Glazing industry is professionalism personified
Anyone who has been in the glazing industry for a certain amount of time, or has watched the sitcom White Gold, will know that – ‘back in the day’ – it was a sector that had a reputation for attracting a certain roguish element.
These days, I think it is fair to say that while a minority of ‘cowboy traders’ are still out there, that reputation has vastly improved, especially as installation firms win so much of their work from positive reviews left by happy customers.
Professionalism pays dividends.
In fact, compared to other sectors, glazing is a shining example of how consumers can be won over by clear communication, outstanding workmanship, great products and fantastic service.
In my experience it is very rare to get anywhere near the same kind of service from other trades in construction such as electricians or plumbers and especially roofers. A recent quest to get some quotes for a few slipped tiles is now many months down the line and I still haven’t got a price, or a firm commitment from any roofers in my area that they are interested in providing me with one.
According to a mate of mine who happens to edit a roofing magazine, this is not a big surprise. Roofers seem to be notorious for working ‘hand to mouth’, essentially finishing one job and then heading off to whichever project offers the biggest payout.
If you don’t happen to catch them at the right time or it’s ‘not worth their while’, you won’t even get a look in. And the odd ones that have turned up I wouldn’t trust to put up a ladder, let alone climb up it and start messing around with what is really one of the most important parts of my house.
They clearly have too much work to choose from…which is good for them. But as a homeowner, it’s clear to me that they could all do with learning some lessons from the UK’s brilliant double-glazing firms.
They are progressive, forward thinking and positively professional in comparison.