As the industry continues to become more digitally aware, Voltimum Plus launch partner, Signify, is delivering digital solutions for both installers and customers. Here, Simon Greenwood, Sales Director, Trade & Specification UK, discusses the industry’s move to all things digital – including online ordering, learning, information gathering and control systems.
What trends have you witnessed in the electrical industry over the last year in terms of the work contractors are doing and the products they’re seeking?
There has been a huge increase in online ordering, “click and collect” and a move to digital. The electrical wholesale trade was quite a long way behind other segments in terms of digital activation, however during the pandemic, whilst construction remained open, many purchases and transactions were electronic. Due to the aforementioned, there has been heightened awareness and demand for more accurate and complete product data, with many manufacturers and distributors joining the EDATA initiative as one of many ways to address this topic.
As a business that champions sustainability, what evolution of technology in the electrical sector do you expect to see over the next 1/5/10 years? What role will the industry play in reaching Net Zero targets and what do contractors need to be clued up on to play their part?
Signify are proud to be carbon neutral and leaders in sustainability in the construction industry (more information available here) and are key signatories of HRH Terra Carta initiative. All of our consumer packaging will be plastic-free by the end of 2021, with our Trade product portfolio following suit soon after.
From a lighting perspective there is continuous movement away from traditional/conventional light sources. LED now represents more than 80% of our revenue. With the new energy labelling and upcoming legislation around the phasing out of fluorescent tubes, the transition to LED will continue.
As installers and customers become more digitally aware and want more control of their installations, we have seen a rapid move to lighting controls. This is for safety, well-being, additional energy savings or to give end clients greater control of their lighting – providing light only where and when needed. For advice on how to become more sustainable as a business, contact us here.
Thinking about the last two questions, have you seen a particular uptake in any of your product ranges recently that reflect these trends and contractors’ buying habits?
We have listed a selection of our Philips LED portfolio onto as many online platforms as possible. Many customers want an LED replacement lamp that behaves and has the same characteristics as their traditional lighting system. Great examples are the DimTone lamp range which mimicks halogen lamps in colour temperature when dimmed, or our Universal LED HID, SON & T8 replacements, which bypass traditional control gear without the need to replace existing fittings.
Training and development plays an important role for all those in the industry, but the landscape has shifted somewhat from traditional face-to-face classroom-based training to more digital options. What importance do you place on the likes of webinars, e-learning and virtual events?
The pandemic has seen a huge rise in online learning and attendance to webinars. Before lockdown, and to support the digital shift, we were holding training sessions and seminars around the country for installers to learn about Interact Pro. This is a Lighting Controls system that was quoted to be “probably the easiest lighting control system in the world” for an installer to use. In the pandemic we moved to digital training and hosted a number of webinars on Voltimum and other media with tremendous success.
Even after COVID passing and the country opening up again, we believe digital training is here to stay. Installers can enjoy on demand training from the comfort of their home without having to miss out on work or use their time travelling. Even better, we’re introducing training content to Voltimum Plus, so when installers complete training they are rewarded with points which can be spent on rewards.
You are a founding partner of the Voltimum Plus rewards programme. Why did you spearhead this initiative and what benefits does it offer contactors? What makes it stand out from other loyalty schemes?
The industry is changing, and becoming more digital. Installers want to use their smart devices to place orders, gain information and make informed decisions on their purchasing. The Voltimum Plus platform offers that to the installer.
Currently there are a number of suppliers who are part of the programme and national and local distributor partners who share the vision. Voltimum Plus offers the installer an end to end journey where they can learn about a new technology, make an informed decision and have access to the products via the Voltimum platform and be rewarded for their loyalty and participation.
The training and products are from leading brands that can be purchased from your existing wholesaler and it is “hassle free”; simply link your wholesale account to your profile and the points are awarded automatically when you attend training sessions or buy qualifying products from participating manufacturers – with no fuss or need to do any extra administration.
Voltimum Plus
For more information about the Voltimum Plus rewards programme, as well as details of eligible products, rewards and learning opportunities, please visit the website.