The construction market at large is often somewhat more traditional and changes at a slower pace than for instance the FMCG market. That difference in pace is shown when looking at purchase channels, for instance. The impact of the pandemic we have all just witnessed...
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What is going on in the construction, installation and home improvement sectors?
HVAC installerMORE INSTALLERS INTERESTED IN AR AND VR SERVICE SUPPORT FROM MANUFACTURERS
While the pandemic was an undeniable and majorly disruptive milestone experience in the world of HVAC installers and plumbers, as it was in the entire world, it did not change much to trends in the sector, aside from stealing their attention for a while. Overall trends like the energy transition are causing a constant flow of new and complex systems that need installing by qualified installers. Meanwhile, business is picking up after the corona dip, construction volumes are still growing, and in certain areas, housing shortages will ensure further growth in the future. All this means that installers are in high demand.
SERVICES SAVING TIME AND HASSLE
European installers mainly interested in services that save time and hassle Things are looking up in the installation sector in Europe as the pressure of the pandemic is lifting. The positive turnover balance and order book development of HVAC...
EUROPEAN INSTALLERS ARE POSITIVE AGAIN
European installers report a positive turnover balance for the first time since Corona Aside from the severe impact it had on every-day life, the pandemic has had a devastating economical effect in many a sector. The European mechanical installation sector is no...
WHEN NOT TO OFFER TRAINING TO HVAC INSTALLERS?
After more than a year of pandemic and talking about the impact of that pandemic on sectors like the European installation industry, I think we can all agree that it is about time we go back to normal. In the case of this sector, ‘normal’ means discussing the impact of trends like qualitative and quantitative labour shortages caused by growing shortages of skilled HVAC installers and plumbers that have to deal with increasingly complex products and systems, changing laws and regulations, digitalisation and so on.
EUROPEAN INSTALLERS PREFER FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING BUT EXPECT THAT MORE TRAINING WILL BE DONE ONLINE AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Installers participating in Q1 2021 of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor, have shown a clear preference for face-to-face training instead of online training. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has exposed many plumbers and HVAC installers to online training. Consequently, most installers expect that more training will be done online in the future, although they do not find all topics equally suitable for this. Therefore, as part of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor Q1 2021 report, we focused on investigating the training needs of plumbers and HVAC installers. The European Mechanical Installation Monitor is conducted among installers in six countries and is conducted by USP Marketing Consultancy.
EUROPEAN HVAC INSTALLERS DID MORE ONLINE TRAINING IN 2020, BUT STILL PREFER FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING
The global pandemic has a lot of influence on our day-to-day lives but is also affecting the construction and installation market in many ways. Besides the more obvious effects (supply chain shortage, online order behaviour, changes in orientation behaviour etc), the corona crisis also impacts the training needs of installers. Or more specifically, the way the training is consumed. To have a clear view of any potential changes due to corona, and perhaps more importantly their future behavior, we focus on the topic of training needs in the new Q1 2021 report of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor.
USAGE OF PROFESSIONAL AND MANUFACTURER MAGAZINES AMONG PLUMBERS AND HVAC INSTALLERS CONTINUES TO DECLINE, BUT NOT AS FAST AS SOME YEARS AGO
Over the last years, installers and plumbers slowly but surely made the shift from traditional media sources to new sources of information like internet, websites, newsletters and social media. For many manufacturers the question arises whether it is still worth advertising in the traditional channels. As a part of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor, in Q4 2020, we focused on the media orientation and usage among plumbers and HVAC installers in Europe, including usage of traditional media.
GROWING USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FOR PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES BY PLUMBERS AND HVAC INSTALLERS
In the last years, installers and plumbers slowly but surely made the shift from printed sources of information to digital ones. While it was clear for everybody that internet and websites are of great importance for the installers, manufacturers were also eager to know whether social media channels should be included in their communication and marketing campaigns for this target group. As a part of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor, in Q4 2020, we focused on investigating the media orientation and usage among plumbers and HVAC installers in Europe, and the usage of social media was one of the topics.
UK INSTALLER MORE OFTEN HIRED TO INSTALL PRODUCTS BOUGHT BY THE END USERS
Internet and e-commerce have been a serious driver for changes in the way business operates. Professionals from different sectors of the construction industry claim that end users are getting more informed about products and possibilities in the market. They also do not hesitate to buy products themselves and hire an installer just to do the installation of the products. This has important consequences for the business models of the installers and their way of making money. As a part of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor, in Q3 2020 we focused on the decision making power of HVAC installers in Europe.
UK INSTALLERS USE THE MOST PURCHASE CHANNELS
The B2B installation products market used to be dominated entirely by the three step distribution model, from manufacturer to wholesaler to professional customer. Although the position of the traditional specialised installation wholesaler is still dominant, indicating a more conservative market, other purchase channels like pure online players or direct purchasing from manufacturers have been gaining ground.
MAJOR TRENDS IN THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET REFLECTED BY SERVICES INSTALLERS ASK FROM MANUFACTURERS
An increasing labour shortage is now an undeniable trend in the construction market. Meanwhile, due to technological developments, products and systems are increasing in complexity. A third trend is that older generations of installers are, due to age, gradually leaving the market, and with them a lot of experience leaves the installation market as well, which affects the quality of the installer workforce.
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