Andy Douglas, Managing Director at Timeguard, explores the benefits of streamlining your supply chain of products – especially when working on those bigger jobs.
If you’re moving into bigger jobs, with the opportunities for greater margins, perhaps the first step is to take some inspiration from larger businesses and simplify your own supply chain.
Indeed, rationalising the range of products you offer makes it easier to know their specifications, capabilities and compatibilities inside out. Choosing a few trusted brands, which themselves have a smooth supply chain into the wholesaler, can also make it easier to order ahead and call products off as/when needed.
Value for money
Don’t expect bigger commercial clients to be less price sensitive than any other customer. You need to be ready to justify your recommendations and demonstrate that you’ve optimised pricing and not cut corners.
A trusted brand name with a broad range will enable you to pick and choose the ideal product for the job at hand. For example, does the back entrance really need an ‘aesthetically pleasing’ designer LED floodlight? Perhaps a lower-cost bulkhead design will be better there. Will a more-basic PIR floodlight really suit the client? Or is it better to fit a higher spec product to cover a much wider area, and offer more features/functions?
That brings us on to how easily you can check specifications. Many specifiers and contractors use e-PIM, a trusted Product Information Management system developed for the electrical and construction industry. Timeguard is committed to making standard e-PIM datasheets available on demand via its website.
Risk and method
Larger clients will almost certainly require a risk assessment and method statement. In practice, these are pre-start processes you should go through for any job, but be sure to check what format the client is going to need.
In the simplest terms: a risk assessment analyses the risk in the workplace, while a method statement is a logical sequence that details exactly how a job is to be carried out. This also helps the customer to plan their own business around the job and know when power will be off, when they may need to move staff out of the area, etc.
There are free templates online and the ECA also has an online system that is free to members which lets you add graphics and your own logo.
Time management
By streamlining your own supply chain you’ve made a big step towards better time management. Just make sure you also know where to go for technical support if an issue arises.
Another big ‘time thief’ can be the installation process. Lots of products claim to be installer-friendly, but that needs to be more than a couple of screws and rawl plugs in the box. Look for spring clips and larger, more accessible terminal blocks, as well as spare terminals ready for looping out.
Also make use of clever combinations like Timeguard’s Fused Spur Timers. This offers fused spur protection with time control in one unit that fits straight into an existing back box – a real time saver!
Smart thinking
Remote and WiFi control is a low-risk, lower budget solution that will introduce users to smart control and meet most customers’ needs for now.
Here, I’d recommend taking a look at Timeguard’s options for professional-quality WiFi control of timing for outdoor and indoor lighting, HVAC and our combination of a stylish LED floodlight and security camera, plus new WiFi controlled PIR detectors.
Get more details about the full range of products from Timeguard here
