[sherco]

How many of you belong to a trade organisation, and do you think it helps when quoting, as i think jo public hasn't got a clue about any of these. I know that commercial people have a bit more understanding about this...so whats your thoghts?

[Joe H]

National Carpet Cleaners Association
NCCA - the ones that do the training courses you been advised about.
Some here hate it whilst others love it.
I'm in the process of joining after attending their course earlier in December.

I also belong to the Federation of Small Businesses
About £70 per year for my business
Get free legal advice
Free banking with their sponsers - Cooperative Bank
keep you up to date with legslation

[spencer davies]

We are NCCA members and Trading Standards Approved, I believe we win a lot of customer because of these memberships, if joe public isn't aware of them, I tell them.

I think that memberships like these give people more reason to call us than other c-cleaners in our area.

Regards


S

[Joe H]

Hi Spencer
How do you go about getting Trading Standard approval?

[spencer davies]

Hello Joe,

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I have just got back from two weeks holiday in the sun
 

The Trading Standards Approval took about four weeks, after my audit, which took about five hours, they took ten customers details from my data base and contacted each one of them for a reference.

They studied our websites, invoicing systems, insurance details and much more.....but, in the first year, we saw 18 new customers as a direct result of the Trading Standards Approval, well worth the effort.


Regards



S

[*paul_moss]

They only do it if they have the resource availible.
I contacted mine to see if they did such a programme 2 years ago,they said no and because of budget restraints they did not forsee doing this type of thing in the future.
I think Chris Straker has got it as well.
Be lucky you have a decent county council that will do this for you as it can only increase your profile and business.,

[spencer davies]

If you have access to your back office on your website, via the hosting co, you can see all of the hits and clicks coming in each day, I think I get at least three or four from the Trading Standards Link each week.

S

[Straker Cleaning]

Sadly my audit was cancelled when foot and mouth hit Surrey recently ............ may have to chase them up again soon, when i get a minute 

[ianharper]

Guys

Not all councils trading standards run approval systems, so i have asked the NCCA is they would consider running "Trustmark" it a government system that they get trad bodies to run. Its for maintenance and mostly builders. but this would work better if it fits

For example if you are trading standards in one county it will not cover you in another. and with Internet marketing it would be easy to get caught out.

I know how much value these systems have with customers, they love them so it would be nice to get one UK wide for us.

plus it would be beneficial for the NCCA if all its member had this type of approval system in place, being government backed

Respectfully

Ian Harper