FROM THE EDITOR
EW editor, Debbie Eales.
I nipped over to Tunbridge Wells this month to interview the new Electrical Distributors’ Association director, Margaret Fitzsimons. We both took on our new roles on April 1 (nothing significant in that date!) and we had an interesting discussion about the EDA and its role supporting electrical wholesalers.
We will be running the interview with Margaret in a forthcoming issue, but it’s worth mentioning our discussion about the imminent roll-out of smart meters – which begins in earnest next year.
And, while the roll-out is being undertaken by the ‘big six’ utility companies, it will undoubtedly create sales opportunities for the ‘smart’ electrical wholesaler, believes Margaret.
It was a topic that Margaret had already touched upon during a press briefing at the EDA’s centenary lunch in July.
The message from the EDA is clear. Electrical Wholesalers will need to embrace the opportunities – and that will mean getting acquainted with new technologies and products to be in the best position to advise and help professional installer customers.
Aside from the obvious sales opportunities presented by energy saving building automation systems, Margaret has also identified further opportunities for wholesalers through the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and the charging infrastructure.
What Margaret says makes perfect sense. It is no longer feasible for wholesalers to have a basic, broad brush knowledge on a wide range of products. There is “an enormous requirement for upskilling and specialisation”, she says.
This could possibly pave the way for a new generation of electrical wholesalers and the emergence of category specialists.
It’s certainly food for thought. One thing is certain though – none of us can afford to ignore – or be left behind – by the emerging technologies.
That’s something that I think about, every time I see my two-year-old granddaughter Daisy deftly using a tablet computer!
