Education and training are invaluable to the wholesaler when suggesting the right product for an installer, Aico is aiming to help with that process by offering on-site training and demonstrations.
Manufacturers provide wholesalers with support through a variety of means, but nothing truly compares to on site face-to-face support. One of the UK’s market leaders in residential Fire and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detection, Aico has always sold through wholesalers and is committed to providing the highest level of support. To further that support, Aico is growing its fleet of Mobile Training & Demonstration Units.
The units provide a space for customers to try out the latest Aico products and technologies, including AudioLINK data extraction and RadioLINK+ wireless alarm interconnection, as well as a virtual video tour of the manufacturing process at the factory in Shannon, Ireland.
The units also enable the company to deliver smoke and CO alarm product and technology information tailored to customers’ requirements, plus our expert installer training, right to customers’ doors.
Expert Installer
Expert Installer is a modular training scheme created by Aico to ensure everyone involved in domestic alarm specification and installation has all the information they need, from standards & regulations, alarm system design & installation, through to specific technologies. Expert Installer recently received CPD accreditation, making Aico the only domestic smoke alarm manufacturer to provide customers with CPD training free of charge. Over 16,500 Aico customers have received training through Expert Installer to date, with many of these sessions being held and arranged in conjunction with local wholesalers.
Case study
Edinburgh based Scott Coppola was one of the first wholesalers to benefit from a day’s visit of an Aico Mobile Training & Demonstration Unit and the reaction was extremely positive: “The Mobile Unit is fantastic!” comments Darren Coppola, Manager of Scott Coppola. “It’s good for product demonstrations and the kit looks very professional. The CPD training for contractors was the big draw. It’s difficult to get people to give up their time, but the training is something the industry needs. Being able to deliver it near to where they work is ideal and there was a high demand on the day. The participants enjoyed it and received a certificate to show they had completed the training.”
Darren has also recently taken a group of 42 contractors and staff to Aico’s Centre of Excellence in Oswestry, Shropshire: “I was so impressed with the Centre when I saw it that I organised for a bus to take contractors there. They did several Expert Installer training sessions. They still talk about their visit today as not only did they learn something but they also enjoyed the experience.
“We particularly liked Ember Place which shows different rooms from different decades, all with Aico product in place. It was useful and the decor from different eras was fun. One thing I found particularly interesting was the information board on how to interconnect Part 6 and Part 1 systems.”
Wholesale experience
Aico’s Centre of Excellence has recently been extended to include, amongst other things, a dedicated wholesaler training area and workshop facility, with a large conference room upstairs kitted out with the latest AV facilities.
The wholesaler area has been designed to resemble a modern trade counter, showing the point of sale and merchandising options available. These include a counter mat, leaflet dispenser, educational display boards with product attached (including a space saving ceiling mounted board) and racking showing the product packaging.
Darren is enthusiastic about the training and support provided by Aico: “I always encourage contractors to get Expert Installer trained. Why wouldn’t you? It’s free training and once you’ve done it you can market yourself as an Aico Expert Installer, which has value.”
For more information on the on-site training and demostrations from Aico, visit: www.aico.co.uk
