Does your distributor go above and beyond to solve your challenges?

In this age of same and next-day delivery, where products and information are available at the click of a button, how does your electrical distributor help you save time and money and add value to your business?

CEF has delivered 31 live, CPD accredited TechTalk events

Electrical distributors have to compete – whether that is in traditional ways such as price, quality and availability, or by adding value through their service, knowledge, expertise and convenience.

CEF has built a reputation of going above and beyond in providing electrical essentials and investing in expert knowledge to help customers understand regulations, identify trends and product innovations so that they can make the most of the business opportunities available.

In the past six months, the company has gone to great lengths to help electricians and contractors all over the UK get to grips with the latest wiring regulations and understand what they mean for their future business.

CEF TechTalks – demystifying wiring regulation change

To help electrical contractors understand the 2nd Amendment changes to the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations which came into force in March 2022, CEF delivered 31 live, CPD accredited TechTalk events across the UK and Channel Islands.

Held in partnership with the IET, the CEF TechTalks comprised of a Technical Seminar presented by CEF’s Head of Technical Solutions, Darren Staniforth, supported by Dave Austin and a mini trade show.

Expertise was provided by Mark Coles, Head of Technical Regulations at IET who was a live guest presenter at selected events and appeared on video at others to answer technical questions from the audience.

The presentations and materials provided were reviewed before the events so that each attendee could claim a certified CPD certificate for 3.5 hours of training. Topics covered included 2nd Amendment to 18th Edition, energy monitoring, battery storage, EV charging, changes to CO legislation and EICR coding. All the relevant information was included in a pack of 18th Edition 2nd Amendment TechCards, free for each attendee.

Over 20 leading brands attended the mini trade show at each TechTalk to exhibit products and services, demonstrate solutions and answer questions.

Attendees also benefitted from on-the-day deals, including 10% off new 18th Edition regulations books and a 10% discount voucher to spend at cef.co.uk. And there was the chance to win a Super Rod ‘SUPER CAM’ or VIP British Superbikes tickets at every event.

Great customer feedback

From Inverness to Portsmouth, Belfast to Bristol, almost 4,000 electricians and contractors attended a CEF Tech Talk and feedback has been incredible:

“Somewhat surprised to see a wholesaler taking on the task of educating the industry, but good to see something different happening at last.” “Better than expected and clearer to understand than a regulations course.” “I am recommending CEF TechTalks to my colleagues.”

For those unable to attend one of the events in person, CEF organised an online webinar in August in which presenters explained the fundamental changes included in the 2nd Amendment to the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations.

More TechTalks, with a focus on electric vehicle charging and battery storage are planned for October 2022 onwards.

Helping electricians make the most of the EV opportunity

With the sale of new petrol and diesel cars due to be phased out by 2035, CEF has also recognised that EV charging is an opportunity for its customers to grow their own businesses.

It has invested in tools to provide expertise, advice and a complete range of EV charging products and accessories to help electricians and contractors get up to speed with everything they need to know about EVs including:

• EV training for all CEF in-store employees • Installation training opportunities for customers bookable in store • EV Trade Days for customers • Accessible advice and information on all things EV charging related at cef.co.uk/plugintoev • Wide range of charge point brands and accessories available to complete an

EV installation.

More than just a distributor

As the largest multi-channel electrical distributor in the UK, with a network of 390 stores, a trade catalogue offering almost 30,000 products, industry-leading website and mobile app offering over 35,000 products, plus a range of delivery and collection options, CEF saves customers time by providing the information they need plus the convenience to shop how and when they want:

• Guaranteed product availability – almost 3,000 essential electrical products in every CEF store • Over 300 leading brands to choose from – strong supplier relationships mean CEF is the first choice for many manufacturers launching new products and promotions • Exclusive in-house products – from brands including Tamlite, Heatstore,

Tamlex, Proteus, Ethos, F4P and ICS • Over 35,000 products available online – to order for next-day delivery • National Accounts & Projects team – providing tailored solutions for customers with multiple locations, a large geographical coverage or managing large projects • Free services – technical knowledge, site visits, design schemes and custom-build solutions • Trade Hub – online resource providing the latest trade news and comprehensive information on products, technology and legislation • In-house WEEE recycling – CEF is the only electrical distributor to have an in-house recycling facility. Waste experts offer customers industry-leading and traceable solutions for total waste management.

Does your distributor do all this and more?