Pro Installer October 2019 - Issue 79 | Page 33

OCTOBER 2019 | 33 Installer Support Installer Support is sponsored by Kayflow About the author Theoretically you should also need to master the intricacies of GDPR. This is the regulation about storing other people’s per- sonal information either on paper or computer. In practise, though, it is likely that unless you start doing aggressive marketing this will not be an issue. be clear on ‘ what you want to achieve ’ Depending on which trade you operate in, there are other regu- lations that you must follow. The most demanding being gas and electricity. It is your responsibility to master and obey these regu- lations and some require formal qualifications. Ignoring them, particularly for gas, can and does lead to prison terms. The problem of the nationals I was recently near Bideford in North Devon and suffered a flat tyre on the boat trailer that I was towing. Searching the internet for “Bideford breakdown”, the top result is the AA. As it turned out, I bumped into a local breakdown specialist and without any wait- ing, they sorted the problem out very quickly for £25. If it wasn’t for my good fortune, I would have called out a national, and proba- bly waited several hours plus paid through the nose. This illustrates the problem for any local trade company that get work some from emergency callouts, like locksmiths. When people search online, they will often end up with an expensive and sub-optimal result. Taking services from trade-ori- ented technology companies may help to tackle the issue of large rivals using computer tech- nology to target your prospects and customers. Systems There are now a good selection of apps and full systems that can help you to run your business. These, including those from my company Powered Now, are well worth investigating as they can save a lot of time and help guide you down the right path in terms of invoicing and keeping records. Trusted Trader, My Builder, Rated People and Checkatrade If you want to grow, there are a number of companies that purport to help you. These in- clude Trusted Trader, My Builder, Rated People and Checkat- rade. They may be particularly useful when you start out. The problem is that you can’t get business through them without some existing reviews, but you can’t get the reviews until you get some business. All of them are commercial organisations and charge for their services. They will provide you with an online presence which can help counteract the heavy advertising of the nationals. Benjamin Dyer is CEO and co-founder of Powered Now. Powered Now’s mobile apps aim to make it easier for installers, locksmiths and other trades to run their businesses. In summary In deciding on whether to take the plunge to become self-em- ployed, it’s important to be clear on what you want to achieve. There are big advantages, but there is a price to pay in effort and responsibility too. Many people make a success of their own business, but there are also plenty of people who find it stressful and get their fingers burnt. Key points are quality of work and charging enough. All of the best. www.powerednow.com