Communications are becoming ever more immediate.
Gone are the days when we relied on the post and daily newspapers to deliver up-to-date facts, now we expect to be able to find our information exactly when we want it, without having to wait for it. So the FMB has introduced a range of faster communication tools to make sure you are up-to-date both with urgent developments in the industry and with FMB activities.
FMB SOCIAL MEDIA
You should, (provided FMB has an email address for you) receive our regular newsletters; FMBriefing (weekly) and FMBusiness (monthly). E-zines are being rolled out within the English regions and the devolved countries. Update material is constantly being added to our website. And as Master Builder has reported in recent months, the FMB is developing its use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook. You can also join the FMB’s own social network, FMBuilding Network, it’s a social network just for FMB members; use it to get the latest news from the FMB, contact the FMB and other members, join discussions with other members on the forums, chat with other members in real time, add photos of your projects, set up your own blog and read others. To sign up, visit www.fmbuildingnetwork.org.uk.
I understand the time, cost and learning implications of getting into the new media but I was chastened by a discussion I heard on television recently in which a panel of business leaders were united in the view that any business, even the smallest, that doesn’t quickly gear up using these tools as a matter of routine will find it increasingly difficult to find customers in the future.
UNAUTHORISED USE OF THE FMB LOGO
I know one area many members find frustrating is the unauthorised use of the FMB logo by non-members masquerading as legitimate members. You have earned, and pay for, the right to use the FMB badge as a clear demonstration of the standards and quality of service you provide for your customers. It is a clear sign of the benefits of membership that some builders not entitled to use the badge continue to do so.
The FMB seeks to stop any use of the badge by non-members but we do not have any primary powers to initiate legal action. We have to rely on local authority trading standards to take action and they often make the point that in the wider context of scams and fraudulent activity they have to tackle, just using a badge you shouldn’t isn’t always their highest priority. It was heartening therefore to learn of a recent case in South London when a trader was fined £2800 plus costs of £980 for unauthorised use following a case taken to court by Bromley Council. The FMB is doing everything it can to publicise this case and any other successful prosecutions we become aware of.
If you suspect unauthorised use of the FMB badge please let us know so that appropriate action can be taken. Contact your Regional Director or telephone FMB Head Office on 0207 242 7583.
COWBOY CLIENTS
Research from Which? suggests one in three customers employing a builder or decorator is unhappy with the quality of work and that one in five jobs ends in a dispute. While FMB may not capture all examples of clients dissatisfied with members’ work, we can say that complaints against members are at a tiny fraction of the level reported by Which? Last year we received fewer than 300 complaints against more than 10,000 members many of which have done dozens of jobs during the year. The evidence is clear that a client is many times more likely to get a good job done if they have chosen an FMB member to do it.
Several national papers ran the Which? story and it is interesting to see that many builders commented on the stories online making a strong case in favour of the builder and highlighting the problems every builder faces with cowboy clients. One response I saw was from an FMB member who highlighted the problem with getting clients to take out a warranty on their building work that would probably relieve them of any anxiety in the unlikely event of an FMB member letting them down. You can lead a horse to water but...
