Electrical contractors are facing a unique set of pain points introduced by the arrival of the coronavirus and national shut down. The impact on the economy and labour is putting pressure on contractors to fill holes and find new ways of building income and cementing reputations. It’s been a tough run for most, but this does not have to be the defining moment of 2020 for the electrical contractor. A recent article published by the World Economic Forum showed that those countries that implemented early and heavy restrictions during the Spanish Flu were those that saw more positive economic results in the long term.
As the country looks at what happens next, contractors can look at ways of engaging with new clients to build their business foundations and prepare for a more positive final stretch this year.
“Companies will very likely step into the post-restriction market with an eye on finding cost-savings, building efficiencies and driving customer engagement,” says Carel Scheepers, General Manager: Sales at Citiq Prepaid. “Contractors can provide immense value to the residential and commercial construction markets thanks to innate understanding of their role and the different solutions available on the market.”
Contractors have to keep up with a multitude of trends, innovations and developments so they’re always ready to provide customers with insightful and relevant advice. This ability can be leveraged to provide companies with timely and proactive guidance that will not only benefit their bottom line, but will allow for the contractor to build relationships and be top of mind as the market revives.
“One area where the contractor can really offer solid advice is in sub-metering,” says Scheepers. “Sub-metering takes the guesswork out of utility usage recovery. Sub-metering also has the potential to reduce a building’s electricity usage by a significant percentage, not only reducing costs but also adding a layer of green to the company’s reputation and service offering. This is relevant to both the commercial and the residential property owner – they want to find ways of attracting and retaining tenants right now so transparency, easily managed utilities and lower costs are a superb way of doing so.”
With Citiq Prepaid, contractors get more than just sub-metering solutions, they get support and access to a network of expertise that can help them grow their business and their client base. The two Citiq Prepaid call centres provide hands-on guidance to customers. The tech support division is available for queries the contractor might have. Also, the sales support team will guide property owners on registration and tariff complexities – a huge sell for many property owners. They don’t want to spend their valuable time resolving tenant sub-metering issues. The call centres can also help contractors in a pinch, which makes it easy to troubleshoot unexpected problems during installation.
“We’ve also developed the Citiq Installation Club (CIC) to support contractors and reward them for their loyalty to Citiq Prepaid,” says Scheepers. “The club has been giving something back to the channel for more than two years and many of our contractors have appreciated the benefits it offers. It recognises the value of electrical contractors by rewarding them with a R500 voucher to spend at their selected wholesaler after they’ve reached 20 points, one point earned per meter installed.”
Along with an accessible support centre and a rewards programme, Citiq Prepaid works closely with electrical contractors to help them grow their customer base and expand their market share.
“We’ve worked with many different contractors over the past few years, helping them to grow their business and enter new markets,” concludes Scheepers. “We are as committed to their growth as we are to our own, and this will remain our focus as we move into the next half of 2020 with confidence.”
