The charges will be levied through a new paid-for technical support helpline. I4S understands that at present there is no option for online support, only via the phone.
I4S: What has prompted Norbain to make these changes at this time?
Keith Purvis: A 12 month review of our value add services.
Is it a model you have seen in other industries?
Yes. IT, mobile telephony and many others attach value to technical support.
Will the charges for technical support be applicable for all products which Norbain distributes?
Yes.
Will it also apply to Norbain’s own brands?
Yes.
How will the charges be structured? Can you provide an example of how much a typical support call might cost?
Call durations vary, though most are quite short. Will also depend on the installer’s telephony provider.
Will Norbain be encouraging customers to take advantage of technical support offered by manufacturers?
No. There is no change to the way we will work with customers. If they prefer to speak with the manufacturer’s technical support team then they can choose to do that in the same way that they can do that now.
How has the plan been received so far?
Very well in general.
Are there any concerns that the new scheme may encourage Norbain customers to look to your competitors who are not charging for support (yet)?
Norbain has always prided itself on providing the best customer service in the industry. This doesn’t just include technical support, but also our stock holding, returns policies, massive range of brands and technologies, training, innovation centres and so on. No one else in the industry can match these offerings and, as such, we trust that our customers will continue to find more benefit in dealing with us.