FAQ's...

We receive a lot of phone calls at Dobson and Surrey Ltd in our dealings with clients, suppliers and third parties and these are the top 3 current frequently asked questions of us...

1 "My lights / power / heating / other has just gone off - can you get someone here this morning / afternoon?"

2 "I've gotten your quote and i know a bloke from the pub / golf club / other who can do it much cheaper. Can you reduce your price?"

3 "Who is your current gas / electric / telephone supplier? We can save you 20 / 25 / 30% on your current bills..."

Surprisingly, all three questions are related, in a fashion. It all comes down to a compromise between quality and service balanced against cost.

A wise man (OK, it was someone from an electrical wholesalers...) once told me "if i'm cheapest on everything, I've done something wrong". If you are cheapest all of the time, when are you making the money needed to run the company, to pay your employees (and yes, your utility bills)?

In the electrical contracting business, we continuously see smaller companies or "one man bands" coming along and offering incredibly low quotes to customers. On paper, that's great for the customer - it's usually after the works are done and a problem occurs that the compromise is discovered - either in the quality of the works or the responsiveness of the company.

We've seen many occasions where we've priced a job, it's been given to someone cheaper and when we get a chance to look at the works, they aren't the same job. The materials aren't the same quality, the installation is not engineered to the same levels or it's obviously been installed in the quickest way possible. 

The only person losing out here is the customer who is not getting what they thought they would be getting. Or paid for.

At Dobson and Surrey, we have always prided ourselves on the "do it once, do it right" ethos - but if you DO have a problem, we will rectify it as quickly as we can and ensure it won't happen again.

We won't use poor quality materials to keep the cost down - it's not worth the damage it will do to our reputation nor the problems it may cause the client. 

We are living in times where price is the "be-all and end-all" - but it shouldn't be to the detriment of quality or service.

We position ourselves on the "Quality and Service" side of that equation - and we respect that our clients do too.

(Incidentally, in answer to Question 3 above, our usual response is "if you don't know what we are paying, how can you tell us you'll be cheaper?". That usually ends the call pretty quickly!)

'Tis the Season to be...

If you haven't already, it'll soon be the time to experience the joy / madness of putting up your Christmas decorations.

Whilst this is undoubtedly a time for joy and happiness, we are also bombarded with scare stories of the "hidden dangers" of Christmas in the media. As with most things in life, an element of common sense removes such dangers - but we are all guilty of the odd "brain freeze" moment. 

So here are Dobson and Surrey's tips for negotiating the task of lighting up our homes and places of work...

1. Inspect and test all of your lights before putting them up!

Check the wiring for damage, the plug top to ensure the connections are tight and make sure there are no broken lamps. Try them before you put them up in the final positions - the last thing you want to do is have to remove all the tree decorations and re-do the lights.

With most lights these days being of the LED variety, this brings significant reductions in electrical efficiency but also in reducing the risks of house fires caused by lights. Certainly consider replacing older style lights with these newer ones.

2. Think about where you are going to plug the lights in!

If you have sufficient socket outlets to satisfy every need, you've done well (and are also in a massive minority). Most of us will need to use extension leads to provide power to our lights but please consider what is being connected.

If you are using socket outlets behind your TV, think about what else needs to be connected. Count up your equipment - it'll surprise you how many items you have plugged in at once.

If you are looking at an extension lead plugged into an extension lead, then it might be best to reconsider where you are plugging everything into! 

Also, don't forget to carry out the same inspection on the extension leads for damage.

3. Make sure all external lights are connected to an RCD protected socket or circuit. Water and electrics tend not to make good bedfellows...

4. Be careful when putting lights up!

Again, common sense. It's usually cold / wet / snowing / icy when we put outside Christmas lights up. If it is, think about putting it off until it's not a hazard. 

Too many times have we seen people putting lights up in conditions which whilst they aren't electrically unsafe, certainly make the task of putting them up dangerous.

Finally, when you've finished it all and your home looks beautiful, you can relax. Unless, of course, they go off...and then you have the joy of taking them all down again in a few weeks time!

From everyone at Dobson and Surrey, have a joyous (and safe) Christmas time.

New Beginnings

Strange as it may seem, 38 years since we started this business, this is our first attempt at "marketing" or advertising ourselves!

A lot has happened in the intervening years - technology has moved on, techniques have changed and customers requirements have evolved beyond all recognition.

Not to mention our a lot of our competitors have gone, started again, gone again, started again...

However, we're a bit more resilient and this is why we believe now is the time to remind everyone - we're not a "here-today-gone-tomorrow" company. 

We've spent years investing in relationships with clients, suppliers and the trade and it's nice to know that you can rely on some things in life. 

So whilst we'll never stop moving forward with the latest innovations in the business or continuing our desire to make sure we are at the forefront of training and compliance with the latest standards and laws, we're still the same company as we've always been.

Founded on the ideals of engineering excellence, undiminished quality of work and value efficiency, we remain committed to not only our existing clients but also those we will work with in the future.

So, new website, new social media presence, new logo but there is nearly 40 years of research and practice behind them!