“ If 2019 was about ‘ adverts and awareness ’, then 2020 has been about ‘ support and signposting ’,” begins Chris . “ Pre-Covid , we could describe the response to our marketing campaign as nothing short of phenomenal , with brand new applicants , renewed memberships , and even installers switching from other schemes , so when Coronavirus hit , our primary objective was to do everything we could for our 6,000 plus Approved Installers to get back to work , or support them when they couldn ’ t .

“ At FENSA ‘ HQ ’ we have always been advocates of flexible working and nurturing a positive work / life balance . We didn ’ t realise quite how beneficial this really was until we all had to work from home . It meant that we could keep all activities and channels of communication open from day one of lockdown , even if some things took a tad longer

at first . Of course , this was good for the staff , but most importantly , for our members , it meant there was no gap in our operations or assistance they could call upon us for when they really needed us .

“ The main way we helped installers was - working alongside our ‘ parents ’ the GGF ( Glass & Glazing Federation ) - to sift through all the government guidelines as and when they were announced so that a fitter could simply say ‘ what do I need to know now ’ and we could provide clear and concise advice , to keep them working , and safely . We put together guides for both the installers and the homeowners , including risk assessment charts that meant all bases were covered . When it was impossible for people to work , we helped with business advice ; signposting companies to assistance with furlough and business loans , and anything else they needed .

“ Yet , while this year has understandably been dominated by Covid-19 , 2020 has been so much more for FENSA . Of course , we already had plans in place for this year and we ’ ve still been able to implement many of them . And with all of the challenges we have all faced since March , there are fitters that have spent the summer months working very long hours , with full order books , so we want to keep that momentum going into the winter months and beyond .

“ When it comes to our Approved Installers , we have our free lead generation website that connects members to homeowners looking for FENSA-approved fitters , better buying power , preferred partners ; these have all been well publicised through trade press including Clearview

and Pro Installer . But there are also plenty of other money-saving and business boosting benefits that Approved Installers are entitled to , such as trade point cards for special offers and discounts , workwear partnerships , fuel cards , plus marketing materials and regular email and social media updates that go direct to our members with all the latest industry information broken down into bitesize pieces .

“ All of this , and still the most common misconception is that FENSA is too expensive for some to join , when it ’ s in fact just £ 200 (+ VAT ) for the initial application . People also forget that FENSA is not just for ‘ man in van ’ installers or independent SMEs . Many of the ‘ Nationals ’ are also members and we tailor our support with regards to each individual brand

or business , including WiredGov , an alert system for public sector contracts .

“ Beyond all of this , we are well aware of the skills shortage the construction industry as a whole faces , including fenestration and are committed to nurturing future fitters . There ’ s lots of great talent coming through our training academy , which provides pathways up to NVQ level 7 in several skills , plus short courses and CSCS applications . So if past experience has taught us anything , if we keep our present members working as hard as they can , well-informed and properly supported , attracting new installers , advising and assisting homeowners , while nurturing future talent at the same , we ’ re all on the right track .”

www . fensa . org . uk