Safeguard Your Bottom Line by Ensuring Your Customers' Well-Being

Feb. 1, 2007
The sharp decline in the single-family housing construction market has some residential electrical contractors scrambling for new ways to promote themselves. But with dozens of companies vying for the same revenue, how do you distinguish yourself from the competition? One company, E&S Electric, Inc., Mt. Horeb, Wis., and its residential service division, EaSy Electric, found a way to protect its bottom

The sharp decline in the single-family housing construction market has some residential electrical contractors scrambling for new ways to promote themselves. But with dozens of companies vying for the same revenue, how do you distinguish yourself from the competition?

One company, E&S Electric, Inc., Mt. Horeb, Wis., and its residential service division, EaSy Electric, found a way to protect its bottom line by offering homeowners increased safety and security when inviting them into their homes. The “Technician Seal of Safety” symbol lets homeowners know that EaSy conducts criminal background checks and regular drug testing on all technicians who enter private homes.

Think you or your customers aren't at risk? According IM Data Search, a company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., that performs background checks on potential hires, some industries have a ratio as high as one in four applicants who possess a criminal record. This statistic, combined with a dwindling qualified workforce and reports of violence against homeowners by contract workers, emphasizes the need for hiring companies who have a stringent policy of conducting background checks and drug testing.

“It's scary to learn that only a handful of contractors conduct background checks and randomly drug test their employees,” says Irv Eichorst, president of E&S Electric. “That's why we feel it's so important to give homeowners a visual symbol that tells them their personal safety is not at risk when they hire a contractor who displays the Technician Seal of Safety.”

People who may consider hiring contractors that perform background/drug checks include:

  • women at home alone or with small children during the day

  • elderly homeowners

  • disabled individuals

  • anyone concerned about their personal safety and/or the security of their home.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Fiberglass Electrical Conduit Chemical Resistance Chart

This information is provided solely as a guide since it is impossible to anticipate all individual site conditions. For specific applications which are not covered in this guide...

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.