Badge of honour

We chose to become part of the Electrical Contractors’ Association because we believed it was the best fit for our business – the ECA claims to promote professionalism and to represent the best in electrical engineering and building services.

The ECA further states that: “its member companies have attained the high standards demanded by the Association,” and the ECA has “recognised the benefit of extending its membership base to involve clients, designers, installers, manufacturers and distributors.”

The ECA confirms its aim is: “to ensure that electrical installation work is undertaken by qualified people, to high standards of quality and safety and to terms that are equitable to the client and installer.”

Having put these foundation stones in place, let me go on further to explain my dilemma. Over the last six months we have received over 80 telephone enquiries regarding electrical installations and inspection, testing and certification of existing fixed installations. These enquiries came from a wide range of potential clients – homeowners, doctor’s surgeries, property agents, insurance companies, pubs, clubs and industrial facilities.

For the inspection, testing and certification in particular, after spending time explaining the need for periodic inspection and testing and outlining the requirements of IEE Guidance Note 3, all of which develops a level of confidence with the client that we know what we are doing, we are asked finally: “Oh, and you are NICEIC registered aren’t you?” Well, unfortunately, we are not (yet).

No amount of explanation about the ECA and what it stands for ever satisfies the potential client. Even after we have told them we only employ time-served, apprentice-trained electricians, all of whom have further qualifications to C&G 2381 and 2391, and that the company employs an electrical engineer who is a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers with 35 years’ experience in the industry, it still makes no difference.

It would appear that despite all of this, together with our Building Regulations Part P Registered Installer qualification and our ISO 9001, we are, in the eyes of a broad cross section of society, not considered acceptable to undertake certain work.

So, what is wrong with the ECA? Why, in the eyes of many, are we not considered to be acceptable? Do we need a national publicity campaign, with large adverts in the newspapers, to make people aware that ECA firms are as competent as anyone else to carry out new installations and inspection and testing work? Or do we let our memberships lapse and join the NICEIC to gain access to a huge business market, for which we are currently discriminated against?

Do other firms experience similar difficulties, where the ECA is not considered acceptable? Please, can anyone help me to understand what is wrong with the ECA!

No amount of explanation about the ECA and what it stands for ever satisfies the potential client

Malcolm Bell is managing director at Stella Maintenance Technologies.

ECA director David Pollock responds: Malcolm Bell asks in his letter about the value of ECA membership. While we are not complacent, I can confidently tell Malcolm that the arguments he quotes to join the Association are bringing quality companies to the ECA in unprecedented numbers.

Malcolm reports that “a wide range of potential clients” have disregarded his qualifications and his ECA membership as adequate credentials. This indicates that those clients have probably not caught up with the changes to the Building Regulations and do not understand the distinction between certification bodies and trade associations.

The ECA has successfully explained the benefits of using ECA members to many clients. I would be very happy to have details from Malcolm of the clients who seem not to have given his credentials, including ECA membership, the value they deserve.

The ECA is a trade association, not a certification body ie it is a democratically run membership body that exists to represent the interests of its members and, more generally, those of the sector as a whole. It seeks to demonstrate to clients, contractors and government that its members are the best qualified, best supported and best advised companies in the sector.

Specifically on technical competence, the ECA led the way by requiring the periodic assessment of its members’ work. And in order to ensure there was no confusion following the introduction of Part P, it decided recently that all members who carry out work in dwellings must register with a government-authorised Competent Person scheme.

Our programme of advertisements in the trade press and direct marketing to the professional client group has had spectacular results, as confirmed by annual surveys undertaken by independent market research companies.

The ECA will continue to promote its members on the basis of quality and professionalism. I hope that Malcolm will come and discuss the issues in his letter with me and that he may be able to help his Association achieve even greater profile and success.