. Some will not answer the phone after a certain time in the day. Others will not answer the phone during the day ???

I find that it's a balancing act. I tend not to answer the phone during the day if I'm working as I'm being paid to work not answer the phone. As its one of my pet hates when you employ a trade and they spend so much time on the phone rather than working.

My answer phone message states I'm working or driving and please leave a message and I will return your call that day. It seems to work for me and does filter out people just looking for a quick cheap price.

But you do hear alot of people saying trades don't answer or answer and agree a time to visit to look and never turn up.

 

[Murdoch]

I use WhatsApp for business which automatically sending out a message saying I’ll reply the next working day.

What frustrates me are people that try calling more than once but don’t leave messages

bottom line is that most decent tradespeople aren’t sitting around waiting for the phone to ring

And I don’t advertise either

 

[Fleeting]

The AM2 is part of the NVQ. You have to do the Am2 and an evidence based portfolio. This is the issue a lot of older guys have. Because they haven’t done the portfolio or the Am2 (NVQ) they can’t get a gold card

This isn't quite true there are alternative routes. I do not have the AM2 yet hold a gold technician card. I have also sponsored people without an AM2 to achieve a gold card.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

As someone who looks for sparkles from time to time I would say responding to telephone calls promptly . Also a decent website giving details of the work your looking for .
I do know some folk who pick up bits of work from “mybuilder” . I have looked for sparkles on the NICEIC website but getting folk to answer the phone is sometimes challenging. Some will not answer the phone after a certain time in the day. Others will not answer the phone during the day ???

Any half-decent electrician will have several weeks of work already booked up....

If I am paying any tradesperson to do work for me, I am most pi55ed off if they spend half the time talking to other customers about work that has NO relation to what I am paying for..

If a tradesperson is busy and cannot answer a phone call straight away.....
Then an answerphone message, e-mail or text responded to within one to one & half working days is a prompt response in my opinion.

Plus sometimes, even if you want to answer a phone call, if you are up a ladder, or have work-gloves on, working a touch-screen can be a right pain in the rear!!!!!!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

What frustrates me are people that try calling more than once but don’t leave messages

bottom line is that most decent tradespeople aren’t sitting around waiting for the phone to ring

Agreed!! These are two KEY facts that have significant impact upon how important it may or may-not be to answer a phone call!!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I find that it's a balancing act. I tend not to answer the phone during the day if I'm working as I'm being paid to work not answer the phone. As its one of my pet hates when you employ a trade and they spend so much time on the phone rather than working.

I've lost count of the number of jobs I have been on where "other-trades" spend loads of time walking around the van chatting to other prospective customers, rather than getting on with what they are being paid for.

 

[surrey bloke]

I get it that any trade maybe up a ladder when the phone rings. But understand that we all have our living to earn.
It annoys me when I get “I , ll get back to you” . But getting back to me may not be convenient for me either.

 

[binky]

As someone who looks for sparkles from time to time I would say responding to telephone calls promptly . Also a decent website giving details of the work your looking for .
I do know some folk who pick up bits of work from “mybuilder” . I have looked for sparkles on the NICEIC website but getting folk to answer the phone is sometimes challenging. Some will not answer the phone after a certain time in the day. Others will not answer the phone during the day ???

I used to answer the phone at any time, but, phone calls at 5pm on a Sunday afternoon to ask if I can come out straight away to 'quote' for connecting a cooker and 11-30pm on a saturday night because the doorbell is stuck completely put me off doing that. You have to have some down time for your own sanity and famly life. So I stopped answering calls after 7pm, and only on Saturday mornings. I found if it was truly something urgent, people would leave a message, I would listen to the message and decide if I wanted to get back to them or not. I have done a proper emergency job on Xmas eve, I don't mind helping people really in the poo, but people seem to think we are available 24/7/365 - fine if you advertise that, but otherwise not.