Released on = October 11, 2006, 9:30 am

Press Release Author = Guy Alexander Bell BSc.(hons.)

Industry = Construction

Press Release Summary = There is much "hoo-haa" nowadays about ethical selling of
home improvements. Mainly national companies are to blame, coupled with sheer greed,
to make as many sales as possible, no matter what the cost or consequences. NPA
prides itself of the highest quality of materials and workmanship, and the most
ethical and honest way of doing business. We invite you to read the following
information.

Press Release Body = Consumers are more and more aware of their rights and have more
and access to information in order to make good decision. So how do you avoid making
a bad decision when it comes to choosing a wall coating company to work on your
house? Here's a few tips to get you started.

(Take a look out for our e-book download later this year.)


A concerned consumer writes:
"I had one wall coating company around (not NPA though, don't worry!), and they gave
me one price, then said later on in their sales pitch, that I could have it cheaper
if I agreed to be a show home? What's the truth in that? It seemed a con to get me
to sign up with them."


The "show home" close.

Absolutely no truth at all, don't fall for it. They will give you a massively
inflated price, that you couldn't possibly afford, but as they have built in the
desire into their sales pitch, they will offer it to you cheaper, but you have to
agree to do something, often signing up on the day they are there, so you don't
"miss out". Utter rubbish. If you called them back the next day they will still
offer it to you for the second lower price as they want your business, mark my
words. (as if they would turn away business!) . This is also used in other
industries like kitchens, double glazed windows, conservatories, bathrooms etc.

Many will say that you can be a referrer home and they will say that they estimate
that 10 properties will be done from just having your home wallcoated and their
advert board outside or in the window, and as such, they are prepared to offer you a
discount now as they KNOW that they will get more work out of doing your home, and
they make you feel that YOU are doing THEM a favour! Once again, this is utter
nonsense. This is offered to everyone, they are not doing you a favour, they are
trying to hard sell you a textured coating, and is built into their sales pitch.
While what they are saying to you may seem natural, it is not, it is very carefully
worded to get you to buy from them. Of course it usually conditional on you signing
up with them on the day, without any time to think about it.

Also be careful of people showing you a sales video from the 1980's, which is
hopelessly out of date, and was originally produced by a company who have now ceased
trading. It is quite laughable to watch just for the hairstyles of the time! This
video was also featured in BBC1That's life with Esther Rantzen in 1989 exposing the
same dodgy sales tactics that were recently shown on BBC1 Rogue traders (sept 2006)
. The author estimates, that you will see another company appear on a similar show
in the next 10 years! (maybe sooner?)

Another tactic, although not as rubbish and a bit more credible, is that they will
put an advertising board outside your home when the work is finished, displaying
their products and contact details and what their coating system can do to a house
to encourage others to buy, and as such, they would be prepared to offer you a
generous discount as they will get more sales from that! While this method does work
to a certain degree, it's not much good if you live in a cul de sac, or a country
lane!

The "board drop close".

While it is good practice to display a board outside where you are working, as other
trades do like scaffolders, builders, carpenters etc, it should not be offered as
some huge incentive to sign on the day before you have thought about it, nor should
it be a reason to drop up to a third off the price, as they have given you a higher
price to start with. My advice is be wary, and by all means listen to what a
wallcoating salesperson has to say, but take some of it with a pinch of salt, and
always get 3 prices.

\"AAAAAAARGH! Why dont these home improvement companies, just come to my house, show
me what they offer, and then give me the price! ONE PRICE. THE PRICE THAT THE
PRODUCT COSTS. It\'s not rocket science is it?\"

In most cases, THEY WANT YOUR MONEY AS THEY WANT THEIR COMMISSION. If you pay
£10,000 for a large wallcoating job, they often get about another thousand pounds of
that in their pocket! Just for being in your home for up to 4 hours! Nice work eh?
The finance house pays them this, as it will eventually come out of your pocket in
the interest you will have to pay.

Our jobs are all quoted and sold by a qualified person, with years of experience,
NOT a salesman. From when the person arrives, to when they leave should take no more
than 1 hour! Be wary of the above methods.

There are some smaller family run coating firms who do not do this though, and have
very high standards indeed, so I have to say that as I don't wish to tar everyone
with the same brush!


Sounds scary! So what other methods do they use to get my money?

The "commercial close".

The wall coating salesman ...(or woman, but usually a man, they don't have feelings
you see !)).... gives you a price, you say no, its too high, they then go in with
one of the methods above, but they still don't get you to sign the contract, so they
come up with the Commercial close and it goes like this:

"Well, Mrs (name), I can see that you really need a coating DON'T YOU? (that's a
"close"), We agreed that DIDN'T WE? (another close) and you said you like it DIDN'T
YOU? (another high pressure "close") and you said you would be happy to deal with
our company DIDN'T YOU? (That's another close there, getting the prospective
customer to say "yes" all the time), Well, I'll tell you what, I will do you a
favour (OH YEAH?!), I have a friend in the commercial department, someone who
normally looks after the crews who do hotels and factories. Well one of their teams
is free for a couple of weeks while they wait for a contract to come online. Rather
than having them stand around, I could get them on this job, which means I could do
it for cheaper (THAT'S THE "LAST RESORT "CLOSE"), if you will place an order with us
today.

What do you think Mrs customer? (Now the pressure is really on you)

If you still wont sign, they get out the Ultra last resort, which although they will
get a lower commission, its better than nothing at all.

They continue with "OK, well I can see you really want it (blah blah blah, all the
closes come back again, they are trying to get you to say YES all the time), what
would it take to get your business with me today?

This is about the time that your resolve should be the strongest and don't give in,
show them the door. If they refuse to leave, call the police. The editor of this
site has had reports from consumers to say that is what they had to do. Exterior
wall coatings are a great product and they should not be sold in the above way. If
someone doesn't want it, why try and convince them? Greed!

The reverse close and the cash back close
Can take many forms. A typical one is a cheeky salesmen who upon being told
absolutely no way, can you leave, they will try and stay by telling you "what you
wont get". So "Well, I can see there's nothing more for me to do, but while I am
here, let me just run through what you wont get"

Also the cashback close on finance blinds you with numbers, they don't tell you the
APR or total value of finance, and use very confusing terminology and forms. All you
can hear is "£20 a week, which is nothing is it?". Also when selling you finance,
they tempt you with an offer of them giving you money back if you place an order on
their "home improvement plan"

What this actually is, is them bumping up the value of the finance product they are
selling you. So a 10 grand loan becomes a 12 grand loan, and you get 2 grand back.
Don't worry, the cash you get, you will repay over a large number of years, costing
you a small fortune in the end. Don't be greedy yourself. If you cant afford it,
don't buy it.

A list of closes to listen for when a wallcoating salesman comes to your home
(A CLOSE (as in "close a door"), is specially worded language that gets you to agree
with what they say, and ultimately, to close the deal.)

. So you like it?

. Do you agree?

. That\'s right isn't it?

. You can see that can't you?

. You would daft not to agree with that wouldn't you?

. So if we could give you the cashback to spend on what you like, you would be happy
to go ahead today is that right?

. Looks good doesn't it?

. Sounds great I am sure you agree, yes?

. Isn't this the best finance package you have ever seen?

. So, £30,000 represents terrific value for money for painting your tiny bungalow
doesn't it? (!)

. Do you want it at the best price?

. What colour do you want?

. When do you want it done?

. Do you want to go ahead on that basis?

. (CASHBACK FINANCE): So you would have love to get a cheque for £2,000 from us
wouldn't you? (ALSO REVERSE CLOSE)

. (SAVING A DEAD DEAL); "So if I can come back in 6 months time, and offer it to you
at the lowest price we said, would you be happy to go ahead?" This is done as you
have told them to leave and they start to pack up and go.




Their sales "leads" methods

While our company, and many others, have people who are interested in getting a
quote, approach us for a price direct instead of being canvassed or prompted to do
so, many, if not most, exterior wallcoating companies, go for the direct approach.

While, once again, there are some very legitimate and ethical companies who do find
prospective customers via telesales or leaflet drops and treat prospective customers
with courtesy and respect, there are some real sharks out there.

Many door canvassers are recruited either at vaguely worded presentations, "off the
street" or through newspaper job ads promising untold earnings for the right people,
a promise rarely kept. As with many direct sales companies, there is a very high
turnover of staff. They often prey on older, lone women and ritually target
retirement areas and seaside resorts, promising a free survey of their home, or a
free damp test. Don't be fooled. If you think you have damp and you are a senior
citizen, contact your local council who may be able to help you. Do NOT let these
people into your home, they are trying to sell you products that you probably don't
need.

Many of these door canvassers will introduce themselves to the homeowner out of the
blue as the marketing manager! HIGHLY UNLIKELY! They are NOT the marketing manager,
they are a door canvasser and they are paid on the amount of \"leads\" they pass to
their manager!

deposits.

Some people are wary of giving deposits to builders or home improvement companies.
There is nothing wrong with paying a deposit to the right people. Many small
businesses rely on these funds for cashflow, especially on big jobs. From the point
of view of the reputable contractor, it also proves your commitment to getting the
job done too; after all, when you get building work done, there are two parties
involved, YOU and the CONTRACTOR!

There are Customers from hell also you know! While thankfully this is extremely
rare, its just TRUST though. You have to trust the contractor to part with your
money! You are letting them loose on the outisde of your house, your most expensive
asset!

After all when someone wins a record deal or a book deal, they get a pay advance
dont they? Only pay a deposit in a CHEQUE and NOT cash! Always sign an agreement
either at the same time or before you hand over a deposit.

If the person asks you to make the cheque to someones name instead of a trading name
or company name (eg. Mr john smith instead of XYZ ltd. or XYZ coatings, etc.), then
you could be forgiven for being a little cautious, it may be quite legitimate, or it
may be that they are a sole trader (!) and you are happy to deal with a sole trader,
after all there are good ones out there.

However there is still the remote possibility that they are either stealing from the
company they work for, or its simply a one man band you are dealing with, but trying
to pass themselves off as a huge company. A deposit usually pays for the salesman\'s
commission (after all they are doing a job and there are some great honest and
ethical salespeople in the industry, only a few are cowboys), and for the purchase
of the coating materials required to do the spray coating on your house.

Sometimes though this is not the case and there are some wall coatings surveyors and
sales people who do actually recieve a modest wage and dont take commission as such,
but they probably run the company anyway! I digress a little...........

You would be advised not to pay more than 30% of the contract value in a deposit,
and NEVER pay the balance until the work is completed and you are happy.

Consumer credit licences.

A consumer credit licence is issued by the office of fair trading. Any company can
get one, even recently incorporated ones, with zero share capital, and in most cases
it is easier to obtain a CCL than it is to get a credit card! Possession of a
consumer credit licence (CCL) does NOT add much credibility to a wallcoating company
or salesman, it just means they have the correct paperwork to sell finance and
financial products to you!

Saying that, theres nothing wrong with a home improvements company having a Consumer
credit licence of course, just dont be blinded by it, it just means that they exist
and they are allowed by law to sell you financial products!



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Our advice to you:

Look on the internet or talk to friends who have already had a wallcoating done on
their house. Choose 3 companies and get quotes from all of them, don't sign up on
the day, unless you are 100% confident and happy to do so, dont be pressured!

Also, get a written quote from each one, and then decide on which company will get
the job to apply an exterior wallcoating on your home, in your time, not theirs!.
Feel free to call any of these companies back and ask them questions, but decide
when you are ready.

Then call them, tell them with either "yes please, we would like you to do the work"
or "no thank you", and get the winning company back to do the paperwork, and collect
a deposit if applicable.

It is not our intention to confuse customers with too much information, nor do we
infer that all wallcoating companies are bad, far from it, there are some great
companies out there, even ones not connected with us in any way, with great work
teams who do a good job, but the industry has made itself a bad reputation and we
feel it is (sort of) our duty at NPA, for the continued future and good name of the
industry, to let consumers know the pitfalls.

Remember, it's your money, its your decision.

It's that easy!


About the author:

The editor of this website and of this article writes with 22 years experience in
the industry. He has seen and done it all. He has heard the rubbish spouted by some
exterior wall painting companies to get you to part with your money. He has seen the
corners that the cowboys cut. By no means do we say that you shouldn't have a
wallcoating, in fact we encourage it obviously, but we want all consumers of these
services to be happy and not be ripped off by con men. Good luck in your search for
a quality home improvement. Upon visiting this site, you have made the first step in
the right direction!
www.neverpaintagain.co.uk



Web Site = http://www.neverpaintagain.co.uk

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