Training Gets Business

“We have definitely got business because of it,” says Tony Barker, managing director of Eastern County Scaffolding in Norwich, UK.

He's talking about Haki's training services; “They come to our job sites and train our customers to become certified site agents.” Other customer training by Haki includes a one-day familiarisation course for customers. As a result, he says, “Our customers are very impressed.”

Other Haki training activity, says Mr Barker, who is on the training committee of the UK's National Access and Scaffolding Association (NASC), includes training of Eastern County's employees, both in the yard and on work sites.

“They come and do training, even for one or two people, on a short notice,” he says. It's not just being responsive, “They are so thorough about everything they do...the second thing [in selecting Haki] is their back up and support, including training.”

Eastern County has been using system scaffolding for three years, and it is approximately 40% of its fleet currently out on rental. The company also has a Haki set up in its yard, used for training. “It gives potential customers confidence. We've got lots of work because of Haki,” he says.

Training – as a means to the end of getting business – seems to fit into the long-term picture for Eastern County. Mr Barker said his business is strongly influenced by a shortage of skilled scaffolders. Boding well for increased use of systems scaffolding, a newcomer can be competently trained to erect systems scaffolding in one week, using the NASC-certified Haki course.

In contrast, he says the training currently required to reach the same level of job site proficiency for tube and fitting scaffolding is about 1 ½ to 2 years, he says.