There's a new kid on the block (and before I continue I have no affiliation nor financial interest).
Warranted Tradesmen is a new kind of service which acts as an intermediary between a client and the service provider.
There have been similar schemes but this appears different and I think it's what the landscape industry has been crying out for.
Here's what Warranted Tradesmen does: http://www.warrantedtradesmen.com/payment-protection-scheme/
From start to finish Warranted Tradesmen provides both customers and tradesmen with a seamless service ensuring security for all.
We welcome new customers to list the works they require doing, no matter how big or small the job may be.
At Warranted Tradesmen we vet all of our Tradesmen upon their application to us, and then we permanently monitor them and their business using an organisation called Credit Safe UK.
Warranted Tradesmen Procedure
1. The customer logs onto Warranted Tradesmen site, they put in their personal details and description of work required and submit.
2. Warranted Tradesmen will then submit brief details of the customer’s enquiry to our members in your post coded area.
3. The first three tradesmen to respond to the enquiry will be forwarded the customers full contact details.
4. The tradesmen then makes arrangements with the customer to look at the works required in order to provide them with a written quotation.
5. The customer then chooses the tradesman they want to do the work, they then log onto the Warranted Tradesmen site and put in the successful tradesman’s details and make arrangements to pay into the escrow account the agreed quotation figure.
6. Once the payment has been received and confirmed we then contact the Tradesmen and confirm we are receipt of the agreed funds.
7. The tradesmen then makes arrangements with the customer to carry out the work.
8. When the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the customer they then log onto Warranted Tradesmen confirm they are happy to release the payment to the tradesmen which we do.
9. The customer is then sent a FREE 12 month warranty on line covering them for the work completed.
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There's just no need to pay out in excess of £400 a year for others to say what you should and shouldn't do. And as I've always maintained, who is vetting those who are vetting you?
The bottom line is security for your client and your business and schemes like this are possibly the answer.
Edit: 07 September 2013 - I've contacted Warranted Tradesmen to see what we can do together. If their system works then I'd be happy to promote it as part of our upcoming 'find a landscaper' addition.
I didn't follow this up but I do believe this type of scheme is viable. I have posted details of the Bondpay ESCROW service operated by Bradstone Assured: See here
The great thing about this kind of scheme is that payment is collected on a transactional basis. There's no need to pay £00's upfront and there's no need to bow to a brotherhood of self-elected committee members either.
cor, i'm glad you followed up with this post, i thought you were losing the plot for a moment. be interesting to see if they are for real or just another money making scheme with no real benefit for anyone
Phil Voice said:
"be interesting to see if they are for real or just another money making scheme with no real benefit for anyone"
Well they claim to be FSA regulated (although the FSA have been disbanded).
Only time will tell I guess
Just to add that it is just a matter of time and something like this will take hold and change the landscape forever.
I've always maintained that the self-appointed landscape associations are finished and seeing something like this emerge gives credibility to this view.
I've read some commentary recently that is straight out of the 1970's association handbook. There's now no place for any organisation that sets standards for others without being scrutinies itself.
Phil Voice said:
so basically the customer pays "MY MONEY" to Warranted Tradesmen
hmm sound to me like there are going to be a lot of upset landscapers and trades people about in a couple of years time when this goes tits up owing money
just saying !
Why?
If a good tradesman is confident of delivering on his promise he'd have no problem.
The thing is it will be the market that dictates and not those who defer to participate.
Mick Gammage said:
I don't agree with that one bit
people buy off people not another web site offering a unknown intermediary service
To an extent you are right Mick but I'm afraid that in time those spending money will only do so through schemes that afford them protection.
If a client realises that it's a no brainer to place a contract through a scheme that protects them 100% against any failure then they will be only too happy to proceed this way.
There will, always be word of mouth and peer recommendations but there won't be any need to use a trade association to guarantee work.
Mick Gammage said:
how are they going to get in front of 60 million UK citizens to educate them all not to go direct to a contractor that was highly recommended to them ?
all the combined registers, schemes, BALI, APL, SGD etc don't have more than 5,000 landscapers between them out of over 200,000 so what makes you think this is the new beginning covering all trades out there which must be in the millions ?
not being negative towards this approach just stating facts
I dont think it will take off. There is not a need for this type of service IMHO. The only difference I can see between this scheme and rated trades (or any of those types of scheme)is that the money is held in Escrow. Why would any reputable builder or landscaper, or anyone with an ounce of business acumen allow their hard earned money to be held in Escrow and out off their own control. I agree with Mick, it will go tits up.
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