The DGCOS scheme’s founder, Tony Pickup, found himself in the coveted position of discussing the scheme on BBC One’s Breakfast. The reaction to this was “overwhelming”, and Tony followed this up with a slot on Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show on BBC Radio 2.

However, not all BBC shows were as flattering, and BBC Two’s Working Lunch programme made “a number of incorrect and misleading statements as well as implying that the scheme was not a proper Ombudsman scheme”, DGCOS said in a statement. The programme’s editor apologised, and a ‘clarification’ was made on air the following day.

“This ‘clarification’…falls a long way short of the very specific apology we had earlier from the programme’s editor,” explained Tony Pickup, “and we are pressing the BBC to set the record straight with a detailed apology.”

DGCOS accused the presenters of being poorly briefed, and using a tone that was “negative and potentially damaging”.

About Glasstalk
GlassTalk has taken the window, door, conservatory and flat glass industries by storm, simply by recognising a simple human trait: people like to talk and meet other people with similar interests. GlassTalk, therefore, simply provides a forum, a mechanism, through which people can express themselves, make new contacts, develop original ideas; it is the people that join GlassTalk that are the real success story.

Simplicity is the key to the success of GlassTalk: The clear and undisguised purpose of the event is for new contacts to be made, ideas to be exchanged and business to be done. This is achieved through ‘speed networking’. Upon registration delegates are given a series of numbers which correspond with round tables placed around the room. Guests join these tables, each of which seats ten, and upon a signal those around the table introduce themselves in turn, following which open discussion commences.

Sometimes there may be a theme to the discussions but usually delegates are simply left to do what people do best: talk and seek common ground. After 25 minutes delegates are warned to close their discussions, exchange business cards, and prepare to move to the next table allocated to them on their numbered tickets. Numbers are issued randomly and calculated to ensure that as many different GlassTalk guests meet during the day, up to 75 during the networking sessions.

THAT’S GLASSTALK

GlassTalk is the new business-to-business networking phenomenon that has swept through the UK glass and double glazing industry. Founded and run by people that earn their livelihoods daily from the glass and glazing industry GlassTalk allows – encourages – like minded business owners and leaders to meet and talk business. At both of the last two GlassTalk events more than 150 people sat and talked to each other, swapping ideas, opinions and, most importantly, telephone numbers.

Never has business been so much fun either! The 8 to 10 ‘Speed Networking’ sessions at GlassTalk are lively and fun, driven by spontaneous energy and the need to make a mark within the strict time limits.

These are complemented by the evening informal networking opportunities created by the buffet-style dining arrangements and sponsored bar.
And then there are the ‘On the Couch’ sessions in which we discuss the key issues of the day with the people who create and manage them.

There is, quite literally, nothing quite like Glasstalk.

BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT: GLASSTALK TAKES PLACE ON THE 27TH MAY AND PLACES ARE LIMITED.

If you haven’t booked yet but think GlassTalk might be good for you and your organisation then BOOK NOW or you will be disappointed as there is always a rush in the last few days. You can book online or use the form below.

BOOK YOUR GLASSTALK TICKET ONLINE NOW

While I wholeheartedly agree with free speech and debate, sometimes forums of this nature can cross the line into a more defamatory nature as the piece that was removed did and it can become damaging and unfair. I reserve the right to fight our corner and protect the integrity of DGCOS if I think this is happening.

Firstly, we have never said to any journalists that this industry is full of rogues or incompetents. It isn’t, and we’ve said several times that a few rogues and cowboys damage the reputations of the many. We have only ever said factual information and given a potential solution to the 22,000+ complaints received about this industry last year. We do not have editorial control over anything that is not published by DGCOS – as is witnessed by this blog.

Also, we do not seek to represent the industry. DGCOS is an Ombudsman scheme with judicial powers and extensive powers of investigation. It is a consumer protection organisation. Installers and the industry will benefit from its existence.

I welcome Nigel’s attempt to put some organisations into perspective. As he says, “Fensa ….was never designed as a consumer protection organisation. The Glass and Glazing Federation is a Trade Federation, whose main driver is promote technical and ethical standards”

However, he is incorrect when he says DGCOS is ‘ultimately a lead generator’. DGCOS provides the consumer protection the industry needs to help its reputation. The fact that DGCOS is aware of the needs of the people who drive the industry, the installers, and the things they need to ‘buy into’ the scheme is testament to our research and ability to deliver a great scheme.

DGCOS does not pretend to cover the whole industry. We cannot. Many companies will just not make the grade. 23% of applications so far have failed. DGCOS covers only installation businesses who have taken the trouble to become accredited members – our website makes this clear.

DGCOS is different because it is a robust Ombudsman Scheme. Bona fide complaints will be investigated thoroughly. Wrongs will be addressed and put right. Investigations of complaints are mandatory whereas many trade bodies provide an optional ‘conciliation’ service which members may or may not abide by. DGCOS also provides a free independent inspection service on disputed installations. The Ombudsman’s decisions are legally binding and enforceable. Members contribute to a Compensation Fund to ensure awards are honoured. No other organisation offers all of this for the industry.

The Ombudsman, Dr Ronald Barham, is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has been operating as an Ombudsman since 1996. He has extensive knowledge of the construction industry and is a member of the arbitration panels of several professional and government bodies. He is independent of all member organisations, is not funded by members, and is not on the management team or board of directors of DGCOS so that any judgment he makes could not be considered biased.

In regards to the costs, wildly inaccurate figures have been mentioned on this blog. The cost of ongoing membership is affordable by all professional installers. The ongoing cost is in the region of 1.2% of their retail turnover. For the overall benefits on offer this is a bargain. The marketing materials are excellent and proving very successful for installers.

To dispel another rumour, DGCOS does not sell IBGs, and we make no money from them. We have investigated the provision of IBGs to consumers and found that there are many loopholes. This is unacceptable to DGCOS. Therefore, we have negotiated a policy for members with our approved supplier, IWA, to ensure everyone is covered. The Compensation Fund also enables any customer of a member who is not registered to have a fallback position.

The purpose of our marketing, PR and advertising is to communicate strongly to people so they take notice of the scheme as many consumers, consumer support groups and the media are already doing. This is only the beginning. However, Nick Ross does not put his name to ‘mere marketing gimmicks’. Nick has been personally involved in ensuring that what the scheme offers is sound, robust and will serve the industry well.

Our credit score may be low. This is because we are new and have not turned a surplus yet. We won’t do for 2-3 years dependent on the take up rate from installers. Our aim is to attract 1,800 of the best installers into accreditation over the next 3-4 years. That will be approx 14% of installers in the UK. As I said, not everyone will make it.

I’d like to thank the organisers of GlassTalk for their ‘on the couch’ invitation. However, DGCOS cannot adequately be explained in a few minutes and I am going to graciously decline this invitation.

However, I do intend to attend Glasstalk, along with 5 of our senior people.

We will soon be organising a series of seminars around the country and will be extending invitations to any interested party who would like to attend their nearest seminar and participate in the Q&A sessions at the end.

DGCOS isn’t for everyone, and I am not out to convert everyone. If people are happy as members of the GGF or other bodies that’s fine by me, but I do believe DGCOS is by far and away the best consumer protection scheme in the industry, because it was designed to be.

Read the latest discussions on DGCOS at www.glasstalk.co.uk or visit:  www.dgcos.org.uk

Installers who become members of the DGCOS will be able to offer their customers a range of policies, including deposit protection, work in progress insurance and an insurance-backed guarantee. Homeowners, meanwhile, will be offered access to professional mediators, independent inspectors and a dispute resolution and arbitration service conducted by the Ombudsman. The DGCOS scheme will offer installers protection against unfair complaints from customers and companies who withhold payment for completed work.

The DGCOS scheme, which has been trialled for over two years, will be promoted by national TV and radio advertising campaigns fronted by Nick Ross, the former presenter of the BBC’s Crimewatch and Watchdog programmes.

In brief, DGCOS is offering consumers safeguards and protection including:
1 – Accredited Installers
2 - Deposit Protection
3 - 10 Year Guarantee
4 - Insurance Backed Guarantee
5 - Free Advice Line
6 – Ombudsman Protection

To protect homeowners further DGCOS provide access to professional mediators, independent inspectors and a Compensation Fund to honour awards made by the Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme.

Glasstalk is the new Double Glazing & Conservatory Forum website creating debate on all issue within the industry. To find out what people are discussing – visit www.glasstalk.co.uk today!

The new Glasstalk website is basically a social media networking tool for the double glazing industry allowing you to air your views online with other installers and suppliers. Once logged into the site users can create their own profile, add a picture of themselves and both post comments on their wall or comment on other users’ thoughts.

The beauty of the GlassTalk website is that it is industry specific meaning that your fellow users and yourself are very likely to be intrigued in what everyone has to say on for example a conservatory. Whereas, Facebook is not really designed to be used as a forum for discussion on conservatories, double glazing or uPVC windows. If you did use it in that way, then you may soon find yourself without many friends, but on Glasstalk such topics are likely to be embraced by others.

Sometimes when discussing business with a fellow user you may not wish for all your posts to be made public. You can instead message all users privately so that any delicate or confidential information such as the exchanging of telephone numbers can be kept between the two of you. Being able to feed ideas off other people and seeing what others are doing in order to improve their company could be beneficiary for your own business.

So get registered on the GlassTalk website, create your username and profile, start making friends and get talking!

The new Glasstalk website is basically a social media networking tool for the double glazing industry allowing you to air your views online with other installers and suppliers. Once logged into the site users can create their own profile, add a picture of themselves and both post comments on their wall or comment on other users’ thoughts.

The beauty of the GlassTalk website is that it is industry specific meaning that your fellow users and yourself are very likely to be intrigued in what everyone has to say on for example a conservatory. Whereas, Facebook is not really designed to be used as a forum for discussion on conservatories, double glazing or uPVC windows. If you did use it in that way, then you may soon find yourself without many friends, but on Glasstalk such topics are likely to be embraced by others.

Sometimes when discussing business with a fellow user you may not wish for all your posts to be made public. You can instead message all users privately so that any delicate or confidential information such as the exchanging of telephone numbers can be kept between the two of you. Being able to feed ideas off other people and seeing what others are doing in order to improve their company could be beneficiary for your own business.

So get registered on the GlassTalk website, create your username and profile, start making friends and get talking!

So did GlassTalk work? The answer was an overwhelming yes with around 160 people attending the glazing industry’s first networking event at the Hilton Metropole, Birmingham NEC on the 18th March.

It was a bold move to put together a networking event in just 4 weeks and was first conceived by Matthew Glover, Andrew Glover and Jon Twigge after the change of plans for Glassex in 2009. More recently Barry Dunlop, Paul Godwin and Iain McInnes put further resources behind the programme of events and the result was a full event.

A mixture of systems companies, fabricators, installers and other companies associated in the sector attended the one day event which was hosted by Barry Dunlop. The morning session took the form of 3 sessions of networking with tables allocated at random to keep the conversations fresh and engaging.

The afternoon involved a number of couch interviews, with Paul Godwin the man asking the questions to a number of leading industry personnel on topics including recycling, internet marketing, planning for conservatories and Energy Rated Windows / the environment. Evening dinner followed with a number of bar sponsors which included Ultraframe, Synseal, Conservatory Outlet, RoofWright, Blinds2Go, Business Micros, Edgetech, A&B Glass and Mila. Given the non-profit status of the event, the remaining balance from the bar was donated to GM Fundraising.

There was an overwhelming consensus that the event was excellent, productive and should happen on a regular basis. GlassTalk can now lay claim to be an important part of the industry’s calendar and now plans are afoot to make it a permanent fixture. For further information, log on to http://glasstalk.wikidot.com or read Renegade Conservatory’s blog on the event at www.renegadeconservatoryguy.co.uk.