Franchiseek United Kingdom
Drain
Doctor Plumbing Aims For First National Quality Mark
Peterborough-based
franchise business Drain Doctor Plumbing is aiming to be
the first national company in its sector to become Quality Mark Approved
under a government scheme to protect householders from shoddy workmanship
by
'cowboy' tradesmen.
Drain
Doctor Plumbing's entire network of 74 franchise businesses will be
registered under the scheme by 1 October, giving householders throughout
the
country total confidence in the quality of its plumbing and drain
repair
services.
Drain
Doctor Plumbing chairman Freddie Mitman said: "We have always
been at
the forefront in combating 'cowboy' traders by delivering reliable,
fair and
exemplary customer service, so this scheme could have been designed
especially for us.
"In
fact, we believe the customer service code of practice that we
introduced when we founded Drain Doctor Plumbing 10 years ago already
conforms to, and in some cases exceeds, all of the Quality Mark criteria.
"We
have always offered customers fixed-price written quotations and
guaranteed our workmanship, for example, and we have consistently
scored
above 99 per cent satisfaction with the independent, web-based National
Centre for Recommendations."
The
Quality Mark scheme aims to redress low levels of public confidence
in
the domestic repair, maintenance and improvement trades, such as
construction, electrical, plumbing, heating, glazing, decorating,
hard
landscaping and security installations. A recent government survey
revealed
that 51 per cent of people simply do not trust tradesmen.
To
become Quality Mark Approved tradesmen must have their technical
capability independently evaluated, adhere to a 12-point code of practice,
meet statutory health and safety requirements, demonstrate financial
stability and have adequate public and employer liability insurance.
They
also have to provide insurance-backed guarantees for all non-insured
domestic repairs. In addition, Drain Doctor Plumbing will be joining
the UK
Trades Confederation, which operates a customer satisfaction scheme
that
aims to combat rogue traders. It is also continuing its accreditation
programme under the ISO quality standard.
Drain
Doctor Plumbing's commitment to the Quality Mark scheme will support
the government's aim to achieve the 'critical mass' and offer "a
national
solution to keeping people safe from cowboy builders."
The
benefits for registered traders included extra business, improved
staff
morale, and a 20 per cent discount on liability insurance based on
an
expectation of fewer accidents and reduced claims. Householders can
visit
the Quality Mark website or call a 24/7 helpline to obtain details
of
tradesmen registered with the scheme.
Yellow
Pages directories will also carry information about the scheme.
The
government announced plans for a Quality Mark scheme in April 1998
after
complaints about home maintenance and repairs hit 100,000 per year
- more
than complaints about second-hand cars. After initial consultations,
pilot
projects were introduced in Birmingham in 1999 and in Somerset in
2000 and
now the scheme is being rolled out nationally.
