OPEN DOORS 125 years and still counting …. dhf, in one form or another, has now been going for 125 years and our story is told on page 19. During that time, the world has seen many changes; some of them for the better but some of which have made our lives so much more difficult and frustrating. One change that annoys me immensely is the socalled development of customer service departments. Firstly, it is sometimes difficult to find the right telephone number but, if you do, then you are often faced with a lengthy message of ‘press 1 for accounts, 2 for sales, 3 for returns’ and so on. OK, I have now pressed 6 for customer services. Great, I am number 26 in the queue. 15 minutes later, I curse and swear and hang up with high blood pressure! Calm down I say to myself. Perhaps I exaggerate a little, but you know what I mean. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 and, at dhf, we have a very traditional customer services system that hasn’t changed in 125 years ….. calls are answered by a real person who sorts out the query, or puts the call through to someone who can help. That’s what we call real-time customer service. Test us out. So, why do companies join a trade body like dhf? Many reasons, but the main one as far as dhf is concerned is that it enables members to go to bed knowing that their company is always going to be kept up to date with the latest information on standards, regulations and such things as CE and UKCA marking. A case in point happened this week. The Government decided to do a bit of a U-turn and relax the rules on testing for products in what is called AVCP System 3 (Assessment & Verification of Constancy of Performance). Within 24 hours of the Government announcement, we had pushed out the new information to our members, hopefully in a format that was easy to read. Read more about this on page 19. (UKCA Marking Update) Life is too complicated these days. If you are not a dhf member, think about joining us and see how we can make your life just a little bit simpler. A regular comment column, brought to you by Bob Perry, CEO, Door and Hardware Federation For more information, please visit www.dhfonline.org.uk THE door industry journal summer 2022 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk dhf Resumes Training in Ireland Following a two-year ‘pause’ as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Door & Hardware Federation (dhf) has announced its plan to resume its training programme in the Republic of Ireland. In a very positive meeting held in Dublin on 28th April with Ireland-based members, dhf’s Head of Commercial Operations, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, General Manager & Secretary, Michael Skelding, and Senior Training & Compliance Officer, Steve Hill, outlined the federation’s intention to recommence one and two-day training courses. In July 2019, dhf held a one-day public Level 2 Award in Automated Gate and Traffic Barrier Safety in Ireland, and such was its success, a second public training day for installers and maintenance operatives of automated gates took place in February 2020, a course that was open to all, whether a member of dhf or not. At the time, Patricia described the expansion of training into Ireland as a ‘leap of faith’: “We were delighted by the uptake of training courses in Ireland in 2019, and again in February 2020 and had planned regular events to build on this success,” she explains. “However, following the onset of ‘lockdown’ in March 2020, these had to be put on hold. We are very pleased to be able to kickstart our training in Ireland once again, and following our meeting with members last month, it is evident there is a genuine enthusiasm for this.” dhf’s offering will comprise two-day courses (which will remain as members’ private courses), and one-day courses, both of which will complement any future auditing requirements. The one-day course will once again comprise five learning modules with a short examination following each and presents examples of past failures and prosecutions, as well as giving the learner the ability to accurately conduct and document a risk assessment. For further information on dhf training courses, please visit: www.dhfonline.org.uk Bob Perry, dhf CEO Senior Training and Compliance Officer, Steve Hill, will resume training in Ireland for dhf:
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