Electrical installers are busy now that the pressure of the pandemic is lifting, and even more so due to trends like the energy transition and actual or looming labour shortages in certain areas. While their schedules are getting fuller, they still have to keep up with trends, a constant flow of new products, increasingly complex systems and ever-changing laws and regulations.
Trainings are an efficient way to stay up to date, and installers like to follow trainings indeed, even so much that a pandemic could not stop them doing so. Their enthusiasm to follow training is a great opportunity for manufacturers and brands. Offering training and rewarding installers with certification will improve brand image, customer loyalty and brand value. For installers, aside from knowing the ins and outs of systems of a certain brand, certification creates a basis of trust for their clients.
The question is whether installers see those benefits and are actually willing to follow training organised by manufacturers to become certified installers of a certain brand? That is one of the questions answered in the Q2 2021 report of USP Marketing Consultancy’s European Electrical Installation Monitor, which focuses on training needs and attitudes of installers in seven European countries.
Almost two-thirds of European installers are interested in becoming certified by manufacturers
As it turns out, electrical installers in Europe are quite keen to become certified by following trainings organised by manufacturers. An average of 62% of them report that sentiment. There is quite some difference per country, however. British installers are most keen, as seven out of ten are interested in becoming certified by the manufacturer. In Germany, installers appear the least keen, but still about half of them are interested in getting manufacturer certification.
So overall, interest in manufacturer certification seems to be quite high. Be that as it may, and although it is an efficient way to stay up to date which will surely save time in the long run, the time investment training requires from installers may put them off. As we mentioned before, installers’ schedules are busy and time is becoming scarce. Willingness to become certified does not mean much unless the installers are also willing to invest precious time in training.
Installers’ willingness to put deed to word
It seems that European installers are indeed willing to sacrifice their precious time to follow trainings. In fact, seven out of ten installers are willing to invest two days in a training that leads to certification. Again, there are some differences per country, more or less along the lines of the willingness to become certified by a manufacturer. In the UK, a whopping 85% of installers are willing to invest two days in one training. German installers are again least willing, but still, 55% of them is willing to invest such time to get certified.
Conclusion
The above figures of electrical installers’ willingness to follow training to get certified by manufacturers shows there is ample reason for manufacturers to offer training. That the offer will not be in vain is shown by installers’ willingness to invest time in training to acquire certification. To be guaranteed success, however, it is worth it for manufacturers to know for instance what form of training installers prefer, or what season suits their busy agendas best for training.
For the full picture of training preferences and needs of electrical installers from seven countries, as well as their turnover and order book development, we refer you to the Q2 2021 report of USP Marketing Consultancy’s European Electrical Installation Monitor.
