Emma Segelov, Head of Marketing for MK Electric, looks at three key ways to switch onto light commercial projects.
For savvy electricians, the opportunities of the light commercial sector are endless. With an ever-growing SME market, and high levels of growth predicted for 2018, it’s well worth capitalising on the possibilities of small to medium sized businesses.
SMEs are big business, and with over 75% – representing roughly 4.13 million enterprises – confident that they will secure funding for business growth in 2018, the potential they offer to electricians is big business, too.
However, for those who are new to light commercial work, pitching for jobs can be daunting. With this in mind, we’ve put together three core areas where electricians can add value to an SME project.
USBs
In the current smart-centric climate, the majority of people rely on one kind of smart device or another. Whether it’s for business, leisure or both, most people are unlikely to leave the house without their phone or tablet.
With this in mind, recommending USB charging capability to business owners is a great way to not only add an upsell to a project, but demonstrate a strong level of commercial understanding.
Whether it’s a café, offices, or a hotel, the addition of USB charging can attract consumers, and keep them on the premises for longer. However, it’s also important to choose the right product for optimum performance.
For example, look for options which feature dynamic device recognition (DDR). DDR is important because different devices – a Samsung or an iPhone, a smartphone, tablet an MP3 player – actually charge in different ways. That’s why some USB chargers can perfectly charge, say, an iPhone 6, but struggle to make inroads into an iPad.
DDR ensures that whatever make or model is being charged – Apple, Samsung, Nokia, iPad and many more – the device recognises the socket or module as it would its own charger and draws current from the USB charging socket in the way that best suits its design. This ensures efficient charging, no matter what the device.
From a user-safety perspective, it’s also important to check for safety features such as USB port internal cut out which protects against overloading or short circuits.
USB sockets are also simple to install and retrofit, with certain ranges, for example MK Electric’s Logic Plus, engineered to fit into a standard 25mm back box.
Long-term flexibility
For certain businesses, it’s important that they’re able to regularly upgrade their premises. Mid-range hotels are a good example, as in order to stay popular and attract guests, they need to keep up with ever-changing interior trends with a minimum of downtime and disruption to their business.
What’s more, buildings such as hotels need a level of scalability – the décor of the back office is likely to be completely different from that of a guest room, and this should be reflected by the wiring devices in these areas.
This means that there is a requirement for both scalability, and quick, affordable updates when necessary.
Last year, MK Electric launched MK Dimensions, a range designed precisely for environments such as these. A two-piece installation process means that the clip-on frontplates can be easily interchanged to match the evolving décor of a building.
Offering screwless design and a choice of eight different finishes, the range provides scalability which can add the finishing touch to any room – whether that’s a deluxe room or back-of-house office areas.
From an installation perspective, MK Dimensions offers two individual part numbers for module and frontplate, which can be ordered separately to help reduce the risk of loss or damage, and allows for the frontplate to be installed later in the project.
Making life easier for the light commercial electrician, the range includes a number of devices designed for the hospitality sector, such as USB sockets, LED dimmers, keycard switches and ‘do not disturb’ switches, all with a unified look.
Bespoke design
For higher end businesses – a designer outlet, for example – every detail of an interior matters, and that includes wiring devices.
This can be an excellent opportunity for electricians to add value and offer expertise to their customers. Many people outside of the industry are unaware of the range of choice and the design flexibility available in the realm of wiring devices, and by presenting stylish, and even, customisable options, electricians can enhance their service offering to meet the exacting needs of any interior design.
For instances such as this, solutions like MK Electric’s Elements Collection can be the perfect fit. Available in 16 standard finishes across four material designs – synthetics, glass effect, naturals and metallic – and offering a wide and varied range of colours, materials and finishes, there is an option for even the most discerning business owner.
And, for those who require something extra special, the MK Elements Collection Design Tool for tablet or PC enables the creation of completely bespoke options.
Whatever is required, from touch control dimmers with vapour trail to USB integrated sockets and a variety of combination plates, the MK Elements range can provide the perfect selling point for electricians pitching to upscale businesses.
Whilst moving into the light commercial sector can be daunting, there are a number of ways for electricians to differentiate themselves from the competition and offer solutions which perfectly meet business owners’ needs.
For more information about the range of electrical accessories and products from MK Electric visit: www.mkelectric.co.uk