NICEIC Certification Scheme NICEIC Rant

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jedisparks

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Hi folks

Hope you don't mind but I could with a bit of a rant following yesterdays niceic visit.

In some ways it couldnt have gone any better, everything was in order both in terms of paper work and on the jobs we looked at. He made one or two nit-picky comments, fair enough, I don't really mind that to be honest. I never argue it, I just say "ok, thats a good point, i'll watch out for that in the future". I'm always, always polite and courteous to him.

What gets me is his hardnosed, arrogant attitude and it's the same every year (been registered for about 6 years or so). He generally talks to me like i'm an arse-hole. He is very rude in his approach, cuts me off mid-sentence, unfriendly & not very patient etc...

I would understand to some degree if he found lots of things wrong every time. I genuinely try to tow the line and comply with what they want and put a lot of effort into ensuring high standards with the technical aspects of my work.

He needs to chill out a bit and realise that a few manners cost nothing, but can go a long way. call it proffesional courtesy if you like. Is that really asking alot?

Seriously considering switching scheme providers this year. my enrollment is up in April so I am taking a serious look at this. Has anyone else switched for similar reasons? Would you be kind enough to share your experiences please?

Thanks for reading, I feel a bit better, but only a bit.
 
I can move this to the Arms for you, depends if you want it in a Public or Private forum.
 
Mate: You Rant away, guy sounds like a complete little Hitler to be honest. About time people like him wised up, if it was'nt for people like yourself he would'nt have a job.
 
If your thinking about switching, then tell NICEIC and why, after all nothing to loose. Tell them you want to stay but you feel that the assessor and you don't really get along, and would it be possible to send another?

You can always butter them up a little by saying that he is professional etc etc, but you feel that with yourself he is a little discourteous etc etc,

If they tell you no, then say thank you I'll take me 500 pound else where
 
jedisparks said:
Hi folks

Hope you don't mind but I could with a bit of a rant following yesterdays niceic visit.

In some ways it couldnt have gone any better, everything was in order both in terms of paper work and on the jobs we looked at. He made one or two nit-picky comments, fair enough, I don't really mind that to be honest. I never argue it, I just say "ok, thats a good point, i'll watch out for that in the future". I'm always, always polite and courteous to him.

What gets me is his hardnosed, arrogant attitude and it's the same every year (been registered for about 6 years or so). He generally talks to me like i'm an arse-hole. He is very rude in his approach, cuts me off mid-sentence, unfriendly & not very patient etc...

I would understand to some degree if he found lots of things wrong every time. I genuinely try to tow the line and comply with what they want and put a lot of effort into ensuring high standards with the technical aspects of my work.

He needs to chill out a bit and realise that a few manners cost nothing, but can go a long way. call it proffesional courtesy if you like. Is that really asking alot?

Seriously considering switching scheme providers this year. my enrollment is up in April so I am taking a serious look at this. Has anyone else switched for similar reasons? Would you be kind enough to share your experiences please?

Thanks for reading, I feel a bit better, but only a bit.
Click to expand...

I think I would have had a quiet word with him before now. Something along the lines of "Whey the **** d'ye think yer taallkin' tey bonny lad?? Ye 'n' me ... ootside!!!!!! :angry_smile:
 
Tend to find with people like that allday everyday people suck up to em to get through assessment so he's gained an air of arrogance, bet if you spoke to his office about him he'd some change his attitude, assessment or not YOUR the customer.
 
jedisparks, feel for you there, I'd DEFINATELY do sommat. Like has been said tell their admin why you're leaving next year.

I'd maybe next time (if it happens), meet him at your place, and if he starts with it, don't speak, just direct him to the door, and then explain why he's being ejected. Possibly ask if he's like to re think his approach but from the sound of it he'll have lost the plot by then, but you'll feel great and have politely taken control and told him to go forth with actually saying it.

As has been said there are many scheme providers. They all rob you. I would at least expect courtesy. My assessor for 4 years has been NAPIT and they are good. I used to deal with NICEIC and in several cases, only ever had the same experience as you so they've lost out on alot of money because of it (if a rep is reading, take note).


And thats all its got to do with, money!
 
Just had my niceic visit and have to say he seemed a decent chap however if I felt one of them was treating me like an arsehole I wouldn't be ranting on here I'd be ranting to the niceic or even better to the assessor himself. Don't get all this 'have the tea and choccy biscuits ready for him' way of thinking either. We pay them a fortune!!
 
Cakey - I should be more like that, I'm crap at complaining! It's like if you complain about your starter in a restaurant, I worry that my main cousre will then be laced with the chef's special sauce or the like!

I feel that if I complain, he might be even more picky and horrible next time.

I don't do biscuits but i do make him a cuppa like I would anyone who is visiting my house (I work based from home).

Thanks everyone for your posts so far, some funny ones too!
 
Jedi,

You wont ever get it worse then this poor git i saw in Paris when i was on holiday with the missus at the time.

This bloke, out with dinner with his wife and two kids, ordered his food and politely sat and waited a good 60 minutes for it to arrive (at which point i would have already have been up at the chef like a pitbull demanding where my grub is). upon arrival of his glazed chicken and veg or whatever it was, i couldnt quite make out such finer details from my table, but i could hear the conversation wel enough and obviously his food had arrived not only late but cold. so he very politely asked the waiter if he could either have it replaced, or warmed up. I think most people at this stage after waiting so long for their food when the rest of their family had already finished! and then having your food arrival cold, would have been the right time to tell the restaraunt to do one, and leave without paying, but he didnt, he sat there again and patiently waited..... when al of a sudden i heard this WHOOOSSH and looked over my shoulder into the kitchen and saw they had actually set his food ON FIRE!!! the **** of a waiter then re-emerges with a plate of burning food (obviously brandy coated or something) and plonks down on the table and says in a very arrogant and nasel french accent .."hot enough for you sir?"


The British are genetically bad at complaining, but that waiter would have left work that night with a fork in his eye if he did that to me.
 
Jedisparks, I think a lot of the inspecting engineers are like that as it goes with the job and i should say most of them know each other and talk so i'm told. You will prob be refered to as the trouble maker with whoever your with, I'm sure your remarks have been noted as i can't beleive if none are on here. I feel your pain but it is only once a year and they are there to find fault as i'm sure if you look hard enough we all miss the old bits on a job.

I remember having a head on with mine a few years back over something silly as i felt the same as you, ended up i called him a few choice words and there was silence the he ****ed himself laughing. Been great since then, really nice bloke. (thought better add that last bit, just incase ;)
 
Jedi, are you a door mat? I will guess as NO as you can type and speak like a human being.
You really should get this whole thread deleted or put in the arms so not to be seen by one of the NIC as "bitching"

Phone them up tomorrow and make it clear YOU are NOT happy with HIM and his manner.
Tell them you are fed up with it and shall leave at the end of the year or now and demand a refund.

Do not put up with it and take action NOW!

Alternatively, give me all your details and his and I will do it for you.
 
Mark_Burgess said:
Jedi, are you a door mat? I will guess as NO as you can type and speak like a human being.
You really should get this whole thread deleted or put in the arms so not to be seen by one of the NIC as "bitching"

Phone them up tomorrow and make it clear YOU are NOT happy with HIM and his manner.
Tell them you are fed up with it and shall leave at the end of the year or now and demand a refund.

Do not put up with it and take action NOW!

Alternatively, give me all your details and his and I will do it for you.
Click to expand...


WHY?? No names have been mentioned or implied!! What have the NIC got to be worried about, or the OP come to that. As wade88 Stated in his post the Brit's don't complain enough when they have received or given a bad service, this thread may well help others put in this position...

Leave the thread where it is!!!
 
jedisparks said:
Cakey - I should be more like that, I'm crap at complaining! It's like if you complain about your starter in a restaurant, I worry that my main cousre will then be laced with the chef's special sauce or the like!

I feel that if I complain, he might be even more picky and horrible next time.

I don't do biscuits but i do make him a cuppa like I would anyone who is visiting my house (I work based from home).

Thanks everyone for your posts so far, some funny ones too!
Click to expand...

I agree with you about complaining in restaurants..... Always a last resort. And I too make tea and if there are any digestives about he can have them too because I'm a nice guy but not so it might mean he won't pick on me so much. As said above we are the customer and come to think of it never mind tea and biscuits id like a few gifts from them on thier visit to keep my custom. A nice pen maybe or a Christmas card like the the bank give me. What u reckon?
 
For me it's just about treating people the way you would like to be treated, basic manners one man to another, whether I'm paying or not. If someone thinks it should be moved then go for it, I'm not worried who sees it, no names mentioned anyway. I'm also perfectly happy with being picked up on there is anything wrong with my work, that's the whole point isn't it.
 
Get yourself down elecsa/ECA mate, they're all nice as pie, easy going, only want 1 small assessment job which you can choose and generally just leave you to get on with it and treat you like the proffessional that you are.
 
cakey said:
I agree with you about complaining in restaurants..... Always a last resort. And I too make tea and if there are any digestives about he can have them too because I'm a nice guy but not so it might mean he won't pick on me so much. As said above we are the customer and come to think of it never mind tea and biscuits id like a few gifts from them on thier visit to keep my custom. A nice pen maybe or a Christmas card like the the bank give me. What u reckon?
Click to expand...

Gifts?! yeah that would be nice but i'll settle for be treated as an equal instead of like a dog turd.
 
Dave 85 said:
Get yourself down elecsa/ECA mate, they're all nice as pie, easy going, only want 1 small assessment job which you can choose and generally just leave you to get on with it and treat you like the proffessional that you are.
Click to expand...

I will certainly give them a look nd maybe a phone call. I'm genuinely interested in other people's experiences with other scheme providers.

Thanks for that
 
Are you on the DI or AC scheme.. Remember the DI engineers are often experienced local AC's paid by the NICEIC to do assessments.

He might have a chip on his shoulder about you being competition.

The guy who does the DI assessments round here (Scott) has his own electrical firm (and is an AC).... He's a nice guy for the record.. although I've never met him in a professional capacity.
 
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Having been on both sides of being assessed and being the assessor I can understand that personalities can react but there are some that are so far up the darkside.

I did some assessing of workshops for the National Caravan Councils Approved Workshop Scheme a while ago and it can work both ways had a site whose arrogance while trying to book the visit on the phone didn't bode well for a good visit, the notes on the previous assessment visit for another site indicated an attitude problem with the workshop manager and other people mentioned his arrogance, during my visit there was no problem and he couldn't have been more polite. On another site I had to be very insistent on seeing all the documentation which due to their filing system was mislaid or misfiled and also not having on open display in the waiting area the mandatory documents required by the AWS made me possibly appear aggressive towards them as I insisted that this needed to be sorted to receive a favourable assessment

On the other side I have in other businesses been assessed by the NICEIC, SSAIB and various other bodies and never had a problem with the people they have sent out

I have often thought that it would be useful if you had to fill in a questionnaire about your assessment and how well the assessor did
 
wade88 said:
Despite your clearly a Geordie, i cant read what your typing without straight away going into Glasgow mode.
Click to expand...

Aye, well .......... there's not much difference ..... Weegies are like Geordies but with the brain kicked oot !!! :)

(the Weegies tell it the other way round though!!)
 
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I remember on my first assessment 11yrs ago. One job was a smoke detector off a local lighting cct. he said it should be on ist own cct. i showed him the onsite guide which proved him wrong.

i even gave a good reason, the circuits tend to be turned off in the student houses i was working in.

he got his own back as he recommended i do the 2400 and 2391 courses even though the the day went well and the testing was ok.

i already had my B&C Cert and HNC.

its best to agree with them, they just want the brownie points when they forward thier reports!!
 
My colleague is with the NICEIC and like you, an experienced Spark. He has had similar concerns with his assessments and is now considering moving to another scheme provider - an easy process because the new provider will assist with it!!

I don't have any problems myself with ECA/Elecsa. Have to say they are very helpful, polite and reasonable. Probably this is why the combined membership of ECA/Elecsa is growing at a healthy rate year on year??

Also heard favourable feedback about Napit too!!
 
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The thing I always hear is that NIC is there for the clients benefit, ECA is for the contaractors. I know quite a few self employed electricians and they're all Elecsa registered (as am I). I think full ECA registration is now every bit as recognised as full NIC when it comes to big commercial jobs (so I've heard).
 
I had Bob Sanders, senior district engineer, he is the boss man, he's above the rest of them. He couldn't have been kinder or more down to earth, even made conversation to try and put me at ease and calm my nerves. He diddnt make a fuss when my nerves made me overlook glaringly obvious mistakes with my testing that I carried out while he was there, such as not disconnecting the main earth while testing Ze.

I couldn't have been happier with the assessment, my only grip is that head office is useless and SLOW!!
 
Dave 85 said:
The thing I always hear is that NIC is there for the clients benefit, ECA is for the contaractors. I know quite a few self employed electricians and they're all Elecsa registered (as am I). I think full ECA registration is now every bit as recognised as full NIC when it comes to big commercial jobs (so I've heard).
Click to expand...


Well said Dave
 
I'm with Elecsa, and can only highly recommend. The Inspector is fine, courteous and we have a chat about righting the worldsd wrongs before commencing the assessment. If theres an issue he points it out and "suggest" a remedy in order not to put a corrective action in place, if there is a choice. The support team on the end of a phone are quick and extremely helpful.

Its now the 21st century and there is absolutely no need to have little Hitlers roaming around under the guise of the NIC. There no harm in good manners.

Have a look around mate, gone are the days when the NIC had the monopoly, but there are still some inspectors that seem to think the NIC is the be all and end all.
 
wade88 said:
the **** of a waiter then re-emerges with a plate of burning food (obviously brandy coated or something) and plonks down on the table and says in a very arrogant and nasel french accent .."hot enough for you sir?"
Click to expand...

I'd be reminding monsieur waiter of 2 pertinent statistics...

1. Fewer than five out of ten French people take a bath or shower every day.
2. The French buy less than half as much soap as the Germans and the British.

And then finish off by telling him where he can stick his 'Crepe Suzette', flaming or otherwise :ciappa:
 
Hi all,

I hope you don't mind me edging in on your rant, I'm new to the forum and to the trade. I have recently qualified as a spark, with inspection and testing etc and would like to find out more about registering with a scheme provider. By the sound of things NIC are very friendly, not! What do the annual assessments consist of, what real benifits do scheme providers provide etc. Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
 
They're also just as bad as each other just want money...... but I think Elecsa contractors seem happier with their scheme than any other
 
mspms said:
Thanks RJW. Can you expand a little on their requirements etc? Where in East angia are you based I'm in Mid Suffolk.
Click to expand...

I have no idea we're dreaded NICEIC AC:89:

The elecsa website simply just says you need the 17th

More info Elecsa - Part P Scheme

And the elecsa guide http://www.elecsa.co.uk/Documents/P...to-Avoid-Common-Part-P-Assessment-Issues.aspx


I'm near Yarmouth



EDIT Sorry wrong doc

Should have posted this one http://www.elecsa.co.uk/Documents/Public-Documents/Contractors/Guide-to-Part-P_2012.aspx
 
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