AICO MOBILE UNIT BRINGS TRAINING & SUPPORT TO SCOTLAND

Following the launch of Aico’s Mobile Training & Demonstration Units earlier this year, the first visit to Scotland has proven highly successful with one of the Mobile Units spending a day at electrical wholesaler Scott Coppola in Edinburgh and a day at Port of Leith Housing Association.

Aico’s Mobile Training & Demonstration Units enable the company to deliver detailed Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm product and technology information, plus its CPD accredited Expert Installer training, right to customers’ doors.  Information boards on all Aico technologies, such as RadioLINK+ and AudioLINK, and alarm ranges – with fully functional product attached – are installed within the units, along with a virtual video tour of the company’s manufacturing process in Shannon, Ireland.

For Scott Coppola, Aico’s Mobile Unit was very well received, as Manager Darren Coppola comments: “The Mobile Unit is fantastic!  Aico is always ahead in the market, but this is beyond that.  It’s good for product demonstrations and the kit looks very professional.  The CPD training for contractors was the big draw.  It’s difficult to get people to give up their time, but the training is something the industry needs.  Being able to deliver it near to where they work is ideal and there was a high demand on the day.  The participants enjoyed it and received a certificate to show they had completed the training”.

Darren has also recently taken a group of 42 contractors and staff to Aico’s Centre of Excellence in Oswestry, Shropshire: “I was so impressed with the Centre when I saw it that I organised for a bus to take contractors there.  They did several Expert Installer training sessions.  They still talk about their visit today as not only did they learn something but they also enjoyed the experience.

“We particularly liked Ember Place which shows different rooms from different decades, all with Aico product in place.  It was useful and the decor from different eras was fun.  One thing I found particularly interesting was the information board on how to interconnect Part 6 and Part 1 systems.”

Darren is enthusiastic about the training and support provided by Aico: “I always encourage contractors to get Expert Installer trained.  Why wouldn’t you?  It’s free training and once you’ve done it you can market yourself as an Aico Expert Installer, which has value.  It shows you know what you are doing.  Aico’s support is outstanding.  They are in a class of their own.”

Port of Leith Housing Association, which is currently fitting Aico Ei160e Smoke & Heat Alarms and CO Alarms into 2500 properties, also benefitted from Aico’s Mobile Training & Demonstration Unit.  “The Mobile unit was fantastic” comments Steven Donoghue, Senior Maintenance Officer “and the way in which Alex [Alex Seath, Aico National Sales Manager] presented the company was excellent.  He answered all the questions in ways that everyone could understand.  He explained the regulations clearly, advising of what should be fitted where.  It’s very convenient and comfortable – it’s a bit like him bringing his office to us! – and a really good display.”

A large range of Port of Leith Housing Association staff visited the Mobile Unit for training, including internal staff who were given an introductory course on Aico products, followed by contractors and support staff such as facilities managers, assisted living managers and general maintenance personnel, then heads of department, gas teams and other interested parties.

The CPD accredited Expert Installer is a modular training scheme created by Aico to ensure everyone involved in domestic alarm specification and installation has all the information they need, from standards & regulations, alarm system design & installation, through to specific technologies.  Expert Installer recently received CPD accreditation, making Aico the only domestic smoke alarm manufacturer to provide customers with CPD training free of charge.  Expert Installer training can be held at customers’ premises, at Aico’s Centre of Excellence or in one of Aico’s new Mobile Training & Demonstration Units.