4 key ways to build your PAT business

1. Think about other testing you can do while you are on site. Almost every office has a microwave, and you hardly say it’s tested for electrical safety if there’s the possibility it's leaking microwaves.

Click here for information on a microwave leakage detector.

2. Ask if the building has a current fixed wiring certificate. Have any new circuits been put in or changed since then? You can either offer full 17th edition testing (click here for products) but that’s expensive and needs specialised training. One option to protect the tester and to be able to charge extra is to offer to test the earth in every socket. You can get a quick measure of earth loop impendance very easily with the EZ150. Click here for info.

The argument with the customer is “There’s no point testing the earth on the appliance if the earth in the socket is dodgy.”

3. Remember that all the customer wants is a certificate and a label on each appliance. Write the contract so you do the bare minimum of tests (He’s agreed so it’s his responsibility) and invest in a software package to produce flash reports. Alternatively for small volume, use a spreadsheet or Word to produce an impressive certificate.

Remind the customer of the need for regular formal visual inspection. Sometimes you can add an interim visit in between testing where all you need is to visually inspect. Use the IEE guidelines. Convince the customer this is needed.

4. This one might seem a bit brave, but we’ve seen it both help keep old business and get into new accounts.

Offer to do fewer tests!

This will cut your income, but it will reduce the customer’s costs and leave you not likely to lose the business to a cheaper competitor. You also do less work, so the loss isn’t real if you can use the idea to get new clients.

Use the IEE guidelines to educate the customer away from the “one size fits all”, test everything every year approach. You may even get more work because in some areas (industrial kitchens, workshops etc) you can suggest quarterly testing.