Recruitment has begun for tradespeople in the London and Berkshire areas to help Home Solutions from John Lewis continue its expansion. The service enables customers to book plumbers, electricians, decorators and gardeners online, and it is currently available in Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Taunton.
John Lewis has established close relationships with a number of trade organisations and has created a council of tradespeople to work in consultation with the scheme. The council has assisted in developing a rigorous recruitment process that includes both an independent review of previous work and an in-depth induction into John Lewis’ customer service standards.
For the tradespeople that make the cut, John Lewis offers:
- The service is completely free for trades, with no membership fees or bidding for jobs
- Guaranteed payment within seven working days from completion of the job, with no paperwork to complete
- Additional new and repeat business and access to John Lewis and Waitrose customers
- Free marketing support, including use of the Home Solutions brand on clothes and vans
- An easy-to-use app that allows them to run an entire job – from initial customer contact to estimating and payment – from their smartphone or tablet
- Fair and transparent pricing for both trades and customers
- A field team of John Lewis experts who can assist them on a peer-to-peer basis, and a voice on the trade council that consults with the Home Solutions leadership team.
William Jenkins, a Gas Safe Installer based in Cardiff, says: ‘’I’ve run my own plumbing and heating business since 2004 and have worked all over Wales and the South West on projects for customers who demand high quality work. I have found working with John Lewis has opened doors for me and helped create fantastic opportunities for future business.’’
