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Home> F Ball <Apps lead the way in expert advice

Apps lead the way in expert advice

Virtual site visits from F. Ball and Co. Ltd., using video messaging platforms such as WhatsApp video have emerged as one of the most popular methods for flooring contractors to access the company’s industry-leading technical support service.


Launched at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic to comply with social distancing measures, the service allows industry professionals to obtain on-the-spot site assessments and advice on the best course of action for a particular flooring project when using F. Ball products.


Having arranged an appointment with the company’s Technical Service Department, callers can guide a technical service officer around a site using their mobile device and receive expert instruction on the high-performance products needed to achieve the best results, as well as answers to their technical questions, without delay.


The option to use video calls has been well received by the flooring trade, with FaceTime and WhatsApp proving the most popular apps amongst Apple and Android users respectively. Ken Appleby, Managing Director at Frome Carpet and Flooring, is one of those who has already benefitted from the service. He said: “We’ve been in the trade for over 40 years, and we thought we’d seen everything, but we had to refurbish a subfloor which had a coating that we didn’t recognise, likely applied by a builder. It took just a quick video call for F. Ball to advise nothing would bond to it and it would need to be mechanically removed. We were very happy with the diagnosis, which allowed us to progress the project without further delay.”


Site visits are still conducted in person by F. Ball’s regional technical representatives. However, the efficiency of virtual site visits, and their resulting popularity, has led F. Ball to continue to offer them as part of the company’s range of technical support services.


“Feedback from the trade for our virtual site visits has been very positive – they are proving popular with contractors,” said F. Ball Sales Director, Darren Kenyon. “Before the lockdowns two years ago, we had already begun to look at how we could further improve our support for the flooring trade. Our Technical Service Department has always been available via ‘traditional’ methods, such as phone calls, but sometimes you just have to be there and see it to be able to answer a question; technology is providing yet another option when our help is needed on-site.”


For questions where a visual brief is not required, F. Ball’s Technical Service Department continue to resolve queries by phone, email and via the F. Ball website, during normal office hours. Contractors can still request physical site visits from F. Ball’s regional Technical Representatives.


Alternatively, enquiries can be made using the company’s other social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook, which also serve as a newsfeed for all things F. Ball, including product information, case studies and promotions for members of the Ball Rewards loyalty scheme. Additionally, Facebook and Twitter provide a platform to showcase photos and videos of work undertaken using F. Ball products, helping to bring together the community of UK flooring contractors.

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