Installation Engineer

Due to further expansion SM UK requires an engineer in the following area.

South

The ideal candidate must be qualified electrical engineer with a proven track record in
the industry and have good communication skills.
Candidates must be able to work on their own initiative

Duties will include

Telematics installs 3 wire to Multi point inc CAN

HFK installations

Reverse camera installations

Specialist vehicle installations

In return the ideal candidate will receive

28 days holiday per year

Company van

Blackberry / PDA / Laptop

Full uniform

£24k per year plus overtime. Earnings in the region of £35 – £40k

To apply for this position please send a CV to recruitment@smfleet.co.uk

www.smfleet.co.uk

Due to expansion, we now require 2 new mobile installation engineers in the North West of England.

Applicants must be conversant with mobile phone handsfree and tracking installations.

A top rate of salary & usual fringe benefits apply (20 Days Holiday Per Year, Company Mobile Phone / Van etc).

Apply via email to norman.allen@geminitech.co.uk

Ifitstuff business advice – Start up & Progression.

Starting a successful business is one of the most difficult things that you might do? Approx 1 in 3 businesses will fail within the 1st 3 years and that’s without the difficult economic times that we are in at the moment. Many businesses new and old will be struggling right now and while some will be running scared, the entrepreneurs among you will see opportunity in every situation!

This is the 1st in a series of business advice for the new start up company and hopefully there will be something in it for those who have been around for a while too, some possibly a bit out of date with the new “internet” age that we are living in. I’m not talking about advice on starting a multi-million pound company that you are going to float on the stock market as “what the heck do I know about that”! Sure I would love to be writing in 10 years time how I came to turn a hobby technical forum called “Ifitstuff.com” into a multi-million pound industry dominating force! But for now I will concentrate on something that I do know something about.

Starting a 1 man mobile installation company which is something that I did in April 2003 and I am very proud to be starting my 10th year of trading this year and business is better than ever. It was probably my biggest challenge in life and in fact it was not my 1st business as I previously started a business installing car audio and security when I was 18 which failed after around 18 months. After that I went into the wilderness of being employed for a few years in the UK and Australia and gained much needed experience in all areas including installing, management, pricing, procedures, efficiency, customer service etc.

I had just returned from a years back packing and I was living back at my parents’ house in Eastbourne and so I didn’t have any mortgage, rent or any bills to worry about. I was broke at the time but I had good credit as I never missed a payment on anything and so I felt that I was in a reasonable position to start trading. I also had 2 of my old customers (from a company that I previously ran who were no longer trading) who found out that I was back and asked me to do their work and that was some bread and butter money. But despite all my hard work my 2 trade customers I still only turned over £16,000 in sales during my 1st year of trading which added up to a loss of £2,000 for the year without me drawing any wages from the company. Furthermore from the cost of buying a vehicle, stock and tools and also some living expenses I had racked up debt of around £12,000 at the end of year 1 which was spread across every credit card that I had and my bank over draft!

Other competitors in my area had previously set up similar companies in the 2 years before me but they did far better than me in their 1st year. Some luck is involved and also the nice guy often finishes last in business too. One of the companies who set up took most of the trade work from his previous employer when he left and he is the current market leader today. Another was in the right place at the right time and brought the closing stock from a company he was working for at a discount price and got given maybe 25 years? good will, a nice trade customer base FOC and the company phone number on divert to his mobile! It was a particularly hard pill for me to swallow knowing that I got the guy (a friend of mine) the job there when I left the company for my year travelling and had I stayed the gift would have been mine. So there seems to be some different ways that people start their businesses and some factors that can make a real difference to getting it going; Luck, rip off your current employer, buy an existing business or just serious hard graft, imagination and determination.
Should you start a business?

Do you want to work 12-14 hours a day and eat, sleep and breathe work daytime, evenings and weekends?
Can you survive a year of not earning any income and possibly having large debts at the end of it?
Do you have savings or credit good enough to have sufficient cash flow to get the thing started and keep it running?
Can you survive not having regular money going in the bank?
Will your relationship / children survive you diverting all your attentions to work particularly during the start up year?
Can you manage the paperwork or have a partner, parent, child or friend who can help you?
Are you organised enough to manage your own job bookings, pricing, stock, tools, consumables, returns etc?
Will you spend all available hours hustling, marketing or networking when you don’t have work?
Are you self motivated and do you push yourself harder than anyone else can push you?
Do you want to be your own boss and answer only to you customers?

Should you be employed?

Do you like to finish work early?
Do you want to spend your evenings and weekends with your family?
Do you like to spend your time watching TV or playing computer games?
Do you like being able to switch off when you finish work and not think about it again until the next working day?
Do you like your bookings done for you?
Are you notoriously bad at paperwork and save it all up until someone kicks you up the arse to fill it in?
Do you like regular money to arrive in your bank?
Do you like your company supplying a van and paying for the fuel and maintenance for it?
Do you like your company supplying the relevant stock, consumables and mobile phone?
Please do join the discussion about this topic and view other Ifitstuff members’ points of view in the trade only section of the forum here http://www.ifitstuff.com/forum/index.php/board,1056.0.html . Thanks for reading and please do check back in next month for “Choosing you business name”.

Article by Jeff Scott, Director Ifitstuff LTD & Sussex Installation Team LTD.

Vehicle Installation Engineers required in the following areas:- Birmingham, Manchester and London.

20 days holiday per year

£18,000 – £22,000 per annum

See PDF for full details

Job Posted – 25.01.2012

Senior position within the company reporting directly to the owner of the business.

1/ The successful applicant will have to source their own leads, book their own appointments and meet with potential new clients to secure installation work and maintenance contracts.
2/ Must be conversant with blue light vehicles, and also be able to install covert vehicles.
3/ Must be a leader and to manage a team of installers.
4/ Liaise with customers and keep them happy with any changes that may occur.
5/ Carry out training for new members of staff.
6/ Working away from home is essential from time to time.
7/ Good rate of pay and all fringe payments plus car phone etc.
8/ Must be able to work of PREVIDEs and VDPs documents.
9/ Must be conversant with all the SAN range of radios and also the Supra radios.
10/ The vehicles that we are relating to are Ambulances, Rapid response, Fire appliances, officer’s cars etc.
11/ Candidate would ideally be based in the North West.
12/ Salary to be negotiated but as a guide £25,000 – £30,000 and possibly more for the right candidate.

Apply with CV to recruitment@ifitstuff.com

Name: Mick Barber
Age: Just Celebrated his 50th Birthday
Company: ParkSafe UK / CSS Aftermarket
Job description: Director

How long have you been in the industry?
Over 20 years.

How did you get started in the industry?
I first started working in sales for Wurth UK based in Kent, They employed around 250 sales consultants throughout the UK, after my first year, I was awarded Salesman of the year and there after for the following two years, soon after, I was promoted to Regional Manager and Sales trainer.
Before I joined the Electronic Industry, I was a Trained mechanical technician, my first step into this Industry was with GT Auto Alarms, soon after re-launching the well-known brand Gemini Alarms, when I founded and developed Gemini Security Direct in the UK at there early stages.

How long have you been working at ParkSafe UK / CSS?
I started with CSS Aftermatket formally known as Car Sound Supplies around 5 years ago as a Consultant. Where soon after I joined as Director.

How has the product focus changed since you joined the company?
CSS is a successful business that has been running for over 30 years, my first focus point was to re-brand the name and focus on the range of products that we offered to our existing and welcome of new customers…. Offering a selected range of products has helped us to be more versatile within our market place.

Now ! we all loved your truck that used to come around and sell from the back of it, I guess it wasn’t cost effective?
That’s right, it was a difficult decision, However, it was not cost effective to the company and I am sure you would agree, you could not continue at a loss !!! We believe we can still offer the same amount of quality service by offering an early morning next day delivery service. At the same time we are able to offer our saving at a discounted price to our customers, we are very focused on our quality of service, over the past few years we have managed to recruit Area Managers into each Geographical area, giving the Customer face-to-face contact.

What is your vision for the company’s future?
We are a company that values the customers Profit, We will continue to listen to the importance of what the customer requires and continue to expand our product range. We will continue to up-hold our quality of service to our existing customer and welcome New customers,

What can you tell me about ParkSafe?
ParkSafe is a brand that I have a passion for as I was the one who created the product, the design, marketing, Packaging and colour scheme, I have specified the product features as a result of listening to what the installers and dealers want
Parksafe features: 4 – 2 Eye sensor kit all in one, Buzzer or Display option all used by the same control unit, Tow-bar detectable or Not, 6% – 10% replacement heads, adjustable sensitivity for sensors, extendable solid tone for vehicles with a spare wheel or tow bar, Self Test function,
Parksafe offer a complete range of products to all customer requirements, Metal Bumpers, Waterproof resin filled, commercial, Plant, HGV, Light commercial and Motor homes, including range of Monitors and cameras with or without Wireless Interface, See our www.Park-safe.co.uk

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of work? (Now this is a silly question as I look around Mick’s home office as I can see from the pictures, trophies and swords that Mick is somewhat of a lethal weapon. I realise at this point that I had better not say anything bad about the sandwich that he very kindly made me)!
I started my martial arts career in 1981 at the age of 20, having 30 years within the Martial arts Industry has helped me to develop my own style.. I presently teach twice a week a Korean style of training, I Judge International as well as throughout the UK, I have achieved 4th Dan and one other 2nd Dan. I am a qualified boxing Instructor coach, General fitness personal Instructor, Aero cycling Instructor (Spinning) and Boxercise Instructor,, fitness is a very important part to my life and I believe it gives us Good health and well being.
Over the past two years, I have developed another passion and I am a keen Cycle rider where I have just recently brought a High spec racing Bike, this has helped me to release my stress from work and I frequently raise money by entering running marathons for Sue Ryder cancer.

Many thanks to Mick for taking the time to talk to Ifitstuff and we wish him and ParkSafe continued success.

Article by Jeff Scott.

The £10 million plus campaign, developed by Digital Radio UK and the BBC with award-winning agency Y&R/RKCR, is the start of a two-year drive to increase digital listening. The campaign will run across BBC TV and radio stations, commercial radio groups, the Guardian and Observer, Bauer magazines and online.

Brandrepublic have written a summary of the campaign – you can also play three of the radio ads on their site: http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/1107463/radio-industry-launches-let-live-digital-radio-campaign/

The radio executions launched on Saturday 3 December to be followed by the first of two TV executions on 6 December – BBC One at 9pm. The campaign uses a consistent endline; ‘If you love radio, let it live’ voiced by Life on Mars actor John Simm, and a new digital radio identity. The first press and online ads launched in the Guardian on Saturday 10 December.

The executions focus on how digital radio brings radio to life for listeners by providing additional stations, ease of tuning, track and artist listing and availability across all digital platforms. The new green digital radio ‘pulse’ logo (below) has been developed by leading brand identity agency Lambie-Nairn, and has been adopted by major manufacturers and retailers who will be using it in their own communications and point of sales materials.

The ‘Let it Live’ campaign will then be sustained through 2012 with three major phases of activity: spring; summer (focusing on the Olympics, the Euros and festivals); and Christmas. The first phase of the campaign runs through to mid-2013 when Government is expected to make a decision on digital radio switchover and to accelerate listening growth to help achieve a target of 50% of digital listening by end 2015. In Q3 2011, overall digital listening grew by 14% year on year to 28.2%, with DAB listening showing an 18% increase, and online listening up 32%. Almost 20% of new cars now come with digital radio as standard – up from 5% last year.

In the last few weeks we have seen the launch of digital-only services Absolute Radio 70s and Absolute Radio 60s, joining the recently-launched Smooth Xmas. The BBC will launch Radio Five Live Olympics Extra next year.

We’ve had great support for the campaign from the BBC, Bauer, GMG Radio and Arqiva; broadcasters supporting the campaign include UTV, Planet Rock, Absolute Radio, Jazz FM, BFBS, Gaydar, FunKids, UCB, French Radio London, TWR, Premier and Amazing Radio.

·Tim Davie, the BBC’s Director of Audio and Music, says: “The industry is working together to drive digital radio and, alongside agreeing a co-ordinated strategy, improving coverage and investing in new content, creating stronger, clearer promotion will play an important role in making sure listeners understand the benefits of digital radio.”

·Dee Ford, Group MD Radio, Bauer Media, said: “Bauer loves radio and is happy to support the cross-industry ‘Let it Live’ digital radio campaign. Digital will be a major part of all media consumption in the future and this campaign will focus on the additional benefits the platform will deliver.”

·Stuart Taylor, Managing Director of GMG Radio, says “There is now real momentum behind digital radio: this joined up campaign approach between broadcasters, radio manufacturers, vehicle manufacturers and retailers will rightly point to the excellent functionality, benefits and service enhancements that digital radio brings to the listener.”

The new industry postcode checker at getdigitalradio.com will also go live when the campaign launches. It will now provide predicted coverage at household level, rather than just postcode. It will include new coverage data, taking account of recent transmitter builds, and provide information about other digital radio platforms.

2012 is a big year for digital: the first truly digital Olympics, the completion of the digital TV switchover, and the coming of age of digital radio, with the first industry connected communications campaign, as well as more digital stations, more digital radios in-car and improved digital coverage.

News article from Jane Ostler, Communications Director, Digital Radio UK.

We now have 2 new “Find an Engineer” search tools that you can use to find a sub contractor and they are here http://www.ifitstuff.com/vehicle_engineer_uk.php .