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GLASS NEWS INTERVIEW: DGCOS
DGCOS PROVIDES INVALUABLE SUPPORT TO BOTH CONSUMERS AND INSTALLERS Faisal Hussain tells Glass News’ Editor, Chris Champion, about the benefits the Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) offers both consumers and installers.
many years and there are many installers who both swear by the benefits it provides them and relish the fact that the consumer, their customer, knows they can trust any company sporting the DGCOS brand. There is little doubt that hundreds of thousands of consumers have benefitted by the coverage provided by the scheme, and also fenestration businesses that have received a very valuable and critical point of difference that has set them apart from competitors.
The Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) is an organisation dedicated to protecting consumers, raising industry standards and supporting glazing installers. It’s an ethical scheme and Faisal Hussain returns to the organisation as its Chief Executive, determined to drive the organisation forward. It’s interesting to hear how Faisal sets about reinvigorating DGCOS and building a team that share his passion in creating a new proposition for window and door installers.
It is interesting and significant that George Clarke, the architect, TV presenter and home improvement champion has agreed to be an ambassador for DGCOS. Cynics amongst us may say that he is being paid to do it but with his profile, both in the trade and amongst consumers, he wouldn’t agree to taking on this role lightly. After all he has a high reputation to uphold.
DGCOS is not new: it has been around and supporting the industry and consumers for
www.glassnews.co.uk | January 2022
With such a name behind the organisation you can understand how this may help installers during the sales process. However, that is not all. The seemingly endless list of benefits that installers enjoy can take a new company through every
stage of setting up to being a successful installation business. Is DGCOS going to do all the work for a business? Of course not. In fact, there is a very vigorous due diligence process that takes place before an installer is accepted into the scheme and Faisal explains the importance of this. You may think that the help would consist of just marketing collateral and some insurance – think again. There is much help in registering a business, introduction to manufacturers and advising on all kinds of software solutions that the business needs, even model terms and conditions are available to ensure compliance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Moving into the marketing side, there’s website and social media advice as well as an opportunity for leads from DGCOS’ own website. Sales training is available as is advice on consumer government schemes and grants. When it comes to installing there is technical and product support, introduction to sub-contractors to help cope with consumer demand and DGCOS pay for the competent person
scheme notifications saving installers approximately £1.65 per notification.. The customer service and satisfaction side is very important and advice and support is there to handle complaints, feedback from customers is available through DGCOS customer satisfaction surveys and there is also access to a Primary Authority, West Yorkshire Trading Standards, for legally backed advice. The section on an annual review may sound daunting but, in fact, it provides an annual health check on keeping up with insurances, legislation and the waste management licence. It looks over the documentation an installer provides, and can advise on budgeting and cashflow and even look at grants and benefits that may be available to the business. Faisal Hussain is passionate about both his job and the service DGCOS provides to both installers and consumers. Membership of the scheme is reasonably priced for the many benefits on offer and longstanding members of DGCOS have obviously found it very worthwhile.
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