(A new inspectorate comes under scrutiny as we assess how the IAAI compares against the other organisations that monitor alarm installing companies…)
"After many years in the wilderness IAAI is beginning to establish itself as the champion of the small inexperienced installer, and the inspectorate team looks to be strong and well motivated. However, IAAI cannot be ranked alongside NSCIA as an equivalent. NSCIA is a non-profit making inspectorate controlled by an independent board, whereas IAAI is a trade association financially controlled by the two shareholders and its policy is decided by the chairman and its employees.
"IAAI approval requirements are low and because an applicant company is not fully investigated, the application inspection is completed in less than a day. The NSCIA approval system is full and thorough. The investigations take place over many weeks and result in the acceptance only of established, experienced, professional installers.
"NSCIA offers an effective customer complaint service, each customer being individually informed of its existence shortly after installation. IAAI customer service is limited to maintenance completion.
"This lack of equivalence does not mean that IAAI is a better or poorer organisation than NSCIA, it just means that it is not offering the same kind of service or guarantees.
BSIA gets tough
(Two security companies fail to meet the stringent membership criteria of the BSIA…)
"The BSIA (British Security Industry Association), at an extraordinary general meeting in October, voted unanimously to expel Homeguard Group Limited (formerly Homeguard Southern Limited of Ilford, Essex) from the Association. This company has also been removed from the Roll of the Security Systems Inspectorate.
"Following the failure of its application to join the Association's Security Systems Section, ATI Limited (Guardian Alarms of Stretford, Manchester) has resigned from both the Association and its Security Equipment Manufacturers' Section."
Raising competence levels
(The Industry Lead Body (ILB) met again to construct competence standards for the Security and Emergency alarms industry…)
"The occupational areas were established at the meeting as surveying, installing and maintaining. Within these areas the group agreed to construct standards of performance for the competences listed below with priority to be given to the first item.
"A sub-group was selected from members, and authorised to identify competence elements within the three mainstream areas.
"The competences of surveying, installing and maintaining include: Intruder alarm systems (to include testing, commissioning and handover), CCTV systems, access control systems, emergency lighting systems, security lighting systems, fire alarm systems, vehicle alarms, retail security alarm systems, marine alarm systems and nurse call systems."
Putting customers first
(The integrated security arm of Britannia Security Systems starts a customer services department…)
"According to the White Group, 'the department will be responsible for maintaining the high level of service support to customers and for ensuring that the Group's regional sales engineers respond rapidly to maintenance call-outs'. White Group's 10-year service warranty will also be controlled by the department. This warranty provides full service cover and is available to all customers installing White Group equipment and taking out full maintenance cover.
Source
Security Installer
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