Industry Comment: Smoke Alarms
Quality product needs quality customer support
By Martyn Walley(pictured), National Technical Manager, Aico Ltd A
professional electrical installer will oſten spend time researching a product such as smoke alarms to
see what is best suited to their or a particular project’s needs. They may ask colleagues for their advice, look at online forums and trade media, check out the product first hand and ask for your input to make a reasoned judgement. Clearly it is vital that quality smoke alarms are
selected to provide a high level of protection and a low level of false alarms. Lives may well depend on these small devices. However, ensuring they have a quality smoke
alarm is not enough. It’s also extremely important to ensure both you and your customers have as much support as needed from the alarm supplier/manufacturer. Why? Because firstly you’re dealing with a life saving device – getting it right, from product selection through to siting, installation and maintenance, is considerably more important than many other household items. Secondly, smoke
alarms are not as straightforward as many people think. There are different types of fire and therefore different types of sensors and alarms to detect them. If you are going to get the right alarm in the right location, a good level of knowledge is required. Furthermore, with manufacturers now
delivering more sophisticated and flexible systems with wireless alarm interconnection, accessories such as alarm controllers, and the ability to integrate smoke alarms into other systems such as Warden Call and sprinkler systems, a good level of expertise and support
from the manufacturer is more important and necessary than ever before. Every manufacture is likely to claim they offer a good level of support, but what should you actually expect them to deliver on this front? At the very basic level, the product should come with comprehensive, easy to understand instructions. That’s the easy part – a good manufacturer will be able to supply a highly knowledgeable sales and technical department. With some companies, the only option to make an enquiry is via email, or an online submission form on their website, which can be very frustrating. Ensure the alarm supplier has a dedicated, technical product support service contact number (that’s not premium rate!). Some manufacturers offer product training,
however quality support comes in the form of more in-depth training schemes. The Aico Fire Products Trained
Installer Scheme
(AFPTIS), for example, provides the information and training necessary for electrical contractors to
achieve a successful and effective fire alarm installation. Furthermore, a good training scheme will be ongoing, providing regular updates on best practice and changes in Standards and Regulations. Lastly, you should confirm what support
material is available and in what format (print and digital). Check out the quality of this material. In the case of smoke alarm installation – does it cover best practice, the latest standards and what that means for your customers, as well as first rate advice on product selection, siting and installation? At Aico, we have a comprehensive range of
printed and online customer support material that is audience specific. For installers we have the industry leading Electrical Contractors Handybook (now in its third edition) which features all you need to know about choosing, installing, testing and maintaining Aico alarms, along with our Expert series which provides alarm solutions for a variety of different
www.ewnews.co.uk
Point of sale information is
also important. If you are able to guide
contractors towards the most suitable alarm for their project, the more
sales you can achieve with the least returns. Aico has a wide range of materials
available to help
wholesalers in this way.”
applications. We also have a range of smart phone apps to provide installers with instant, easy to access information on site. Point of sale information is also important. If
you are able to guide contractors towards the most suitable alarm for their project, the more sales you can achieve with the least returns. Aico has a wide range of materials available to help wholesalers in this way. By guiding your customer to a quality mains
powered smoke alarm with battery back-up to ensure the very best protection for residents, you have done your bit, so make sure your chosen manufacturer/alarm supplier does theirs: demand the very best in customer support.
www.aico.co.uk March 2015 electrical wholesaler | 37
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