Whats it like working for British Gas as a qualified electrician???

[Lester Lecky]

British Gas are recruiting qualified electricians right now a they continue to expand into the electrical market.

Can anyone give the true low down on what its like working for them? Not just rumours but the real facts?

They are paying £29,500 + benefits. (40 hour week) Plus bonus of £6000.

What sort of targets do you have to hit each day? What happens if you don't achieve targets? (i.e. a fault takes several hours to fix)

What are all the POOL hours about? (200 hours a year?)

HEARD things tough and some sparks run ragged over large area? I have to be home to children promptly....what happens if you don't compete all jobs in a day?

All feedback welcome?

 

[ImpededLoop]

Hi, it's probably worth searching the forum as I'm sure this came up recently on here. If the forum search doesn't get you a result, try google instead.

 

[Octopus]

I was in a house last week when the boiler was being serviced by BG. Judging by what I heard they are more like sales people now!

 

[PEG]

I too have witnessed situations where a BG install or inspection,quickly moves to a marketing exercise. Let us not kid ourselves,there are many traders out there,some even good at their job,who push the sales boat out. It is the size,and overall corporate strategy of this particular outfit,that is of concern. People will eventually determine the difference between "pushy individual representatives",and a "company policy". I have said it on many occasions,that i believe some of their advice and work,is the basis of a future "PPI" type investigation. Remember,we have seen bigger concerns,brought to account over misleading advice,which results in revenue for the adviser...:bobby:

 

[Rundiz]

i used to work for british gas commercial as for the domestic side im not sure what the working hours are but talking to the domestic sparks on travels they don't usually start work till 9am due to customers not wanting you in before than and its all pretty minor stuff really changing broken socket and switches general faults not much can go wrong in a domestic property compared to commercial, i don't think they get much overtime either plus you have to go on call out and work one Saturday per month. i used to start on site everyday at 7 and get home around 7 or 8 are you sure there recruiting people or are you getting added into the poole cos i imagine they would have taken on a lot of people from the commercial side due to it being closed

 

[LeeH]

Is this domestic or industrial out of interest?

 

[Rundiz]

Hes talking about domestic

 

[snowhead]

Not specifically this job;

Banked hours are normally overtime worked and not paid (or only partly paid).
The time is then "Banked" untill a day when there is no work and at the employers discretion you are told to take banked hours and stay at home or go home early.

 

[Lester Lecky]

i used to work for british gas commercial as for the domestic side im not sure what the working hours are but talking to the domestic sparks on travels they don't usually start work till 9am due to customers not wanting you in before than and its all pretty minor stuff really changing broken socket and switches general faults not much can go wrong in a domestic property compared to commercial, i don't think they get much overtime either plus you have to go on call out and work one Saturday per month. i used to start on site everyday at 7 and get home around 7 or 8 are you sure there recruiting people or are you getting added into the poole cos i imagine they would have taken on a lot of people from the commercial side due to it being closed

I was in the talent pool and then went on to sit an electrical test, have an interview and be verbally offered the job a few days later. It is all domestic work.

I am quite keen on the position however am concerned over rumours and talk of excessive jobs to be done in a day and lots of selling to be done? I want to do electrician work, not be under unrealistic pressure to achieve targets

 

[Englishman]

Also need to know their policy on job timings, we've all had simple jobs that should take 15 minutes and take over an hour, do they survey and allocate time properly, do you Have to find faults or are they revisited etc.

Not bad money in current climate though, and a fair bit more than I'm on

 

[Rundiz]

I don't understand why people think you become a salesman working for british gas if your working in a customers house than there already using british gas as there supplier so I dunno what your going to sale them, how it works is there on a care plan which they pay under £20 a month it also works both ways when customers call you because they have kicked there db cover off so you can change it and they get a insulation cert. as for job timing theres no allocated job timing unless its quoted works so I don't think you would get penalized for being on jobs too long unless you are actually taking the mick so ide say go for it if you can get in theres nothing wrong with working for them

 

[LeeH]

How do you qualify for the bonus and how is it paid?

What are the 'benefits' ?

Questions I'd be asking first of all.

 

[ian.settle1]

How do you qualify for the bonus and how is it paid?

What are the 'benefits' ?

Questions I'd be asking first of all.

Depends how many people he can decieve and get them to have extra work done that is not required.

 

[pitkin2020]

I don't understand why people think you become a salesman working for british gas if your working in a customers house than there already using british gas as there supplier so I dunno what your going to sale them, how it works is there on a care plan which they pay under £20 a month it also works both ways when customers call you because they have kicked there db cover off so you can change it and they get a insulation cert. as for job timing theres no allocated job timing unless its quoted works so I don't think you would get penalized for being on jobs too long unless you are actually taking the mick so ide say go for it if you can get in theres nothing wrong with working for them

Its not about selling them gas but maybe upgrades they don't need etc

 

[Lester Lecky]

Depends how many people he can decieve and get them to have extra work done that is not required.

This is what i'm interested to know. I will never trick a customer into work they do not need. I have heard a "bonus" maybe sales related. I.E. Getting x amount of customers to have CU upgrades etc.
Also heard they expect a CU upgrade to take just an hour or two.

I have written to them asking for clarification of what's required etc. Will be interested to see what answers i get back!!

 

[Octopus]

Are you going to accept the job?

 

[Lester Lecky]

Not sure yet. Awaiting answers to some questions and to see a contract! Not interested in a sales job though...
What are your views on BG then Murdoch?

 

[Octopus]

Not sure yet. Awaiting answers to some questions and to see a contract! Not interested in a sales job though...
What are your views on BG then Murdoch?

To be honest I think they are a typical big company, "abusing" the work force, off shoring call centres and paying the bosses too much.

I advise clients to avoid BG when it comes to Sparking!

 

[LEO]

Lester Lecky,

Sorry mate, I have just seen your PM to me. I haven't logged in here for a while, if you need any advice I have given you my email address to contact me. To sum this question up, I honestly thought my job at BG was going to be a job for life, sadly this wasn't the case, far from it.

 

[Knobhead]

I know it may be awkward, others that have been asking about BG would be interested in your experience.