Smart Home Surgery

Join us on the Smart Home Surgery podcast as we delve into the world of smart home technology. We bring you interviews with industry leaders, peers and influencers to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the people and businesses shaping this exciting field. Expect honest and open discussions on hot topics and the latest trends, without any bias towards specific brands or industry groups. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the smart home industry

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Smart Home Surgery

Partnering with Specialists

May 05, 2023 • Benjamin Davies • Season 2 • Episode 2

The Cost of Not Partnering With Specialists

Partnering with specialists cost you some of your margin. But, a £500,000 law suit will cost more.

In today’s episode, we talk about when it’s worth partnering with a specialist, the cost of not partnering with one, and the benefits of partnership.

We’re joined by John Christenson and Rob Rathbone who are both specialist security installers.

“By getting a specialist contractor in, you might be able to not be in prison”

What we discussed

(00:00) Who are John Christenson and Rob Rathbone?

(02:12) From car audio to CCTV: finding his niche (JC installs)

(05:15) Moving from general services to specialist services

(09:09) Becoming a specialist without confusing customers

(15:17) The cost of not hiring a specialist

(21:08) You’re not qualified, marketing lied to you

(25:45) I fucked up, so I hire specialists (complete honesty)

(29:38) Are you insured to do specialist work?

(36:08) Should installers do security work?

(41:21) Smart integrations

(48:10) Be prepared to be sued

(50:44) Funniest CCTV footage

3 things reasons to partner with specialists:

It's essential to recognize your areas of expertise and not stretch yourself too thin by venturing into specialties that you don't fully understand. This can lead to mistakes and customer dissatisfaction, which in turn undermines your credibility and the quality of your core service.
The extra money you might make from not hiring a specialist might cost you your mental health and reputation.
When expanding your service offerings, it's crucial to understand what your insurance actually covers. Engaging in work that's not covered, such as installing TVs when you're not insured for it, can lead to serious consequences like property damage that you'd be personally liable for.

Links

Connect with John Christenson: LinkedIn

Connect with Rob Rathbone: LinkedIn

Inspire Audio Visual: Website

Contact the Smart Home Surgery

Send us a DM on Instagram @smarthomees
Email us at media@smarthomee.co.uk

Thanks for listening & see you on the next episode